Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance TD
- July 25, 2024
- Ironhide Game Studio
- 8h median play time
"Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance TD" is a strategy game where players join forces with unlikely allies to defeat a powerful evil. Players can control two heroes on the battlefield and command a variety of units, including Paladins, Archers, Mages, and Necromancers. The game features fast-paced and captivating gameplay, with the possibility of units arguing and causing chaos, adding a unique twist to the strategy genre.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and engaging gameplay, maintaining the charm of the Kingdom Rush series.
- The introduction of dual heroes adds a new layer of strategy and fun to the gameplay.
- The tower variety is impressive, with many unique towers and heroes that encourage diverse strategies.
- The campaign is too short, with only 16 levels and no additional post-game content, making it feel incomplete.
- Many players feel that the game lacks innovation, as it reuses mechanics and elements from previous titles without significant changes.
- The difficulty level is inconsistent, with some players finding it too easy, especially after unlocking powerful heroes.
- gameplay133 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance" retains the beloved core mechanics of the series while introducing a dual hero system that adds strategic depth, though some players feel it detracts from the traditional tower defense experience. While the game is praised for its polished design and engaging challenges, many reviewers express disappointment over its short campaign length and a perceived lack of innovative mechanics compared to previous titles. Overall, the gameplay is solid and enjoyable, but some players wish for more content and variety to enhance replayability.
“The gameplay is incredibly engaging, with a perfect blend of strategy and action that keeps you hooked for hours.”
“Engaging gameplay: the core tower defense mechanics are solid, with the new alliance system adding a fresh layer of strategic depth.”
“The developers have clearly put considerable thought into creating unique and challenging foes, each with their own mechanics and strategies required to defeat them.”
“Short campaign, 9 hours of gameplay at high difficulty, already finished and no reason to play it again.”
“Same straightforward level paths, same tower types, same wave-stopping mechanics, same special abilities, same enemies, same boss fights, same hero mechanics; everything is almost the same.”
“Unfortunately, so far no such or other innovative mechanics have been implemented other than two heroes, which was effectively done on some levels in previous games.”
- story88 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in the latest Kingdom Rush installment has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its brevity and lack of depth compared to previous games in the series. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and character interactions, others criticize it for being standard and unremarkable, feeling rushed and lacking engaging side content. Overall, the narrative is seen as a minor aspect of the game, with players hoping for future updates to expand the story and gameplay experience.
“The game continues to throw surprises at you; it has (while still very simple) probably the best 'story' in the series, with more comics than usual that provide some interesting character interactions.”
“The bosses are creative and feel epic to take down with their special mechanics, and the story isn't made as a joke; there's an actual plot that builds on the last game, and it's not a bad one either.”
“Overall, I love it, simply because it's Kingdom Rush, really cool graphics and design, cool story and characters, good music, and so on.”
“With just a bog standard 16-stage campaign divided into 3 bog standard areas, a bog standard story with absolutely zero twists, and a bog standard ending of the overseer himself being trampled like any villain of the week, Alliance fails spectacularly at being the grand end of an era (which it is).”
“The campaign is short, there's no side missions, the enemy mobs are overly spongey, and the heroes are, in my opinion, boring.”
“The story seems as if it has lost some of its identity, instead being derivative of various popular media (most notably: Stranger Things in the final act).”
- graphics58 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received largely positive feedback, with many praising the stunning art style that blends old and new elements, vibrant colors, and attention to detail in level design. However, some critics feel that the cartoonish aesthetic may detract from the overall experience compared to previous titles in the series, citing a lack of enemy variety and creativity in tower design. Overall, while the visuals are considered a highlight, opinions vary on whether they enhance or detract from gameplay.
“The graphics are beautiful as always; I have nothing to complain about.”
“Stunning art and animations: the visuals are as charming and polished as ever.”
“An excellent game with a charming art style and impressive graphics.”
