Battle Nations

About

Battle Nations is a single player and multiplayer casual strategy game. It was developed by Madrona Games Inc and was released on September 18, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Battle Nations lets you build and manage a thriving city while leading diverse armies, from traditional troops to exotic units like mammoths and plasma forces. Engage in tactical battles across varied terrains, unlocking powerful mercenaries and vehicles to defeat rebel threats. Experience a rich wartime story with memorable heroes and compete globally through guilds and PvP events.

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72%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,085 reviews

story54 positive mentions

monetization18 negative mentions

Great art style and animations, with a humorous and engaging story.
Fun turn-based combat and strategy gameplay that appeals to fans of the genre.
The game has a promising future with ongoing updates and community support.

Heavy reliance on microtransactions, making it feel pay-to-win and frustrating for free-to-play players.
Long wait times for building and unit training, which can hinder gameplay progression.
Numerous bugs and crashes, particularly on the PC version, affecting overall experience.

story
162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
The game's story is generally praised for its humor, engaging characters, and interesting plot, with many players finding it a significant draw. While some appreciate the witty dialogue and comedic missions, others feel the narrative can become repetitive and is often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics that require waiting for resources. Overall, the story adds charm and depth to the game, though some players express frustration with the grind and the need for in-game currency to progress.
- “The story is interesting and the characters are very lovable.”
- “The game has a good sense of progression, and to help with that, the game has great writing and storytelling.”
- “The story is engaging and humorous with lots of interesting units to choose from.”
- “The steam version of the game is laggy and buggy all around, despite claims from the game's devs that suggest they've already fixed it; PvP is broken, storyline is now virtually non-existent.”
- “After the introductory quests, there's no real point in playing for more than a few minutes once per day or so.”
- “It tries to get you tied in with the story, but I can never connect with it.”
gameplay
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The gameplay is a mix of turn-based strategy and resource management, featuring base-building mechanics reminiscent of popular mobile games. While some players appreciate the engaging combat and unique art style, many criticize the "pay-to-win" elements, long wait times, and frequent crashes that detract from the overall experience. Despite its potential, the game struggles with balancing monetization and gameplay enjoyment, leading to a divided reception among players.
- “The overall gameplay pace is solid and the rollout of new material has been fun to experience.”
- “Great, unique combination of base-building and turn-based strategy gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is balanced, the multiplayer is fun, and there is always something to do in this square-based tactics and resource management game.”
- “Dated mobile gameplay - everything is on a timer, everything wants you to pay for currency to get stronger units or speed things up.”
- “Leaving aside obvious problems like it being a port of the mobile game without much if any change, 'pay to win' gameplay that constricts players who do not wish to pour their money into it, with time and pay walls...”
- “The gameplay isn't completely bad and I could see it being somewhat fun but I refuse to succumb to the 'pay to play' mechanic that has been plaguing games since devs/publishers learned they can suck people dry by adding microtransactions.”
humor
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many players highlighting its engaging and funny storyline, quirky characters, and amusing missions that provide a light-hearted experience. While some reviews note that the humor can become repetitive over time, the overall consensus is that the game successfully combines humor with strategic gameplay, making it enjoyable and entertaining. However, a few critiques mention that the humor may not resonate with everyone, describing it as unoriginal or lacking depth.
- “The storytelling and little random moments are hilarious, and all the units are super cool!”
- “The characters are pretty funny, and you'll get some silly missions once in a while that are a nice relief from the resource grind.”
- “Battle Nations is one of the best games I've ever played; the storyline is hilarious and it builds up a good set of characters in the game.”
- “Basically, this game is a steaming pile of garbage that plays terribly, with a 'hilarious' story that is unoriginal and unfunny.”
graphics
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
35%
14%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the unique and cartoonish art style, which they find appealing and well-suited for casual gameplay. However, some users criticize the graphics as subpar, particularly when compared to other games, noting issues like bugs and a lack of polish. Overall, while the visuals are often described as aesthetically pleasing, there are significant concerns about their quality and performance on different devices.
- “The cartoonish art style is appealing, and building up your base and commanding your troops feels satisfying.”
