When design and combat meet
A review of Astracraft: a game where you design fighter robots
Astracraft is one of the most unique games I have played in a while. Simple, elegant, and yet filled with some devastating gun-power. The motto here is simple, you design fighter mecha-robots and let them go to town on each other.
There is no limit to the way you conceive your robots, and the sheer modular design means only your imagination is the limit. This is the depiction of modular design at its finest and as you tinker with the blocks to find new ways to plant or conceal weapons, be prepared to face the same on the other side.
With two game modes, one focused on your ability to design and the other on combat this game offers a unique flavour to combat. Everything here is customisable so as you experiment with combinations, pre-set blueprints or refine on game experience; the sky is the limit. After my first two rounds of combat, I tweaked my design and bot for hours finding the right balance between mobility and power. I learnt it the hard way that I needed to dodge the same time I fired.
What makes Astracraft shine is the unpredictability, in the online sandbox you have no idea what you will run into and thus you can never be prepared enough. Similarly, as you unlock more weapons it doesn’t guarantee that the new unlocks are improvements on your existing formula. This is a game where everything changes with a minor tweak so beware.
In terms of gameplay, the sandbox environment while bare, is well designed. The game is wonderfully balanced, and, in my experience, there was nothing that was too overpowered. However, no game is perfect and Astracraft can simplify its season progression system and explain players in detail how the repair functionality works. An absolutely fun take on robot combat. Must be tried if design and strategy are things you love to combine in your combat.
Sneak Peek
Title: Astracraft
Developer: NetEase Games
Game Type: Multiplayer, Realtime Sandbox combat
Platforms: iOS & Android
Price: Free to Play with in-app purchases
Verdict
Innovative Gameplay: 4.5
Game Handling & Quality: 4
Value for Time: 4.5
Potential Progression without in-game purchases: 4
Overall: 4.25
What Stands Out
- The sheer number of combinations can make your head twirl, this game is one of the most adaptable ever
- The multiplayer arena is surprisingly well-designed and balanced out
Fails to impress
- The game can, at times, become a little difficult to understand how it deploys repair modes
- The season progress system can be simplified
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