“Look, if you enjoy this game, that's fine by me, but comparing this game to the other four in the series, it's not even close. This game is by far the worst one, with the other four having more enemy variety, better towers, and heroes in general, and overall better graphics. This game feels more like a cartoon than a Kingdom Rush game, and I understand that the new game is on a new engine, but it seems like it went way overboard with the cartoon style.”
“Not much towers to choose from or creativity either, and charging that price, they got super greedy and mediocre as devs. This franchise definitely has worsened since Vengeance... better graphics does not mean a better game.”
“Quality of visuals, sounds, music, and design visibly deteriorated.”
- music21 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising it as a significant improvement over previous titles, while others feel it lacks the iconic quality of earlier soundtracks. Critics note that the music can feel generic and less impactful, with some expressing disappointment over its mono format in a modern game. Overall, while the art and design are celebrated, the soundtrack seems to be a divisive aspect among players.
“If you want hours of fun, challenges and strategy, amazing art style, easter eggs, outstanding voice acting and music, this is the perfect game.”
“This game's art style is a perfect blend of the old and new style, nearly every level has fun easter eggs to find, the music is also a step up from the past two games in my opinion, being probably the best Kingdom Rush soundtrack since Frontiers.”
“Awesome, entertaining, the music is great, the design and art is beautiful.”
“Additionally, the music is in mono - in a $20 game.”
“I have to say that for me, the soundtrack does not really hit; other KR games have really iconic music and I just do not feel that this one reaches them.”
“Music is pretty generic and again overcompressed.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the variety offered by different hero combinations and higher difficulty modes, many criticize the limited number of levels and lack of additional content such as endless modes or branching narratives. The absence of significant replay value, especially in the Steam version compared to mobile, suggests that the game could benefit from more diverse challenges and progression systems to enhance its longevity.
“Polished game with lots of replay value.”
“An advantage of this is that there is much more replayability regarding different heroes as you can select heroes depending on how their skills/spells synergize or cover each other's weaknesses.”
“The enhanced difficulty, however, is not a drawback but rather a testament to the game's depth and replayability.”
“This game could have been maybe the greatest TD ever except there is no replayability.”
“The biggest downside is the limited replay value.”
“Very little in terms of replayability - no endless mode, level modifiers, bonus content, or anything of that sort (beyond the challenge modes which are a one-off and kind of busted as noted above).”
- monetization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 58 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing concerns that it feels like a cash grab, particularly in comparison to previous titles in the Kingdom Rush series. While the Steam version avoids microtransactions and includes all towers and heroes, there are worries about potential paid DLC and cut content that could further exploit players. Overall, the lack of microtransactions is appreciated, but the game's perceived underdelivered promises and reliance on future paid content have left some players skeptical.
“The Steam version comes with all towers and heroes, so there are no microtransactions, which I really like.”
“Glad that they didn't make us pay for the heroes or any microtransactions.”
“There aren't any microtransactions either, which is fantastic.”
“Sorry, but this is a below-average game coming from Ironhide. I want to enjoy this game, but it feels like a cash grab more than anything.”
“This approach can work if the initial content is substantial, but not when it feels like a cash grab with underdelivered promises.”
“This game just feels like a cash grab at this point, and I don't want any part of it.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unfulfilling, with many expressing boredom due to a lack of rewarding challenges and the absence of a speed-up feature. The gameplay often feels like a chore, especially in the early levels, and while achievements are less tedious than before, the overall experience is marred by weak tower mechanics and unengaging enemy waves. Many reviewers suggest that the game would benefit from a multiplayer mode to alleviate the monotony of controlling multiple heroes.
“I had a lot of fun; getting the achievements isn't tedious considering they removed all the tower-specific ones. There's no need to replay a stage with just one tower type to make it shoot ten thousand times, for example.”
“Only 2.6 hours in and already getting bored. The challenges don't feel rewarding, there's no speed-up button to help with the grinding, and you don't earn skill points based on your stars. I was hoping the game would get better, but I'm not impressed, especially when compared with the original first three games.”
