Kingdom: New Lands

Probably the game I have played the most in the last year. I also played and completed the original game. I bought new lands because they deserve my money; what creativity. This 2D scroller has more atmosphere, lasting gameplay and originality than the majority of big budget titles in recent years. So simple but so incredibly addictive; the simplicity of the controls and the atmosphere created by the stunning pixelated graphics and the beautiful music of Toy Tree will keep you coming back for more. It is also a game that when it eventually reaches mobile devices really has the potential for being huge - its simple control system, game interaction and addictive gamepley will make it ideal fit for mobile devices.

It's a lovely game. Beautiful graphics and music, elegant controls (all done with three keys), and fun to explore and gradually work things out. I'm glad I bought this. However! There are a number of elements that aren't clear from the gameplay, so working them out could cost many failed games. Also elements that obviously do something, but it's not much fun making sense of it from limited information. Annoying: - Catapults can be moved forward, but not back (if the protective wall is destroyed). That makes no sense in game, and can lead to fail situations. - I wasted money on statues with no idea what they did. Likewise I bought maps at a crossroad but it didn't change the map visible in the pause menu. With things like this, you try it once, but if it doesn't seem to do anything you won't waste money on it in future games. - The game can sometimes lead to slow attrition ones where you will lose, but it might take an hour or so. That can happen when recruiting camps are far away (sometimes on the other side of a portal), so anyone you recruit will probably be attacked before they reach your castle. - It turns out there are teleporters. I had no idea. I used them to spy sometimes, but it didn't make it clear that another button press would teleport me to the spy location, so I never did that. - A major annoyance that isn't explained in the game: sometimes cutting down a single tree can destroy a vital resource such as the merchant, or a recruiting camp. It took me ages to realise that was happening, and it still didn't make sense in-game. It can make the game unwinnable, and should be explained somehow. - Only by reading a wiki did I find out that my horse will eat grass.

Pros: + beautiful pixel graphics, + relaxing, good ost, + not too complicated UI, Cons: - infinite mobs, combined with lack of main goal, equal a good amount of frustration, - trial and error gameplay, - very simple UI (player is unable to cancel orders once they are given).

It's an incredible game. The hours I've spent playing it have taught me how to overcome some islands, but even so, it offers more hours of gameplay and with situations that change so quickly that you're left wondering what your next strategy should be to continue surviving, it fills you with many emotions.

I loved this game when it came out and played the hell out of it! Such simple mechanics, but sound and at design is just so immersive. And you really get scared a little, when you are far away from your home base behind three portals, which can spawn enemies at any time. But the latest Skull Island Patch, I don't now what to say. For me its close to unplayable and in many, many tries I haven't even reached Skull Island. In my opinion the balance is just broken. A big part is the randomizing of the island tiles on your first visit. On the old version I had maybe 2 out of 5 maps that where just unplayable, because important buildings are missing, or the only camp to spawn new units is too far away. But now, EVERY map so far had a ludicrous layout and was close to unplayable and for the most part unbeatable. - Playing three maps, only to find out that the last island is broken is NOT fun! - Many important tiles missing on later maps. I had maps without even one hermit or temple, just unplayable. - The one hermit available is the same I have already with me from the previous island - Enemies are much more aggressive, but the player has not gained one feature to fight this new aggression - AI of enemies has gotten better, AI of your own troops is still absent Right now this game is pure frustration and the fun is fading away. Also the maps are so empty and vast, there are way to many occasions where its just "now i have to press right for a couple of minutes, to return to my base". Why no multiplayer? Why not more content, more tiles, maybe a little town at the port or in the middle? And please give me more control over my army! Just a place in the main base, where dropping a coin retreats all my men, or where I can send all soldiers to one side, etc. On the other hand I had a lot o fun with the old version and played this game much more, than anticipated, so its still a great game. Just skip the latest patch.