- “Amazing and unique art style!”
- “Its graphics are astounding and it really works hard on what it has to offer.”
- “The graphics are horrible!”
- “Essentially a Facebook game for download, flash-like graphics, pure pay-to-win game.”
- “The trailers have enhanced graphics, so don't waste your time with this game.”
monetization
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
25%
64%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling that it heavily relies on microtransactions, creating a frustrating experience rather than fostering loyalty. While some users appreciate the gameplay, they express dissatisfaction with the pressure to spend money to remain competitive, labeling it as a cash grab. Overall, the presence of constant ads and in-game purchases detracts from the enjoyment, leading to a negative perception of the game's monetization approach.
- “Great game for fans of battle islands, great fun and the game doesn't force you into microtransactions, although I do recommend them.”
- “Besides the expensive in-game purchases, it's a really fun game.”
- “No ads.”
- “For a game built on strategic depth and community engagement, locking progression too heavily behind monetization creates frustration rather than loyalty.”
- “So now it has become a game for people to feel pressure to spend money (or not be competitive and lose) to play while advertising it as 'free to play'—another sad ending to such a previously excellent game.”
- “This feature ruined the game for me and I would not recommend it to anyone else because it seems more of a cash grab without fair mechanics forcing you to play to continue.”
grinding
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
92%
The reviews highlight a mixed sentiment towards grinding in the game, with many players finding it tedious yet integral to progression. While some appreciate the balance between grinding and pay-to-win elements, others express frustration over the time-consuming nature of resource farming, especially at higher levels. Overall, the game is described as grindy but enjoyable for those who don't mind investing time into building and upgrading their bases.
- “The game strikes a perfect balance with its grinding mechanics, making it engaging without feeling overwhelming.”
- “I appreciate how the grinding in this game feels rewarding and not just like a chore.”
- “The grind is satisfying and adds depth to the gameplay, keeping me motivated to progress.”
- “Just as grindy and frustrating as I remember.”
- “So far the grinding to level up my troops is super boring.”
- “Eventually you'll get to level 30 or so and you'll be stuck unable to get any good units for your level and just stuck farming till you reach max level and can sustain building max tier units after about, I don't know, 3-4 hundred hours of farming.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, crashes, and lag affecting gameplay. While some users note that developers are actively working on updates to address these issues, many still experience significant problems, particularly with the PC version on Steam. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and in need of substantial quality-of-life improvements.
- “This game is so buggy.”
- “The Steam version of the game is laggy and buggy all around, despite claims from the game's developers that suggest they've already fixed it; PvP is broken, and the storyline is now virtually non-existent.”
- “This game can be very buggy at times, and tends to have annoying, random crashes and bugs.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game features a small but impactful soundtrack that complements the combat and overall experience, though some players find it repetitive and lacking in variety. While the theme song enhances the battle atmosphere, the sound design is generally considered unimpressive, with a need for a more accessible menu to adjust settings. Overall, the music serves its purpose but may not leave a lasting impression.
- “Absolutely phenomenal game with interesting characters, stories, and world-building, all backed by a small but banger soundtrack.”
- “The theme song fits perfectly during battles.”
- “A small, but still nice soundtrack.”
- “The music can get repetitive; maybe there's a bit of grind and waiting around.”
- “Sound isn't all that impressive, but it gets the job done, though I found the music a bit boring and repetitive.”
- “No menu, no changing resolution, music, or SFX volume; you must sit through the tutorial first before you can get a menu.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization for PC, with users noting that it feels like it was hastily adapted rather than properly tailored for the platform.
- “This game has not been optimized for PC usage; it feels like they just made it run here.”
- “The performance issues are frustrating, and it seems like the developers didn't prioritize optimization.”
- “I experience constant lag and frame drops, indicating a lack of proper optimization for different hardware.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development is praised for its engaging designs, contributing to an enjoyable and fun experience, with users rating it an 8/10 for its appeal.
- “I love the character designs.”
- “I'd give it an 8/10 for fun, giggles, and awesome character design.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, as evidenced by the mention of heartbreaking news that resonates deeply with players.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight the game's strong atmospheric characterization, noting that it effectively immerses players in its unique environment.
- “I would say that its strengths come from its characterization of the atmosphere.”