Free - to - romp game often look appealing , but it ’s difficult to know at a glimpse whether the business model is pernicious and fun ruining , or fairish and deserving pumping a few Pearl Sydenstricker Buck into . With Freemium Field Test , we ’ll take a recent free - to - play iOS game , put it through its stride , and let you know if it ’s really deserving your time ( and money ) .
Rovio is well known for Angry Birds , but that enfranchisement falls deeply into irrelevancewith each pass by entrance . The latest , Angry Birds Evolution , is an almost imposingly misguided attempt to give the brand a gritty makeover … because what ’s been missing from the pull - and - fling franchise is for certain a backbreaking edge and 100 - plus fresh characters , right ?
fortunately , the company is starting to look past its fading cash moo-cow , as well , andBattle Bayis a much more appealing iOS debut : it ’s a five - on - five sauceboat brawler , in which you ’ll pilot jerky wave alongside tangible online allies to try and sink your opposition . Battle Bay is knavish and light to understand , and it make a strong impression — but it also has a lot of freemium elements in maneuver . Does Rovio ’s new experience continue satisfying after the first few lucifer pass on ?
The pitch
Battle Bay feels a lot likeWorld of Tanks : Blitzon piss alternatively of demesne , albeit with a coloured , cartoonish smell that total off like an extension of Angry Birds — at least the original , non - gritty interpretation of Angry Birds . You ’ll pick a small boat , strap on a couple of weapon , and then take to the sea to try and dominate the other team within five minutes .
direct , fire , and essay to be the last boat float .
You ’ll guide your little cruiser with a match of virtual analogue sticks on the screen , watching it potter around around as the giant waves clobber it a bit . And then it ’s show fourth dimension , as your five - player gang encounters the other and set about to have the last boat(s ) still be adrift at the closing . Each map can be get ahead in one of two way : by completely destroying the other team , or by capturing a mid - map base of operations by staying within its bounce for a certain amount of time .
Death can come fleetly , and it sticks , too . Once you ’re blasted out of the water , you ’re done for the peer — and forced to seat back and view as either your teammates complete the Book of Job you could n’t , or are gradually decimated in front of you . fortunately , the speedy matches and serious firepower in play assure that you should n’t have to find out for more than a hour or two before you ’re able-bodied to jump into another match .
you’re able to also gain by holding down a particular touch on the map .
Of course , progression is key in a free - to - gambling , multiplayer - centric biz like this : you may upgrade and swap out artillery , armor , and abilities , as well as choose between multiple types of upgradeable boat — and upgrade want both up-to-dateness and parts . Meanwhile , there ’s a whole wedge - organisation of power upgrades available by “ training ” your crew in the carte screens and waiting for the timers to tick down one by one . Truth be told , Battle Bay is more complicated outside the game than in the heat of armed combat .
The catch
At least there ’s nothing complicated about Battle Bay ’s energy system — because it does n’t have one . That ’s a very adept affair , of line , because nothing would kill the playfulness more in a multiplayer plot than having to look 30 minutes for another couple , or being ram to spend money or learn an ad to keep playing .
Battle Bay finds other ways to make money , however . The secret plan frequently parcel out various rewards or day-by-day freebies , and it has a whoppingfour different currencytypes in shimmer . You ’ll use amber to buy ships and items , sugar to raise crew member and items , stars for purchase peculiar crate , and pearls to skip timer and bribe missing resources during upgrade process .
find out a video ad to hike your rewards is n’t a speculative melodic theme if you ’re seek to make free , steady gains .
Why does a biz call for four up-to-dateness systems ? The confusedness probably help Rovio when players are annoyed and desperate , and unforced to pass a few bucks on raise . And it ’s also limiting , because you might earn plenty of one character of currency , but not the type you really need for a certain kind of rise or ship . Again , that puts you right back into the storage , where ivory are sold in bundles up to $ 100 a pack , and then pearls can be swap for gold and sugar . Stars , at least , are only realize through struggle .
As mentioned , Battle Bay does seem pretty give with its rewards , even if they ’re often in small counting — and you could even advance your post - match rewards by watch a video ad , if you ’re willing to deal 30 seconds of your time for extra goods . And the biz will also deal you brush off bundles for a immediate gripe starting line . I finally spent $ 5 on a “ belittled starter pack ” that gave me a couple of items , a fleck - pack treasure bureau , and 100 bead per twenty-four hour period for 10 days , take over I logged in each day . For daily actor , that ’s not a bad little boost .
Bundles of bead range up to $ 100 per coterie .
There ’s some advantage to spending money in the game , unluckily , which lessen Battle Bay ’s competitive balance . By spending money on pearls , you could skip the timers to chop-chop point up your work party , buy materials to encourage your weapon and items , and gradually boost your thespian level so that you could get at better adaptation of the boats .
However , there ’s a equilibrium in the infamy rating , which move up and falls with your team ’ wins and losses , severally , and is designed to keep you bring against people at your comparative acquisition level — and thus , likely opponents with the same grade of gear and weapons . However , the matchmaking is not unfailing , and I ’ve been in matches with immensely overpowered opponents . Did they get there by spending a ton of clip in the biz , or by pumping in a crowd of John Cash ? You ’ll never bang , and that could frustrate the hell out of you .
The verdict
As with pretty much any loose - to - roleplay multiplayer secret plan that offers paid advantages , my advice is this : do n’t get too serious about Battle Bay and you wo n’t be disappoint . Rovio ’s game is a muckle of fun for quick shootouts , it ’s super attractive , and the waves add up a unique strategic element that we usually do n’t see in drumhead - to - head shooters . There ’s a spate to wish here .
However , there ’s just so little upside in trying to spend your way to success in an on-line secret plan that let you give to get ahead , and that ’s definitely true with Battle Bay as well . Play it casually without spending much ( if any ) hard currency within , and you ’ll believably have a lot of fun with it .
