UFG Goes Hands On With Anomaly 2!

11 bit studios teased us with their teaser trailer for the upcoming Anomaly 2 last month. Being a fan of the original title, I’ve been anxiously awaiting more information. So you can image how I felt when I was asked if I wanted to play a preview build of the game. And while I don’t remember everything that was said, I’m pretty sure a “Hell Yea” was involved!

Anomaly 2 takes place years after Warzone Earth with us on the losing end of the conflict. If that wasn’t bad enough the machines, who’ve taken over the Earth, are unrelenting in their hunting down of mankind. They won’t be satisfied till we’re completely extinct. This shouldn’t take much effort due to the low food supply and tundra like environments. At least this was the case until a recent discovery. A scientist has developed a weapon capable of putting the odds of winning the war back in our favor.  The only problem, he’s trapped deep within enemy territory…

Moving away from the story, the first thing I noticed after booting up Anomaly 2 was the snappy UI (user interface). I know, I know…a cool UI isn’t that interesting to talk about. But after the annoying screen flipping found in Dead Space 3, I feel that the way this game zips through stylized menus should be noted. They aren’t intrusive or over the top, yet they still complement the overall theme of the game. Everything from the settings to the in-game options can be pulled up and changed without much fuss.

After getting into the game and playing through the tutorials, I was able to get a taste of what Anomaly has to offer. All of the mechanics found in the previous game make a return here. At the beginning of the level you are given the option of planning your route to the objective(s). You’ll guide your convoy through treacherous terrain while using the commander to drop power ups to improve your chances of survival. At any time, you can go into the map screen and change your route or open a menu to buy, sell, and/or upgrade units. Strategically, there is a lot to think about when it comes to completing levels. Anomaly 2 adds in new elements that not only bolsters the challenges but also enhances the overall gameplay. For instance, each unit now has the ability to morph into a secondary form. The Assault Hound is a tank that features gatling guns affixed to a turret. Its guns have a decent range on them but can take a while to build up to a fast firing rate. Double clicking this unit will cause it to morph into the Hell Hound, a mech-like tank with powerful flame throwers. While its range of attack is lower than the assault mode, it can fire in two different directions at once (each arm houses a flame thrower). This is great for turrets that are positioned in such a way that they can’t be targeted until a unit is right up on them.

The commander is also getting some new toys this time around. One such power up is the EMP. Placing this next to turrets will cause them to power down for a limited amount of time. Of course, this is the best time to attack them as they’ll be unable to respond. After the EMP’s electrical waves disperse, the turrets will still be vulnerable however they will spring back to life if attacked at this time. Balancing its use along with other power-ups is part of the fun, especially when coming up against one of the newer, more dangerous enemy types.

Speaking of difficult enemies, one new turret called the Charger poses a unique challenge to its opponents. In its normal state, it’s a node that forces nearby units to target it. If it is attacked, a bar will appear showing its shields absorption rate. After absorbing enough incoming fire, the Charger transforms into the menacing Storm Reaper. The Reaper sends out a constant flow of electricity, frying most units in seconds. It also features reinforced armor, making it really hard to kill. The best way to take it down is to use units that have strong attacks but a low rate of fire. That way the shield will be able to cool down  a little between attacks. Of course, having a combination of units with different abilities is encouraged in order to handle whatever is thrown at you. An unexpected enemy like the Charger can throw a monkey wrench into well thought out plans though.

The reverse tower defense formula is still just as fun as it was last year. The new mechanics make it even more so. That’s not to say that I enjoyed everything though. There were some areas of concern; like planning your route through a level, for example. Normally, the map will show where all of the enemies and areas of interest are. Every once in a while something story related will occur; new enemies and objectives will pop up requiring you to think on your feet. What I had issue with was the complete omission of some enemies on the map. Sometimes there would be whole groups of enemies that aren’t shown or introduced via a short cutscene during a story event. The only way you’ll know that they are there is by blindly wondering into them. Now I do understand why this system may have been implemented. The developers could see this as another way of keeping gamers on their toes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that feeling when I was playing. It felt kind of cheap, like my plans didn’t really matter. I can get over failing a mission just by trial and error alone; I make a bad unit choice or underestimate a foe. But a trial and error system that withholds information just seems unfair.

Another area of concern is has to do with the AI. One mission required you to take down alien towers that were jamming long rang communications. Of course, these structures are going to be guarded by turrets. The issue comes in when your units target the harmless towers and not the enemy forces that are currently shooting at them. I had to use a lot of my power ups to keep my convoy alive because they refused to engage the enemy until most of the structures (from the objective) were blown up. I don’t mind my units picking their own targets when we’re surrounded by enemies as they usually do a good job of prioritizing the threat. That’s not the case when there are other factors at play.

All and all, I really like what 11 bit studios is doing with Anomaly 2. Keeping what worked in the past while adding new features helps make their newest title worth clamoring for. The few concerns I voiced aren’t enough to derail that anticipation; this is just a preview after all. And even if those areas don’t get addressed, the game would definitely still be worth playing. Graphically, the game looks great. You can tell a lot of work when into creating the game’s world based on the high level of detail of…everything. Not only that, but the game has been optimized to run smoothly even when the visuals are set as high as they can go.

The sound department got the same amount of attention; explosions, lasers and gun fire all sound like you’d expect. The voice acting is a bet cheesy, but in a good B-film type of way. Again, this is a preview build so this may or may not be indicative of what the fully finished product will be like. It does, however, make it that much harder to wait for its release!

Anomaly 2 is scheduled for a mid-2013 release date on PC, Mac and Linux. Be sure to check back as we continue to cover this title!

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