Warpips

About

Warpips is a single-player real-time strategy warfare game with exceptional gameplay, delightful graphics, and exceptional music. The game features easy-to-learn but hard-to-master mechanics, with randomly generated battles and no complex micromanagement. With a diverse roster of units, a fully unlockable upgrade tree, and infinite strategic combinations, Warpips promises a highly replayable experience with no microtransactions or pay-to-win.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,033 reviews

gameplay99 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

Fun and engaging gameplay with a variety of units and strategies.
Charming pixel art style and a great soundtrack that enhances the experience.
Easy to learn but offers depth and challenge, especially on higher difficulties.

Campaign mode can feel repetitive and short, with limited content.
Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, particularly in later missions.
Units are consumable, which can lead to strategic limitations and resource management issues.

gameplay
273 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
4%
The gameplay of Warpips is characterized by its engaging tug-of-war mechanics, allowing players to manage resources and strategically deploy units in a fast-paced environment. While the core mechanics are simple and easy to grasp, they offer depth and complexity that can lead to a rewarding experience, though some players find the repetitive nature and certain design choices, such as unit consumption, frustrating. Overall, the game provides a fun and casual strategy experience, enhanced by charming visuals and a nostalgic feel, but it may lack variety and depth in the long run.
- “Warpips excels in merging strategic gameplay with nostalgic tower defense elements.”
- “The gameplay offers an enjoyable experience that keeps players engaged without being overly complex.”
- “The gameplay is simple, the rounds are short, and it's also addictive and fun.”
- “The gameplay lacks depth; we would have liked to see more units, maybe even futuristic technologies like giant lasers.”
- “Endless mode again, is very poorly balanced, the computer just relies on frustrating board-wipe mechanics over and over, not allowing you to build a substantial enough force to score meaningful points.”
- “Gets boring pretty fast, gameplay mostly consists of just watching troops fight and waiting for timers to countdown so you can use more weapons or spawn more troops in.”
graphics
218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
44%
1%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, which combines retro aesthetics with modern effects, creating a visually appealing experience. Many reviewers appreciate the clean and colorful visuals, as well as the effective use of animations and destruction effects that enhance gameplay. While some note that the graphics are simple, they often find them delightful and fitting for the game's overall design, contributing to an engaging and nostalgic atmosphere.
- “The graphics and animations of all the units look very nice, and performance stays high even with dozens of units on screen.”
- “I adore the pixel art style combined with the realistic vehicles and infantry.”
- “The graphics are crisp, and since you don't control your team directly, you may find yourself rooting for them as if you were a bystander.”
- “This very poor quality visual style is a method that lazy devs often use to disguise their lack of talent/interest in doing the graphics properly and trying to disguise it under the name of 'art', or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
- “I mean the graphics for the units look like they are from 2001 - do you remember the early video games in the 7-11 stores like Asteroids or Pacman?”
- “There's not a lot of graphical options, but it does run on my 15-year-old computer with performance issues only becoming noticeable when things get chaotic, so that can be forgiven.”
story
216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
86%
6%
The game's story is minimal, primarily serving as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a driving narrative. Players engage in a series of missions across islands, with little character development or overarching plot, leading to a repetitive experience that lacks depth. While the gameplay mechanics are engaging, many reviewers express a desire for a more structured campaign with a compelling story and character interactions to enhance the overall experience.
- “Your mission is to pacify a group of archipelagos, but it won't be easy, as a well-organized opposition stands in your way, and you must eliminate it down to the roots.”
- “On the surface, Warpips does not have much of a story, only an excuse plot about why you are fighting this enemy - it's because you're an invading imperialistic force, put very bluntly.”
- “The main campaign has you vying to take over an island split into several sections – each comprising a mission.”
- “There's a bit of story at the beginning, but otherwise, it's just stage to stage with loadouts in the middle.”
- “The campaign missions have units being consumed on deployment, while the randomized rewards, especially for the last two islands and final island big battle fight of each map, not having enough rewards for what you use becomes a real problem.”
- “No story, no substance.”
music
156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The music in Warpips has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and nostalgic soundtrack that draws inspiration from classic RTS titles, particularly the works of Frank Klepacki. While the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience and is described as "amazing" and "kickass," some players noted that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
- “The soundtrack is pretty kickass though.”
- “Epic game, epic soundtrack, fast-paced, everything I love about a war game.”
- “The music is one of the best parts of this game.”
- “The music, however, really did not do it for me.”
- “The music got old fast for me – but easy enough to turn off.”
- “The strategy lies in deciding the type, number, and deployment speed of the 'liberators.' The music is rhythmically electronic and militarized, but it quickly becomes repetitive due to its limited variety.”
replayability
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The game's replayability is generally praised, with many players highlighting the random enemy rosters, endless mode, and varying difficulty levels as key factors that encourage repeated play. However, some users express concerns about a lack of content and customization options, which can limit long-term engagement. Overall, while many find the game enjoyable and replayable, opinions vary on its depth and longevity.
- “The campaign is highly replayable, as the enemy rosters and rewards are randomly generated each time.”
