"Beware Planet Earth!"
- June 15, 2017
- Somnambule
- 9h median play time
This is a demo it contains 10 of the 46 levels of the final version. Beware Planet Earth! is a beguiling mix of classic tower defense and time management coming to PC via Steam for the first time. Save your cows from the Martian invasion by building an effective defense using towers, traps and objects, and also by firing your Zapper directly at the invading force of little green men! Key Features …
Reviews
- The game features a charming art style and humorous elements, reminiscent of classic tower defense games like Plants vs. Zombies.
- Gameplay is engaging and requires active participation, with a unique zapper mechanic that adds depth to the tower defense experience.
- The game offers a variety of enemy types and challenges, making it fun and dynamic, especially on veteran mode.
- The game lacks strategic depth and can feel repetitive, with limited tower options and no upgrades, leading to a monotonous experience.
- Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, particularly in veteran mode, where the gameplay can become overwhelming and chaotic.
- Many players feel it is a derivative clone of Plants vs. Zombies, lacking originality and failing to stand out in a crowded genre.
- gameplay31 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this tower defense game is characterized by a mix of action and strategy, with a focus on using a zapper and various mechanical contraptions to fend off enemies. While some players appreciate the engaging mechanics and humor, others criticize the steep difficulty curve, repetitive nature, and lack of strategic depth compared to similar games like Plants vs. Zombies. Overall, the game offers solid mechanics and visual appeal, but may not satisfy those seeking a more varied or strategic experience.
“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 (on the contrary, you must constantly decide if/what to boost or explode), and that's where it differs from many other tower defenses (and from Plants vs. Zombies, specifically): apart from building towers and picking up resources, you are always active with what is basically a multi-tool, there's not much waiting involved.”
“The game really begins to shine when the gun becomes a primary element that performs many different gameplay functions.”
“The cons are action rather than strategic gameplay, steep difficulty curve, low variability of defense structures without possibility to upgrade, and the game becomes repetitive after some time.”
“Beware, Planet Earth might be a decent game on mobile, but the mechanics don't translate very well to PC, and there's not much backing it up to begin with - most levels are extremely tedious and there's not much substantial difference in strategy between them.”
“After the first ten levels, gameplay just continues on the same.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their cute and polished art style, reminiscent of classic titles like Plants vs. Zombies, with vibrant animations and a fun, cartoony aesthetic. While some reviewers appreciate the unique presentation and humor, others note that the visuals alone do not compensate for gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's charm, making it visually appealing despite its low-budget feel.
“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.”
“The art style and general presentation are certainly unique and fairly well-designed.”
“Fun tower defense time waster, with cool graphics and a cartoony 1950s aliens theme.”
“Very simple and relatively hard tower defense game with cute graphics, but otherwise clearly made with a very low budget.”
“Do not let the cute graphics fool you, the aliens will hand you your butt on a platter if you do not plan carefully.”
“I do like the graphical style, but it doesn't make a game on its own.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its quirky charm and funny elements, such as amusing characters and situations. While some find the humor to be a bit forced at times, the overall lighthearted tone and cute visuals contribute positively to the experience, making it appealing to both casual and strategic players. However, the repetitiveness of gameplay may detract from the comedic enjoyment for some.
“Quirky with a good sense of humor.”
“If you like light tower defense games, with humor and nice visuals, this is a very good product.”
“The cows made me laugh as soon as I got into the game.”
- story13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered simplistic, revolving around martians attempting to capture cows, with little in the way of engaging storytelling or distinguishing features. While some players appreciate the variety of challenge levels and the action/tower defense mechanics, others find the narrative lacking and repetitive, with some missions feeling overly reliant on luck. Overall, the story serves as a basic framework for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative experience.
“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.”
“- The story is lacking (basically martians are trying to get your cows... that's about it).”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its cute and enjoyable tunes, others criticize it as annoying or reminiscent of outdated soundtracks. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere for some, but detracts from the experience for others.
“Similar tower defense concept, cute graphics, cute gameplay, cute music.”
“Good points on music and graphics, for a strategy challenge, not that easy on top of the veteran mode that makes this game hard.”
“The graphics are cute and really fun, and the music is cool too.”
“There is no music to have sound of the game turned on, and the effects are just annoying.”
“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.”
- stability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game is largely stable and visually appealing, though some have encountered occasional glitches and freezing issues when exiting full screen.
“It's bug-free and looks nice.”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never lags or stutters.”
“I experienced some glitches in the game.”
“Sometimes it freezes when you exit full screen.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that "Beware Planet Earth" suffers from tedious grinding, with many levels feeling repetitive and lacking substantial strategic variation. While some players appreciate the added layers of strategy in gameplay mechanics, the overall experience is often described as uninspired and overly simplistic, particularly on PC.
“Beware Planet Earth might be a decent game on mobile, but the mechanics don't translate very well to PC, and there's not much backing it up to begin with - most levels are extremely tedious and there's not much substantial difference in strategy between them.”
“Beware Planet Earth is the most basic, simple, straightforward, uninspired, copycat, utterly tedious game on Steam.”
“I thought it was just a tedious laser to shoot stuff with while trying to build defenses, but it actually adds a layer of strategy, as it doesn't just damage the bad guys; it does things like lower shields and other status changes, and supercharges particular towers.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting performance issues and bugs that hinder gameplay. While certain aspects run smoothly, others experience significant lag and technical glitches, suggesting that further optimization is needed for a more consistent experience.
“The game suffers from frequent performance issues that disrupt the overall experience.”
“I encountered numerous bugs that severely impacted gameplay and made it frustrating.”
“The optimization is lacking, leading to significant frame rate drops during critical moments.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game evokes nostalgia, reminiscent of classic cartoons from Tex Avery and Hanna-Barbera, creating a pleasant and heartwarming experience for players.
“It's very pleasant and made me feel like I was watching a good old cartoon from Tex Avery/Hanna-Barbera.”