X-Morph: Defense

Every genre could use some tactical gameplay added to it.

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"X-Morph: Defense" is a unique fusion of tower defense and shooter genres. As an alien invasion force, construct a brutal defense system by building towers and obliterating opponents with direct-control of a powerful gunship. Experience dynamic landscapes that change as you build your towers and unleash the full power of your arsenal against formidable enemies.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 959 reviews

story46 positive mentions

stability12 negative mentions

Great blend of tower defense and top-down shooter mechanics, providing a unique gameplay experience.
Visually stunning with impressive destructible environments and satisfying explosions.
Challenging gameplay that encourages strategic planning and quick reflexes.

Limited variety in tower types and upgrades, which can lead to repetitive gameplay.
Some players may find the difficulty spikes frustrating, especially on higher settings.
No online co-op mode, which limits multiplayer options to local play only.

story
243 mentions
19 % positive mentions
75 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story in "X-Morph: Defense" is generally considered minimal and simplistic, revolving around an alien invasion to harvest Earth's resources. While it lacks depth and character development, many players find the premise amusing and engaging enough to support the gameplay, which focuses on tower defense mechanics and chaotic action. The game features a series of missions with some added content through DLCs, but the narrative is often described as repetitive and not the main draw of the experience.
- “The story is quite good, if you enjoy invading the earth as the bad guy.”
- “The storyline is funny and compelling.”
- “The story is shallow but it's a tower defense game.”
- “The story is threadbare and the voice acting is dismally bland, but X-Morph: Defense gets everything else it needs to right.”
- “The story is shallow, but it's a tower defense game.”
- “The story is pretty much just an excuse to blow stuff up.”
graphics
197 mentions
73 % positive mentions
26 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their impressive detail, vibrant colors, and smooth performance even on lower-spec PCs. Many reviewers noted the charming art style reminiscent of late PS3/Xbox 360 titles, with well-designed environments that reflect diverse geographical features. Overall, the visuals are described as stunning, with excellent destructible environments and engaging effects that enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The graphics are surprisingly detailed.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous, the ship is cool as hell and the gameplay is tense but fun.”
- “The graphics are stunning and performance is smooth.”
- “Game won't boot up regardless of graphics configuration.”
- “Every single level is the same... same dialogue, same graphics, same explosions, same attacks, there is nothing new less than 6 levels into the game, well perhaps you can alter some of your defenses... but I simply can't play it anymore, quite a disappointment really!”
- “One thing, and this is hardly the game's fault, due to the fast moving graphics, my internet connection couldn't keep up with streaming as a remote play together host, my friend ensured me it looked like a 240p image with vaseline smeared all over the screen.”
gameplay
193 mentions
43 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of X-Morph: Defense is a dynamic blend of tower defense and top-down shooter mechanics, offering a unique experience that emphasizes strategic planning and real-time action. Players enjoy the engaging mix of building defenses and direct combat, complemented by destructible environments and a variety of enemy types, though some find the resource collection mechanic cumbersome. Overall, the game is praised for its solid mechanics, beautiful graphics, and the satisfying chaos of its gameplay loop, making it a standout title in the genre.
- “The gameplay is a delightful mix of tower defense and top-down shooter.”
- “There's a massive enemy unit variety, the levels are well-designed, and the gameplay is set up such that you're never just sitting around with nothing to do; you are always busy doing something.”
- “The mix of shooter and tower defense is cleverly done with nice gameplay twists in both areas.”
- “The gameplay is just boring, and I more often switched during gameplay to some Twitch stream or YouTube video than actually playing the game... it just wasn't able to catch my attention for more than 2 or 3 minutes.”
- “The gameplay loop becomes very repetitive, which is mostly fine because the loop is quite nice, but you can't play more than 2 levels in a single sitting.”
- “It tries to be a little more than your average tower defense, but it ends up being bland and uninteresting with less than a few hours of gameplay.”
music
34 mentions
50 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating the solid and engaging soundtrack that complements the gameplay. While some reviews note that the music is not particularly memorable or special, it effectively enhances the overall experience without being overwhelming. Voice acting and sound effects are also considered adequate, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
- “The soundtracks are pretty good, fit the game, and the sound effects are not overwhelming the music; it's just as well designed as the graphics.”
- “Usually I don't care so much for the OST download for games, but this one I've downloaded and ported to my phone to listen to while at work.”
- “The soundtrack is solid and complements the gameplay pacing well, and the voice acting, while not at Mass Effect levels, is very good.”
- “The soundtrack alone warrants deleting this POS.”
- “It's fun listening to the humans discussing how the battles are progressing and how they plan to counter you, but the alien 'voice' sounds dumb and the music is...meh.”
- “As for the music, I can't really remember it to be honest, so maybe just turn it off and play your own in the background.”
replayability
27 mentions
30 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mixed bag of replayability, with many players appreciating the various modes, difficulty levels, and scoring systems that encourage repeated play. Features like survival mode, custom maps, and co-op options enhance replay value, particularly for completionists and those seeking to improve their scores. However, some users feel that the game lacks depth and meaningful choices, leading to a perception of limited replayability for those not invested in achieving high scores or completing all missions.
- “I'd especially recommend getting it if you want a game to churn down while listening to a podcast; the survival mode allows a lot of replayability, and there are also a bunch of neat custom maps.”
