empires world warFormat: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Developer: Midverse Studios

US iTunes, App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store

War what is it good for? Making loads of video games seems to be the answer to that question that Edwin Star asked us back in 1970. Anyway there certainly is no shortage of games based on war these days. So it can be really hard for a game to stand out. To be fair I think that Empires: World War has more in common with civilisation building style games that it does say a Call of Duty game.

As far as the graphics of Empires: World War goes I really think that they are on the average at best side of the graphical rating scale that I have just made up. The war and civilisation building genre these days has some very graphically impressive games, but this one really fails to capture your attention. It is not that the game looks bad, but it just looks so stock like the buildings and vehicles were just designed on the most basic things that they could find.

I am of the opinion that game play is far more important that graphics, but sadly while Empires: World War has some good ideas it again just feels kind of average. The idea behind the game is great in that you are not just in one war. You need to build a military empire that will start with the first World War and go up to World War 3. Yep that is right World War 3.

Before you start you will need to decide which one of the armed forces you want to take into battle. the Navy, the Air Force and the Army are at your disposal. Deciding which one of the forces that you want will alter the game in what you have at your disposal. So it does add some replay value to the game. As I am sure if you enjoy the game that you would want to play through it with all three forces.

You need to build a base and engage in various battles. If you win the battles of course you will then get money to improve your troop and your base. The more improvements you make will result in you levelling up which will then let you have access to new weapons to turn the tide of war in your favour.

From a core game play point of view this is a real time strategy game and the game play is really quite solid, but at the same time it plays it so safe. It is a cookie cutter real time strategy game, but I feel like the potential for so much more was there. I think a few innovative features, a bit more polish on the presentation would have made this stand out much more.

Empires: World War is certainly not a bad game, but it is not a great one either. I would recommend downloading the free version to give it a try, but I would be very surprised if anyone would pick this over one of the other real time strategy or civilisation building games on the iOS. The frustrating thing is that I loved the way you went from the first World War to World War 3 and I think that with a little more time in development we could have had a good game instead of just an average one.

US iTunes, App Store, iBookstore, and Mac App Store