The highly anticipated sequel to Anomaly is finally here. For gamers not familiar with the series, Anomaly is a tower defense game with a few added twists. Things have been improved and some major changes have been applied to Anomaly 2. In fact, the features that gamers wanted in the previous game have finally come to light in this sequel.
Even though Anomaly 2 is comprised of non-stop action, there is still a great deal of strategy involved in completing the available missions. Don’t even consider some kind of blitz run because you will definitely lose. Strategy is important to the player’s survival; you need to know when to be aggressive and when to be tactical with your maneuvers.
Anomaly 2 includes the ability to transform your units. With this new ability, you can turn normal Assault Hounds into mech dwelling Hell Hounds or Sludge Hammers into Rocket Hammers. This adds an exciting new element to the gameplay. You can battle your enemies when you’re inside smaller areas, but the new formations are not always suited for every situation. It takes practice to learn which formations work best for you.
Anomaly 2 includes the same combat skills from the previous game (i.e. Repair, Decoy, Smoke, etc.). The in-game currency, Carusaurum, which is used for upgrading current units and purchasing newer units, is also present. You are allowed up to six units at any given time for your convoy. The unit the player picks for combat is entirely up to them. You can select any combination of units for combat. Some units are only suitable during specific combat scenarios, so be careful of what you choose.
While some tower defense games are hampered by clunky controls, Anomaly 2 uses a simple mapping system to control your units. You can enter this ‘map’ by using the mouse wheel. Called the Tactical Overview Map, this feature pauses the game and it allows you to plan routes for your units. You can command your units by selecting the arrows that appear on the various intersections of each road. After selecting a new course, your units will change their direction. While the game is difficult to master, the controls are very easy to learn.
There is a lengthy single-player campaign that includes multiple difficulty settings that range from casual to hardcore. Online leader boards create a sense of competitiveness for the offline campaign as they keep track of competitors’ scores. Anomaly 2 also includes extensive online multiplayer features that bring additional replay value to the game. These online features include cooperative gaming modes and other types of player versus player combat.
When you first start an online match, you’ll have four different technologies to choose from out of seven. These technologies grant you different abilities and bonuses that make you harder to defeat in battle. As you play, you will unlock the three remaining technologies. If all these technologies were available to the player in the beginning, they would be invincible.
Playing the aggressor is similar to the single-player campaign. Your standard abilities from the single-player campaign remain the same, but the difference in gameplay is seeing your opponent ‘dropping’ towers in real-time. This can make it difficult to plan a route for your units.
Winning an online match isn’t as easy as you may think. There are multiple ways to win an online match, but it requires quick thinking and a good strategy. You can win a match by either earning the required amount of points or by gaining a point advantage over your opponent. Another change made in Anomaly 2 is the requirement to play a set number of games per map to unlock different stages. For example – you must play the beginning tutorial map five times before you can unlock the next stage.
There is also a fully functioning chat system for communicating with your opponents during combat. I like the chat system; it’s so much easier than using the private messaging system that’s built into the Steam client. Anomaly 2 has a handful of multiplayer settings the player can choose from. These settings include the ability to find highly skilled players on the network, among others.
This option can be turned off, so it’s not like you’re forced to play gamers that are above your skill level; it all boils down to personal preference. I felt this feature deserved some recognition since there are gamers out there who live for a good challenge. The multiplayer feature guarantees hours of additional gameplay even after you have completed the single-player campaign.
As a sequel, Anomaly 2 is one of the most entertaining tower defense games available today. If you are looking for a tower defense game with the right balance of action and strategy, then look no further than 11 bit studio’s Anomaly 2; you won’t regret it.
James ‘Daripp3r’ Pittaro
Platform: PC
PC System Requirements
Minimum:
OS: Windows XP SP3 (32 bit) / Vista
Processor: Intel Core(TM)2 Duo 2.4, AMD Athlon(TM) X2 2.8 Ghz
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: Geforce 9600 GS, Radeon HD4000, Shader Model 3.0, 512 MB
DirectX: 9.0c
Hard Drive: 3 GB HD space
Sound: DirectX compatible
Developer: 11 bit studios
Publisher: 11 bit studios
ESRB: T (Teen)
Price: $14.99
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| Bright colors and Incredibly realistic looking environments. | |
| Sound | |
| Epic sounds and a smokin’ hot OST (Original Sound Track). | |
| Gameplay | |
| With the right balance of action and strategy, Anomaly 2 has set a new standard for tower defense games to follow. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Anomaly 2 is one of the best tower defense games available on Steam. | |
