Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots
- July 20, 2020
- Avalon Digital
Get on Steam"Blocks!: Hammer of the Scots" is a strategy game where players can experience the rebellions of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce in 13th and 14th century Scotland. Choose to play as the English or Scottish forces, with the goal of controlling important noble lords or gaining their allegiance in the struggle for freedom. The game offers a main campaign, additional scenario, and a grand campaign scenario for varied gameplay.
Reviews
- The game features gorgeous graphics and a solid implementation of the board game.
- It offers a reasonable length and replayability, with a simple learning curve and depth in tactics.
- The UI is clear and intuitive, capturing the feel of playing a board game effectively.
- The AI is severely lacking, making the game too easy and unchallenging for experienced players.
- There are numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including crashes and incorrect rule implementations.
- The game is currently in early access with many unresolved issues, leading to concerns about its future development.
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including persistent glitches, unresponsive levies, and an underdeveloped AI, leading many users to describe it as "unplayably buggy." Despite its interesting concepts and availability on Steam, the overall experience is marred by these technical problems.
“Interesting, but there are glitches and issues (like Norse block retreats - says you can go anywhere coastal friendly - but you can't in the game...) and sometimes levies don't work at all.”
“They have not improved the AI, and have left this game, alongside Caesar and Richard, buggy.”
“All in all...great to see this available on Steam, but really buggy and the AI needs a major overhaul.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The gameplay offers a solid foundation for learning mechanics in solo mode, allowing players to effectively isolate and manage enemy units. While the rules require some refinement, they are not game-breaking and should be easily addressed in future updates. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and provides a pathway to victory once players grasp the core mechanics.
“Once you understand the mechanics of isolating and reducing the enemy blocks and either preventing retreat or herding the units, winning is relatively easy.”
“Nice attempt, and still useful to learn some game mechanics in solo mode as it is.”
“Once you understand the mechanics of isolating and reducing the enemy blocks, and either preventing retreat or herding the units, winning is relatively easy.”
“Gameplay: the rules need some polish as of early access, but should be easy fixes and there were no game-breaking issues.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The graphics have been criticized for lacking depth and dynamism, leading to a perception that they may not fully engage players or enhance the overall experience.
“The graphics are underwhelming and lack the detail expected in modern games.”
“The visual design feels outdated and doesn't match the quality of current gaming standards.”
“The textures are bland and the overall aesthetic is disappointing.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts a reasonable length and high replayability, combining simple mechanics with deep tactical options that encourage players to return for multiple playthroughs.
“Has a reasonable length, lots of replayability, and is simple to learn yet offers a lot of decisive tactics and depth.”
