Beware Planet Earth
- April 11, 2014
- Somnambule
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Beware Planet Earth! Lightmare 2014" is a real-time strategy game where players must defend their home planet from an alien invasion. Utilize a variety of towers and upgrades to repel the extraterrestrial forces and save humanity. With multiple modes and challenges, players must balance resource management and strategic planning to emerge victorious.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Windows
Mobile Platform
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging tower defense experience with a unique twist involving direct player involvement through the zapper gun.
- It features charming graphics and humor, reminiscent of Plants vs. Zombies, while providing a variety of game modes and challenges to keep players entertained.
- The gameplay becomes increasingly challenging, especially in veteran mode, which adds depth and strategy to the overall experience.
- Many players find the game to be a repetitive and uninspired clone of Plants vs. Zombies, lacking originality and depth in its tower defense mechanics.
- The game can become overly hectic and difficult, especially in later levels, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment for some players.
- There are technical issues, such as bugs and crashes, that detract from the overall experience and can hinder gameplay.
- story12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as simple and somewhat lacking in depth, with players noting a mix of enjoyable and tedious elements throughout the campaign. While there are various challenge levels that add some variety, the overall narrative and storytelling are not standout features. Additionally, technical issues and a reliance on luck can detract from the experience, particularly in later missions.
“Has a nice little story, and also has veteran difficulty if you find the base game too easy.”
“There are some different types of challenge levels throughout the story mode, where I would like to just skip the one that I find no fun at all (maid raid), and get more of the one I like best (back to basics).”
“Try the free demo, it has 7 or so levels from different spots in the story mode, so you get to see easy and somewhat tougher levels in shorter time, giving you a good idea of what to expect in the full version.”
“No distinguishing features, no real storytelling, but if you need to kill an hour or so... you could do better with ten bucks.”
“After (only!!!) 1/4 of the story, it gets from having to play a level twice to save all cows to impossible.”
“There are many times when the determining factor on whether you beat a mission is almost purely luck.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its engaging tower defense mechanics, particularly in veteran mode, which offers a challenging experience. Players appreciate the variety of gameplay elements, such as the use of a zapper and inventive mechanics that keep them actively involved rather than waiting. However, some feel that after the initial levels, the gameplay becomes repetitive, despite the depth and creativity present in the game’s design.
“Very well made tower defense game with challenging gameplay (if you play on veteran mode).”
“Don't be fooled by all those colors: there is actually quite a bit of depth poured into the gameplay, and the zapper makes sure you basically never sit idle. You must constantly decide if/what to boost or explode, and that's where it differs from many other tower defense games.”
“The game really begins to shine when the gun becomes a primary element that performs many different gameplay functions.”
“This limitation is entirely arbitrary and artificial to the gameplay value.”
“After the first ten levels, gameplay just continues on the same.”
“Gameplay-wise, there's something I found rather odd at first for a tower defense game: compared to mostly every other tower defense game I've ever played, the maps are rather small, and towers have very limited range (basically just 3 squares).”
- graphics11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their polished, cartoonish style reminiscent of 1950s themes, drawing comparisons to titles like "Plants vs. Zombies." Players appreciate the vibrant visuals and animations, which enhance the overall fun and humor of the gameplay, while also noting that the cute aesthetics can be misleading in terms of the game's challenge. Overall, the art style contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the tower defense genre.
“It looks like a tower defense and it is a very polished game in terms of visuals, and I'll give it credit there because that's why I bought it.”
“Fun tower defense time waster, with cool graphics and a cartoony 1950s aliens theme.”
“Do not let the cute graphics fool you, the aliens will hand you your butt on a platter if you do not plan carefully.”
“The graphics and humor hit the right spot for me.”
“It looks like a tower defense game, and while it is very polished in terms of visuals, I have to say that the graphics are not enough to make up for other shortcomings.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it cute and funny, particularly enjoying quirky characters like the toilet-dwelling Barney and amusing elements like the cows. While the game offers lighthearted humor suitable for casual players, it also presents challenging gameplay that appeals to those seeking strategic depth. However, some players note that the humor can become repetitive over time.
“If you like light tower defense games, with humor and nice visuals, this is a very good product.”
“Oh yes, the only thing you need to know is that if you love the gameplay and the humor, you will love this. Don't let it fool you, the veteran mode will give you a run for your money.”
“The cows made me laugh as soon as I got into the game.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the tunes as a nice addition to the gameplay, while others criticize it as the worst they've encountered, reminiscent of outdated soundtracks from the Commodore 64 era. Overall, opinions on the music vary significantly among users.
“Aliens do a variety of things, make portals, rocket jump, destroy your defenses, shields, and play music.”
“The graphics are cute and really fun, and the music is cool too.”
“Nice music tune.”
“The second thing to make clear is that this game has the worst music I have ever heard in a video game, going all the way back to the Commodore 64 era.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding in "Beware Planet Earth" to be tedious and uninspired, often describing it as a basic and straightforward experience. However, some appreciate the strategic elements it introduces, such as the ability to lower enemy shields and enhance tower capabilities, which adds depth to the otherwise repetitive gameplay.
“Beware, Planet Earth is the most basic, simple, straightforward, uninspired, copycat, utterly tedious game on Steam.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The gameplay loop is so monotonous that it quickly becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have reported experiencing glitches and occasional freezing when exiting full screen, indicating that the game's stability may be an issue.
“I experienced some glitches in the game.”
“Sometimes it freezes when you exit full screen.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find the emotional aspect of the game nostalgic and heartwarming, likening it to the charm of classic cartoons from Tex Avery and Hanna-Barbera, which evokes a sense of joy and pleasant memories.
“It's very pleasant and made me feel like I was watching a good old cartoon from Tex Avery/Hanna-Barbera.”
