Defend The Highlands

About

Defend The Highlands is a single player strategy game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Kilted Camel and was released on November 5, 2015. It received positive reviews from players.

"Defend the Highlands" is a tower defense game with elements of real-time strategy, set in an alternate Scotland. Players must build defenses, recruit Scotsmen, and manage resources to fend off invasions by wacky enemies such as Welshmen on sheep and English teapot hurlers. The game features unconventional defensive structures and requires players to man their towers with Scotsmen, who are recruited through bagpipe playing.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 196 reviews

humor57 positive mentions

graphics5 negative mentions

The game is full of charm and lighthearted humor, making it an enjoyable experience for players.
The campaign is well-structured with a calculated increase in difficulty, keeping the gameplay engaging.
It offers a unique blend of tower defense and real-time strategy mechanics, allowing for creative gameplay and varied strategies.

The graphics and user experience are not polished, leading to a somewhat amateurish feel.
Gameplay can become repetitive after a short time, diminishing long-term enjoyment.
There are technical issues such as pathfinding problems and inconsistent unit behavior that can frustrate players.

humor
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with many players finding it hilarious, particularly due to its Scottish theme, funny voice acting, and cultural references. While some reviews note that the humor can become repetitive after a while, the overall consensus is that it adds a unique charm and entertainment value to the gameplay. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and graphics, the comedic elements are often highlighted as a key reason to enjoy the game.
- “The voices are just priceless and made me laugh a couple of times.”
- “What really sets Defend the Highlands apart from other titles is its Scottish theme along with some pretty funny dialogue and scenarios, as well as one of the most fitting theme songs I’ve ever listened to in a video game of this type.”
- “Defend the Highlands is a hilarious mixture of tower defense and real-time strategy.”
gameplay
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
52%
13%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of real-time strategy and tower defense mechanics that some players find entertaining and humorous, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and repetitive. Although it includes interesting elements like troop spawning with music and a food mechanic, many reviewers note that the mechanics can feel unresponsive and frustrating. Overall, it appeals to fans of the genre who appreciate its quirky charm, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more polished experience.
- “Overall the game is entertaining, with very simple mechanics, some 'towers' that will help you defend against the invaders, a skill tree, features famous historical and fictional funny characters, and a lot of potatoes, whisky, and stereotypes.”
- “If you’re a fan of RTS or tower defense games, or if you’re interested in trying a nice mix of both, with a nice set of characters, funny dialogue, and strategic gameplay, I’d recommend checking this one out.”
- “Plenty of humor, upgrades, and interesting mechanics to keep it enjoyable as well as challenging.”
- “However, the lack of gameplay feedback and pause function is quite terrible.”
- “While the Scottish flavor of the game is delightful, and the game is ridiculous with porridge cannons and whatnot, it is too mechanically simple and too technologically limited to compete with more fully fledged titles of the genre.”
- “None of the mechanics feel solid, giving off a frustration that you're doing the right thing but the game isn't responding correctly.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The game's story is described as fun and humorous, with engaging characters and a unique theme that enhances the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the campaign's challenging missions and the ability to upgrade skills, while the inclusion of quirky elements like bagpipers adds to its charm. Overall, the narrative is well-received, contributing to a joyful and entertaining gaming experience.
- “I had a lot of fun playing this game; the battles are quite challenging and fun to watch, and the storyline is very funny.”
- “Campaign: fun story that is a joy to play.”
- “Amusing theme and story.”
- “However, your main hero, Alfredo, is the only one that can’t die during a mission.”
- “Failure to save him from death will result in a mission restart.”
- “Another issue I found was in the last mission.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
43%
36%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users noting that they are not polished and exhibit some performance issues and glitches. While some find the visuals to be passable or appropriate for the game's style, others describe them as mediocre or boring, suggesting that they do not justify the game's cost. Overall, the graphics are considered easy on the eyes but lack the quality expected in more polished titles.
- “A masterpiece, has incredible graphics, along with extremely expansive gameplay and a very thought-provoking and interesting plot, arguably one of the best video games to be released yet.”
- “Graphics: man, this game can be played on low-end PCs without some lag, 9/10 for graphics.”
- “Graphics: appropriate graphics for this title.”
- “Poor performance at times, some graphical glitches.”
- “The graphics are more on the 'meh' side, though it really depends on your taste.”
- “Mediocre graphics.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
33%
25%
The music in the game is heavily influenced by Scottish themes, prominently featuring bagpipe music that many players find enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere. The soundtrack, along with fun voice acting, enhances the overall experience, although some players have noted occasional issues with music not triggering properly during gameplay. Overall, the music is praised for its humor and ability to engage players, making it a standout aspect of the game.
- “Sounds: fun voice acting and great music”
- “What really sets Defend the Highlands apart from other titles is its Scottish theme along with some pretty funny dialogue and scenarios, as well as one of the most fitting theme songs I’ve ever listened to in a video game of this type.”
- “I enjoyed so much the song that the Scotsman played with their bagpipes that I always found myself stepping on the floor to the rhythm of the song.”
- “I hope you like bagpipe music because you'll be hearing a lot of it.”
- “It, however, is clunky; I have run into situations where I play music and no enemies show up, for example.”
- “Gimme that earrape music, yeah!”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for inconsistent performance, with users reporting occasional poor frame rates and graphical glitches.
- “Poor performance at times, with some graphical glitches.”
- “The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, especially in crowded areas.”
- “Frequent stuttering and lag make the experience frustrating.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is criticized for occasional poor performance and the presence of graphical glitches, which detract from the overall experience.
- “Poor performance at times, with some graphical glitches.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the experience.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers strong replayability through its skirmish mode, which encourages players to experiment with various tactics. While the campaign lasts around six hours, the additional skirmish options provide ample opportunities for repeated play.
- “Replayability: Skirmish mode allows for a lot of replay and opportunities to try different tactics.”
- “It took me about 6 hours to play through the campaign, but there is significant replay value with the skirmish modes.”
- “Took me about 6 hours to play through the campaign, but there is replay value with skirmish modes.”
- “Replayability: skirmish mode allows a lot of replay and opportunities to try different tactics.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews suggest a humorous take on grinding, with players engaging in unconventional activities like loading porridge into a cannon while others focus on more traditional tasks like farming, highlighting the diverse and sometimes absurd nature of grinding in the game.
- “A soldier was loading porridge into a cannon while a friend was farming behind me.”