It seems that whenever one developer manages to find success with a specific genre, it’s only a matter of time before others follow suit hoping to ride the wave. Last year, PixelJunk Monsters showed that console gamers can enjoy tower defense strategy games. Now, FluffyLogic is hoping Savage Moon can ride that wave. Read more to find out what we had to say about this PSN exclusive. 

Gameplay 

You are a commander in charge of protecting various Space Mining zones from waves of attacks from predatory space bugs called Insectocytes. In order to stop them from destroying the mines, you’ll need to strategically place weapon towers to do so. You’ll travel to twelve different moons in three Nebulas, but the objective is always the same: stop the waves of bugs. 

It’s definitely not an original concept and in fact, the game looks a lot like it was taken from the 90s film, Starship Troopers. There are a handful of different creatures which you will encounter so the strategic aspect is there. Some are quick but easy to kill; others are slow but take a lot of damage. You will encounter both ground and air enemies and even some surprises along the way. 

Each planet consists of terrain that can and cannot be used. You will not be able to place your towers on high peaks nor will you be able to place them on lava, but there are still plenty of other locations to use. Where you place your defences will affect the path of the Insectocytes. You will have to be cautious since they can easily destroy what is in their way, making protecting the mines a challenge. Every planet has multiple paths for attacks and hatching locations which add to the strategy required in tower placement. 

Your arsenal consists of your standard machine gun, anti-air and mortar towers. As you progress through the game, you will unlock more powerful towers to use. On top of that, the game also features repair and amp towers which will keep your other defenses at full power and increase their range of fire. Like other games in the genre, you can also upgrade your towers to be more effective, something necessary in the later waves and levels of the game. Like other tower defence games, not only will you need to upgrade units, but you will have research the more powerful ones. On top of that, you are restricted with the amount of towers you can build per wave which also adds to your tower placement strategies. 

A cool addition to the game is the inclusion of Command points. You have the ability to pick one or two command abilities to aid you along the way. These include increasing your cash flow from your kills, stronger damage and increased armor. Depending on how you want to approach a mission, you can mix and match and thankfully, you can also change them on the fly for the following wave. 

In general, the concept behind Savage Moon is not poor but it fails to offer anything original. The various paths available to the Insectocytes create some tough battles, but there is a lot of trial and error in each level. You will encounter early on that turrets don’t seem to target properly, often missing passing units or not destroying an enemy it has been focusing on. Don’t be surprised if you have to build similar units close by or one further down the path to finish the job. At the same time, if you invest early in creating and upgrading repair and amp towers, what should be a difficult battle ends up being an easy one. 

Out of all gripes of the game, the one that can pose the most problems has to be the wonky camera controls, especially when trying to move around the screen and zooming in and out. You will often be battling with the camera since you will need to work on various locations throughout each map. Thanks to the angle of the camera, some terrain won’t be accessible for tower placement, which will force you to have to adjust and readjust to be able to place one. This problem specifically occurs in corners and on the bottom portion of the map. In a game where time is important, this will only frustrate gamers.

Graphics and Sound 

As stated before, the game looks a lot like Starship Troopers and nothing really stands out. There is plenty of variety in the Bugs but as you progress through the game, seeing the same enemies time and time again won’t really impress you. There is plenty of variety in the towers and included in the game is the ability to watch attacks from the towers. It’s nice in principal, but the bugs do not look that good close up and you will only be able to do this in the early waves. The terrains also look at lot the same with only different colors and higher terrain making much of a difference. 

The sound is a mixed bag. There is a score but it is played very quietly as more is heard from your defences and the bugs. Thankfully, during frantic battle sequences, you will hear plenty of gun-fire and screams from the Insectocytes. Each weapon has a distinctive sound which helps add to atmosphere. Other than the noises on the battlefield, the sounds in game are a write-off. 

Value 

There are twelve missions you will encounter as you try to protect the nebulas. The challenges you will encounter are plentiful. Those inexperienced in Tower Defence games will need to go through levels a few times to learn patterns and determine the best weapons to use. Like so many other similar titles, you will be spending a good chunk of time dealing with trial and error which may turn off more casual gamers. 

The game does offer a nice Vengeance Mode which has you face off against an endless number of waves of bugs. Those looking for some extra challenge in seeing just how long they can last will find some value in this mode. 

Conclusion 

It’s hard to recommend Savage Moon except to hardcore fans of tower defense games and those who enjoy sci-fi themed titles. The game has potential, but the camera issues and the lack of originality will alienate those new to the genre looking for a fun experience. With a bit more polish, the developers would have succeeded in making a title that appealed to a larger group of people.