“The whole first world feels tedious and like an unnecessary chore before you get to the actual meat of it.”
“You can easily clear the game on the hardest difficulty in 5-6 hours, and then there is nothing else to do besides grinding the alternate stage modes, which are trivialized by unlocking the two dragon heroes after finishing the main campaign.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the funny bad guy and the overall silly tone, despite a reduction in dialogue compared to previous installments. While some find the levels too short, they still enjoy the comedic elements and voice lines, noting that the game maintains a fun atmosphere. However, there are mixed feelings about certain gameplay mechanics, such as the prevalence of flying enemies, which some players feel detracts from the humor of specific character concepts.
“They toned back the edge from Vengeance, but the game is still silly and funny with its tone and voice lines.”
“It's a great game, I don't see any issues with it, but I have seen people complaining about the levels being short, which is funny to me because other Kingdom Rush games all had short levels until the devs added post-game content.”
“As Ironhide's fifth work in the Kingdom Rush series, Alliance is also funny and great.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is well-optimized for modern play, enhancing the nostalgic experience with new content. However, the control scheme lacks proper optimization for PC, with no option to rebind keys, which detracts from the experience. Additionally, the simplification of tower upgrades reduces strategic complexity, making the climax feel less engaging.
“Always loved playing this as a kid on flash game websites, but now it is well optimized and there are new games to boot.”
“Beating a stage often feels powerful, mowing down the enemies, and I appreciate that it usually just takes the right general strategy, rather than requiring hyper-optimization.”
“On the negative side, the control scheme is not optimized for PC and there is no rebinding interface that I could find, which hurts as it feels a bit like a low-effort port in that regard.”
“Not having two options when upgrading towers to level 4 reduces the complexity of the ends of levels drastically, making what should be the climax into an optimized rotation and placement of spells.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while "Kingdom Rush" offers enjoyable gameplay and charming references, it falls short of delivering a deeply emotional experience, leaving some players feeling disappointed and questioning its value. The lack of emotional depth detracts from the overall enjoyment, despite the game's fun elements.
“On top of it, the wholesome movie and game references make this game feel complete.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by the engaging abilities and appealing designs of characters like Anya, Nyru, and Broden, which enhance gameplay and provide good utility. The beautifully crafted environments and character designs contribute to a visually delightful experience, making the game enjoyable for fans of the series. Overall, players appreciate the fun and well-balanced new heroes and towers, recommending it to those who enjoyed previous installments.
“Anya, Nyru, and Broden are really fun to experiment with, and their abilities have good utility. Plus, their character designs are cool too.”
“Each environment and character design is beautifully crafted, making the game a visual delight.”
“If you're like me and really enjoy these games immensely, no matter what, you'll love it. The art, the character designs, and the gameplay are very fun. I really enjoy all the new towers, and the new heroes all feel fun and play well. I definitely recommend it to people who already enjoyed the previous games.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a longing for the atmosphere of older games, noting that the current experience feels somewhat lacking and easier in comparison.
“I miss the atmosphere from the old games a bit; this one feels a little too easy.”
“The game lacks the immersive atmosphere that made the previous titles so engaging.”
“Despite the visuals, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired compared to earlier installments.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is praised, with balanced towers and heroes contributing to a smoother experience. The use of a familiar engine from previous titles minimizes bugs, and the Steam version enhances stability by unlocking all content for free, making it a significant improvement over the mobile version.
“The towers are balanced, the heroes are balanced, plus you have 2 heroes in this game. This is a huge upgrade from Vengeance, and the Steam version unlocks all towers and heroes for free by the end of the game. It's way better than the mobile version, and this Kingdom Rush game uses the same engine from the first three Kingdom Rush games, so it's not that buggy.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major glitches, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
“I've played for hours without encountering any crashes or issues, which really enhances the overall gameplay.”