Battleforge

A long, long time ago in a period of history not really all that far away, video games weren’t played on the Internet; they were played on computers with less processing power than the calculator in your pencil-case, and for a time, they were the only form of interactive digital entertainment we had. When I think back to those days, it’s the Real Time Strategy (RTS) games that I remember most fondly; games like Dune II, and Starcraft, and Warcraft before they turned it into an MMO. Command and Conquer deserves a special mention, too; bringing multiplayer to the table and changing the way Korea’s economy would be managed for decades to come. These games were fantastic, hell, most of them still are, but when I think back to playing them as a much younger man, I always think of the first time I wondered: what would it be like if I could play this simultaneously with people from the other side of the world? Today, I can.

Of course, I’ve been able to do it for a while now. Saga offered an experience unlike any other before it, allowing players to build armies and create cities that continue to thrive even after you’ve logged off for the night; and Savage 2 showed me what it would be like if the units under my control we actually other players. And while in their own way, both of these titles excelled at bringing the RTS to the online world, neither of them fulfilled my addiction for strategy and PvP in the way that Starcraft could. Battleforge on the other hand, the once Pay-to-Play Card-Style MMORTS from EA, well, that’s a whole other kettle of fish.

I knew I was going to fall in love with Battleforge after playing the tutorial; even after five minutes I felt right at home. The visuals were the first thing to grab me, as they so often do. Gorgeous 3D vistas littered with hundreds of fully rendered monsters and units fighting one another in high-quality graphics is always a good way to get my attention, and Battleforge offered that in spades. A quick peek at the screenshots will show you exactly what I mean; these are without a doubt the most impressive visuals in an MMORTS to date, and they deserve special mention. Another instant grab was the inclusion of an active (and surprisingly decent) storyline and fully-voiced NPCs. RTS games, especially those with their own unique spin and gameplay mechanics (like Battleforge) can often be amazingly difficult to get the hang of, and it’s always a nice surprise to find one with a tutorial that eases you through the pains of a new system with the voice of a 16-year old American girl. Nothing makes it easier.

Speaking of unique gameplay mechanics, I guess it’s time to talk a little about how Battleforge works, and why if you call yourself a fan of the RTS genre, you should be playing it right now. Games are carried out in one of three ways: you can play in a skirmish game, you can participate in campaign missions that follow an in-depth story, or you can participate in PvP matches. There are many different paths to take in each of these directions (with individual levelling systems in place for Campaign and PvP play), and all of them can be played either solo or cooperatively with other players. Once you’ve selected a game type, you’re in for a surprise. Unlike many other RTS games, Battleforge doesn’t offer you the ability to construct your own base. Instead, units are contained within cards (think Pokemôn Cards) and can be summoned from your deck instantly. Sound confusing? It is. A little. At first. But it’s a magnificent system, and it’s been implemented in some very unique ways. 

Cards (and the creatures they summon) come in many shapes and sizes, and always in one of four elements: Ice (Defence), Fire (Attack), Nature (Healing) or Shadow (Debuffing); to summon them, you require two things: Power and Elemental Monuments. You begin with one monument; this can be of any element you choose, and will determine which cards you are able to summon. So, let’s say you’ve just begun playing. The starter deck you are given is a Nature/Fire blend offering you a good blend of healing and attacking cards. At the beginning of the match you choose Nature for your monument allowing you to summon a range of cards all requiring 1 Nature. But what about your Fire Cards? Don’t you want to summon them too? Of course you do. So you find another Monument; this time you select Fire. Bam. Now you can summon cards that require 1 Nature, cards that require 1 Fire, AND cards that require 1 of either Nature or Fire and 1 other of any type (i.e. cards that require 2 monuments). Bam. Your army has arrived. 

It really just keeps going from there, with cards that require 3 monuments and some that require 4. The higher the cost, the better the unit, and if you manage to get a hold of 4 monuments… well, I’d best leave that little surprise for you. So, what else… oh, power! I almost forgot. Power is obtained by constructing power stones much like you would a monument, by walking up to a build platform and ripping one up from the earth for a small donation of power. Each card also requires power to be summoned, and power accumulates over time. The more Power Stones, the more power. And the more power, the more units. Build as many as you can. 

So, you know how cards work now, and I’m sure you can guess what they do without any help from me; but how do you choose which cards you want? Good question, I’m glad you asked. You receive your first deck of cards in Battleforge just by creating your account and completing the tutorial, from there, it’s up to you. Cards can be earned by completing campaign missions, purchased from other players with gold, traded with other players, or purchased in packs called Boosters for real-world cash. Boosters cost around $5 per pack and give you eight cards: one Rare or Ultra-Rare card, two Uncommon cards, and five Common cards; Tomes, your other option, cost around $10 but contain within them 4 Boosters, so they’re really the way to go.

Whether you buy your cards, trade them or find them, you’re going to end up getting them, and that’s when the real fun begins. Deck construction is a large part of Battleforge, and it can take days to build a deck that feels right for you. Cards can do a number of things, ranging from summoning units great and small, to building towers to defend monuments, healing your units, or simply dropping a volcano’s worth of lava on the head of your enemies. There are hundreds of cards available – collecting them and choosing the right combinations is up to you.

Battleforge isn’t primarily a Free-to-Play MMO, and that’s because for a time it wasn’t free at all. In years past, Battleforge required you to buy it from a store, but more recently it was made available for free. Why do you care? Because that level of quality is present throughout its entirety. Of course, in order to enjoy all of the game you’re going to be required to shell out a few dollars here and there for a Booster or Tome, but if you’re short on cash, there’s still plenty of fun to be had, and plenty of progression to enjoy. Battleforge is a must-play title for anyone with an interest in the RTS genre, and in my opinion, for any gamer at all. It’s an amazing quality video game, and for the most part, it’s free and at your disposal. Give it a try now, thank me later. This is one you don’t want to miss.