Cartridge Defense

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 70 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Cartridge Defense Game Cover
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"Cartridge Defense" is a strategic tower defense game where players protect a virtual game cartridge from being hacked by viruses. Players can place towers and utilize various abilities to fend off the viruses and prevent them from stealing valuable data. With its retro-style graphics and challenging gameplay, "Cartridge Defense" offers a unique twist on the tower defense genre.

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Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews
music4 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Cartridge Defense combines tower defense and deck-building mechanics effectively, offering a unique and strategic gameplay experience.
  • The game features a variety of towers and cards, allowing for diverse strategies and replayability, especially in roguelike and endless modes.
  • The cyberpunk aesthetic and synthwave soundtrack enhance the overall atmosphere, making the game visually appealing and immersive.
  • The game suffers from bugs, particularly with the tutorial and some gameplay mechanics, which can hinder the overall experience.
  • There are significant difficulty spikes that can lead to frustration, with some levels feeling overly punishing or requiring specific strategies to succeed.
  • The user interface can be clunky and confusing, making it difficult to navigate and manage decks effectively.
  • gameplay14 mentions

    The gameplay is a blend of tower defense and deck-building mechanics, offering multiple strategies and playstyles that enhance the traditional genre. While the card management can be cumbersome and the learning curve steep, the game is praised for its fun and engaging systems, supported by a solid tutorial. Overall, players find the gameplay satisfying and innovative, though some feel the total playtime may be limited unless deeply invested.

    • “That being said, the game is a lot of fun to play, probably one of the best games with this kind of gameplay.”
    • “Fun, multiple play modes, interesting deck building mechanics and mods let you create your own playstyles and give you multiple ways to counter most kinds of enemies.”
    • “The game enriches the tower defense genre by dividing the focus between classic gameplay and deck building.”
    • “Card management is a pain, prevents you from using game mechanics.”
    • “In-game info for how mechanics work needs improvement.”
    • “There is nowhere near 25-30 hours of gameplay in it from my point of view; unless you absolutely love it, you will get around 15 hours.”
  • graphics12 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback, with some praising the cyberpunk aesthetic and atmospheric visuals that enhance the overall experience, while others criticize the UI and certain visual elements as weak or generic. The holographic levels and design are noted for their fitting integration into the game's setting, but there are calls for improved explosion effects to add variety and quality. Overall, the visuals contribute to a unique atmosphere, though they may not appeal to everyone.

    • “The last thing I want to praise are the visuals of this game.”
    • “The holographic levels also fit into the cyberpunk setting; they are areas from the city you live in, like streets, slums, and corporate buildings.”
    • “The design aesthetic is fantastic: part Blade Runner, part Oblivion, part Alien/Aliens, and it features a kick-ass synthwave soundtrack.”
    • “The visuals and UI are weaker points, but these can be forgiven in a game like this.”
    • “I don't like busy or 3D screens, which often make it hard to see what's happening, and I wasn't a big fan of the Miami Vice cyberpunk aesthetic.”
    • “Add a variety of explosion sound and graphics effects because the current explosion is very low quality, generic, and unified. Whether you blow up a small or large enemy, and whether it was destroyed by fire, gun, or plasma, it will make the same sound and graphics effects.”
  • music9 mentions

    The game's music features a smooth synthwave soundtrack that complements its cyberpunk aesthetic, creating a relaxing and atmospheric experience. While many players appreciate the retro vibe and unique design, some note that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness over extended play. Overall, the soundtrack is well-received, though a desire for additional music packs has been expressed.

    • “Smooth gameplay and an awesome soundtrack that doesn't get repetitive after playing for a few hours.”
    • “The cyberpunk aesthetics and music are relaxing and atmospheric, and the UI is tangible unlike anything I've seen before.”
    • “The design aesthetic is fantastic: part Blade Runner, part Oblivion, part Alien/Aliens, and it features a kick-ass synthwave soundtrack.”
    • “The game has a cyberpunk aesthetic with a smooth synthwave soundtrack, but there isn't any sort of story.”
    • “If I could get music packs from the roguelike rewards, I would be very happy.”
    • “Disable ambient sounds and music.”
  • story5 mentions

    The game presents a cyberpunk aesthetic and a smooth synthwave soundtrack, leading players to expect a narrative, but ultimately lacks a substantial story, feeling incomplete as a result. While it features missions that require strategic focus, the absence of a cohesive storyline leaves players wanting more depth.

    • “The game has a cyberpunk aesthetic with a smooth synthwave soundtrack, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
    • “I don't need a story in a tower defense game, but advancing through city blocks and buildings made me think there'd be one.”
    • “Certain missions will want you to focus on specific towers or strategies, adding depth to the gameplay.”
    • “This is really minor, but the game starts by making you think there will be a story.”
    • “I don't need a story in a tower defense game, but advancing through city blocks and buildings made me think there'd be one, so to me it feels half-finished.”
    • “The game has a cyberpunk aesthetic with a smooth synthwave soundtrack, but there isn't any sort of story.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that after completing the main storyline, collecting all cards requires repetitive playthroughs of the same levels. The need to farm resources for purchasing card packs adds to the grind, which some feel becomes more tedious as they progress.

    • “After beating the game, I am still far from collecting all the cards, and I don't really enjoy grinding the same levels while slowly building my collection.”
    • “It costs resources from playing levels or farming to purchase packs for more cards, and these packs seem to get better as you progress.”
    • “I just notice it while continuing to play and grind.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive cyberpunk aesthetics, complemented by fitting graphics and relaxing music. Reviewers note the unique and tangible user interface, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The graphics and sound perfectly complement the atmosphere.”
    • “The cyberpunk aesthetics and music create a relaxing and immersive atmosphere, and the UI feels tangible like nothing I've seen before.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers high replayability through features like target prioritization, customizable mazes, and a deck-building mechanic for towers. Additionally, players can enjoy endless and roguelike modes alongside the campaign, creating a compelling gameplay loop that encourages repeated play.

    • “Target prioritization, building your own mazes, creating your own deck of towers, and unlocking new cards all contribute to the game's replayability. The endless mode and roguelike mode add even more depth on top of the campaign.”
    • “It has a solid gameplay loop that encourages replayability.”
    • “The game has a good gameplay loop that lends itself to replayability.”
    • “Target prioritization, building your own mazes, and creating your own deck of towers are great features, but they don't significantly enhance the overall replayability.”
    • “While there are endless and roguelike modes available, they feel more like filler than a true reason to replay the game.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Players appreciate the absence of in-game purchases, expressing delight that the game does not require any monetary transactions for additional content.

    • “What a delight to not have in-game purchases that cost money!”
    • “No in-game purchases :)”
    • “What a delight to not have any in-game purchases that cost money!”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Players have noted that while Endless mode offers a variety of cards, it becomes less engaging over time, particularly as performance significantly deteriorates during later waves.

    • “Endless mode wasn't that interesting; having all the cards made it pretty easy, and the performance tanks hard on later waves.”
    • “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frustrating lag during critical moments.”
    • “I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, especially in larger battles, which ruined the overall experience.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game is generally stable for its price, but players have noted the presence of various glitches and a user interface that requires some adjustment, reflecting its early access status.

    • “For $14 Canadian, I can recommend it quite easily, just know that there are some fun and not-so-fun glitches, and its UI takes some time to adjust to (it is early access after all).”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

28hMedian play time
25hAverage play time
20-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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