- “Highly recommend if you can get it at this price; it's a simple game but very fun and has an endless mode for endless replay value.”
- “I ended up being really pleasantly surprised by how much depth it has, and how much replayability the game has at higher difficulty levels.”
- “So not much replayability to be honest.”
- “There is 0 replay value.”
- “For me there wasn't much replayability - endless mode feels stale very quickly.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players praising its funny writing, hilarious animations, and over-the-top tone that combines light-heartedness with serious conflict. Many found the initial hours particularly amusing, though some noted a decline in humor as the game progressed. Overall, the blend of pixel art, engaging gameplay, and comedic elements creates an entertaining experience that resonates with players.
- “It has funny writing, an excellent soundtrack, and cool 3D pixel art style graphics.”
- “Your main job tends to be appreciating the hilarious pixel-art mayhem that ensues after dropping hundreds of dollars on expensive war equipment.”
- “I love the art style, and the bios are sooooo funny!”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
11%
83%
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is often viewed as tedious and repetitive, with many players finding it enjoyable only for the first couple of hours before it becomes a chore. The increasing difficulty of enemies as players progress can make grinding feel more punishing, and the slow accumulation of currency for upgrades further contributes to the frustration. Overall, while some appreciate the initial fun, the lack of engaging content and the grind-heavy mechanics lead to a decline in enjoyment over time.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Sometimes I power through and whittle mobs and bosses by chipping away at their health; most of the time, however, I go through the most tedious and excruciating death animations.”
- “While it is a fun little game, I cannot recommend it - it becomes quite boring and tedious just after the 1-hour mark.”
- “The rate at which you get currency to buy upgrades is so small it feels too grindy.”
monetization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
33%
42%
The game's monetization model is highly praised for its absence of microtransactions and pay-to-win mechanics, offering a refreshing experience in a market often plagued by such practices. Players appreciate the straightforward purchase model, expressing a willingness to pay for additional content to support the developers. Overall, the game is seen as a standout in its genre, free from intrusive ads and monetization pitfalls.
- “It's well made and it doesn't suck your wallet dry. You buy the game, you get the game. No microtransactions, no pay-to-win, which is very refreshing in the current era of games.”
- “It isn't plagued by shoddy mobile game monetization like many other tug-of-war games on PC, so that is excellent.”
- “I know the devs state that there won't be any microtransactions or DLCs, but I would happily pay for more content to support this amazing team.”
- “Advertising your game as 'buy the game, get the game, no microtransactions, no pay to win' is cringe-worthy.”
- “I really hope this game doesn't break me, and I absolutely am looking forward to future updates to this game and really, really hope it doesn't get ruined by some microtransactions or some pay-to-win elements like the developers themselves promised.”
- “I stumbled across a few games like this on my phone, and I mostly like the 'tug of war' genre, but despise the microtransactions and ads that come with them on my phone.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on standard PCs and performs well even with many units on screen, some users report performance issues during intense moments. The graphical style is praised, but the lack of extensive graphical options and occasional performance hiccups detract from the overall experience. Overall, it manages to run well on older hardware, but optimization could still be improved.
- “This game can run smoothly on a standard PC; no need for those high specs.”
- “The graphics and animations of all the units look very nice, and performance stays high even with dozens of units on screen.”
- “Graphical style and performance are excellent, and it runs a treat on Linux via Proton.”
- “Also, the optimization is really bad.”
- “Not a lot of graphical options, but it does run on my 15-year-old computer with performance issues only becoming noticeable when things get intense, so that can be forgiven.”
- “The performance seems to be a bit off at the moment.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with smooth performance and appealing visuals, though some users report minor issues like freezing when alt-tabbing. While the gameplay is enjoyable and replayable, there are mentions of balance problems with certain enemy units and the presence of bugs typical of early access titles.
- “The visual style is perfect; the mix of pixels and 3D is very pleasing to the eye, and it runs great.”
- “It runs great, has awesome pixel graphics (but with physics that are fun to watch when things explode), and has good replayability. After your first go around, you'll love the challenge of the higher difficulties.”
- “I have noticed it freezes up a little when I alt+tab in and out of the game; otherwise, it's smooth.”
- “Very good but in early access, so very buggy; worth buying.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a mixed emotional response to the tutorial, with some feeling empowered and knowledgeable, while others felt confused and uncertain about their understanding.
- “The tutorial made me feel as if I knew what I was doing.”
- “It made me feel as if I knew nothing.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
100%
Reviewers feel that the atmosphere could be significantly enhanced with animated presentations of new maps, as this would contribute to the storytelling and overall immersive experience of the game.
- “The animated presentations of new maps to conquer would have added depth to the story and enhanced the overall atmosphere.”
- “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world with stunning visuals and sound design.”
- “Every location feels alive, with a rich atmosphere that makes exploration a truly captivating experience.”
- “Animated presentations of new maps to conquer would have added story and atmosphere.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is highlighted through explicit references to classic games, such as the design of Tanya with her double pistols, which evokes nostalgia and connects players to their gaming history. This attention to detail enhances the overall experience by creating a deeper emotional resonance with the characters.