Game Review: Creeper World 3, Arc Eternal

Creeper World 3, Arc Eternal is one of the cheap games I bought at the last Cyber Monday steam sale. I earlier reviewed Dungeon Warfare ( https://steemit.com/games/@lennstar/game-review-dungeon-warfare )

While Dungeon Warfare was a full hit, I was a little bit disappointed from this game. While a good game I don’t think it holds up to all the fanatically positive reviews.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/280220/

The Game “Modes”

The game starts with a “campaign” showing you the basics and advanced features, which is really nicely made. Step by step and learning by doing. Your goal is to free worlds from “creeper”, a substance that flows like slow water and is destroying your structures when they get in contact (weapons take a bit of time). This looks nicer in-game then on the pictures.
The Campaign then unfolds the story of the protagonist.

The campaign itself is a little short but will still give you 10+ hours of play. It also includes several special “planets” you are fighting on, like a world with tides.

After the Campaign the real “arc eternal” starts – additional worlds (Hundreds!) you can free from creeper. Some are easy, some are hard. Some are made by the team, others by users and included. You can also download worlds from the steamworks if you want. Or upload some yourself.

Buildings

No barracks or other unit producing building. You have an HQ and collectors. Collectors gather energy (as do generators which you don’t really need on most maps) and distribute it to your weapons. There is a mine for anti-creeper (look at units) and there are totems that generate research points for your research center. That’s it.

Units

There are not that many units, and every unit has one place in the game. Not geographically, since you can (and will) move all units. I mean: line holders, hard hitters, ultra-long-range superguns and aerial units. Or terraforming. Terraforming can be very powerful and should not be underestimated.

One special sort is the spray gun (and the bomber) who shoots (bombs) anti-creeper you have to “mine” on special spots. This anti-creeper behaves like creeper and is a good way to push into spots (where you build collectors to transport energy to your other weapons).
Victory is assured by a good combination of units and their placement.

How does a fight go?

You land your HQ(s) and build the first collectors. Then you build some more collectors and the first weapons to stop the creeper from killing your collectors. Then you build some special defenses. Then you build some more weapons and secure a free spot or line to build more collectors. After that a quick look into research. Then build more weapons and move them slowly onwards while building more collectors on the freed space. Rinse and repeat.
When your weapons arrive near an enemy spawn point you build a nullifier to destroy it and set a mortar on that spot (bonus). Then push on harder, after some new techs. Kill the last enemy spawn and claim victory.

What I don’t like

Don’t get me wrong: The game has a very interesting approach to “tower defense” and is a lot of fun. But it is also very very repeating after a while. With the strategy I described above you can win every map, albeit a bit slowly. You can’t click fast enough to hold up with your units and building speed in the last third. There may be more interesting, faster ways of winning, but they are risky.
Mostly the game goes like:
A) Damn, the start is hard.
B) OK, I got it. Now hold, defenses!
C) Rights, let’s go! Clear one side of the map!
D) Another point to nullify. Just move the 30 units and build 20 more collectors…. Finally!

Is the game worth its money? Yes!

Is it long-time motivating? Not for me. Of course, if you are a strong collector you may want to get every world. In which case you are done for quite a few weeks. Or even an “arc eternal”.