- “Tons of upgrades and fun attempts with different towers offer some decent replayability, so I would say this game is totally worth its price!”
- “There's co-op, survival mode, and a level editor available for far more replay value.”
- “Not much replayability though unless you're looking to get gold on all missions or bump the difficulty.”
- “In my opinion there is no replay value but it took me 13 hours to complete and I rushed through fairly quickly so it will keep you busy for a bit.”
- “This whole mission and upgrade format is extremely outdated and severely lacking in replay value and meaningful choice.”
optimization
23 mentions
48 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its excellent optimization, achieving smooth performance with solid frame rates even on lower-end hardware, such as the Steam Deck. Players report minimal performance issues, impressive graphics, and a well-optimized engine that handles complex environments and effects without significant hitches. While some minor bugs were noted, the general consensus is that the game runs flawlessly and provides a satisfying gameplay experience.
- “Good optimization (runs solid 60fps on Steam Deck).”
- “Super high audiovisual quality and top-notch optimization push the game to a higher standard.”
- “Game is highly optimized and runs flawlessly.”
- “Needs performance improvements.”
- “If you watch gameplay of the game prior to playing, you’ll notice that it has a lot of moving objects, destruction, and particle effects. This would make you think that the game contains copious amounts of bugs and issues, but the developers have done an incredible job. Only once did I have an issue with performance, and that was when playing one of the DLCs.”
- “Totally destructible environment with no impact on performance (speaking with an NVIDIA 970 GTX, i7-4970K, and 16 GB DDR3 RAM).”
stability
17 mentions
24 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
Overall, "X-Morph: Defense" is generally stable, with most players reporting smooth performance and minimal major issues. However, some users have encountered occasional glitches, particularly with the tower building mechanic, which can disrupt gameplay but are not severe enough to render the game unplayable. The game runs well on platforms like the Steam Deck, and while some bugs exist, they are often seen as annoying rather than game-breaking.
- “I experienced no glitches and a decent campaign where you play as the 'bad guy' with Michael McConnohie voice acting as the humans.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “It's not buggy and it doesn't have broken mechanics.”
- “It loads to the screen that just says 'XMorph Defense' freezes, then I get a message saying:”
- “Sometimes the fence building mechanic between towers glitches, and you have to sell and rebuild the tower to get the fences to actually connect.”
- “Mostly the glitches are just annoying rather than making the game unplayable, but it definitely eats into the fun aspect sometimes, forcing you to redo waves you've already beaten or waste extra time setting up defenses between waves.”
humor
14 mentions
93 % positive mentions
-14 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by a compelling and amusing storyline that pits players against a hilariously inept military tactician. Players appreciate the funny interactions with units, quirky boss names, and amusing bugs that add to the overall comedic experience. The combination of humor and gameplay elements, such as voice-overs and in-game dialogue, enhances the enjoyment, making it a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
- “The storyline is funny and compelling.”
- “You face off against the worst possible military tactician in history and it's hilarious.”
- “Hilariously sub par naming of bosses (lol)”
- “What's not funny about destroying everything?”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected humor, but it was more cringeworthy than comedic.”
grinding
10 mentions
10 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
90 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game can be quite tedious, particularly due to repetitive gameplay mechanics and the need for constant tower repositioning, which is exacerbated by slow animation times. While some players appreciate the strategic elements, many find the experience becomes monotonous and frustrating over time, detracting from overall enjoyment.
- “It's fun for the first hour or so, but it's the same tedious motions nearly non-stop.”
- “Both are paper thin and would make a tedious game on their own, and they never rise to greater than the sum of their parts.”
- “I found myself having to reposition two towers six or seven times before the game would recognize that I was blocking a path, and when each placement or repositioning of a tower takes seven to eight seconds to go through the animation of the tower deconstructing and then rebuilding itself, finding the exact right placement for the towers gets really tedious.”
atmosphere
8 mentions
88 % positive mentions
-25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the impressive visual effects, detailed graphics, and immersive audio design that enhance the overall experience. The combination of fast-paced gameplay and moments of strategic planning contributes to a captivating environment, although some players express frustration over the inability to achieve 100% completion solo due to cooperative trophy requirements. Overall, the game successfully creates a cool and sophisticated atmosphere that resonates well with players.
- “Great atmosphere and audio.”
- “The graphics are great, the sound effects create a good atmosphere, it's fast-paced during a round but lets you breathe and plan in between rounds, it's challenging without being frustrating (on hard difficulty, haven't tried extreme yet).”
- “The 3D top-down graphics are detailed for such a small game, with an atmospheric audio design.”
- “The atmosphere is lacking depth; it feels more like a backdrop than an immersive environment.”
- “While the visuals are stunning, the overall atmosphere fails to engage me emotionally.”
- “The game has a sterile atmosphere that makes it hard to feel invested in the world.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's profound emotional impact, describing it as capable of inflicting significant emotional damage, likening it to a war crime due to its intense and often distressing narrative elements.
- “The emotional impact of this game is staggering; it leaves you reflecting on your choices long after you've finished playing.”
- “I was not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster this game took me on; it truly tugged at my heartstrings.”
- “The way the story unfolds and the characters develop creates an emotional depth that is rarely seen in games.”