Toy Soldiers Review

A while ago, it seemed I was becoming the go-to reviewer for strategy titles; now, on my third tower defense review, it would appear I've started to specialise somewhat.

Originally released for XBLA in 2010, Signal Studio's Toy Soldiers has finally broken through enemy lines onto PC. This delay means that rather than leading the charge of the recent platoon of titles placing the player amongst their towers, Toy Soldiers finds itself lingering in the trenches long after its companions have entered the battlefield. Whereas Sanctum and Dungeon Defenders have previously (or subsequently, depending on which end of the console-PC time vortex you’re viewing from) cast the player as a separate character alongside their static defences, in first and third person respectively, Toy Soldiers sees the player taking on the implied role of an unseen child re-envisioning various battles from World War I.

Rather than the green plastic Army Men featured in Toy Story or the game series of the late ‘90s, the toys in question this time around are vintage tin soldiers and vehicles more befitting of the era, ranging from clockwork tanks to static defense mounted on fetching mahogany presentation stands. The miniature theme continues throughout the artwork, with the boxes for the toys scattered at the edge of the map; rotating the camera upwards will often reveal details of the surrounding room, such as a table lamp providing illumination. Aesthetically the game is very reminiscent of Stacking, which is by no means something to complain about.

As is the norm for tower defense titles, the player faces off against increasingly dangerous waves of enemies, earning money for each kill. Money is spent deploying and upgrading deadly defenses around the destructive diorama. Where Toy Soldiers differs is the option to control defenses that have been placed, as well as a handful of vehicles on certain levels; on the highest difficulty level, this alternative method of playing becomes a necessity as gunners will not automatically fire back. Each of the deployable defenses is suited to a different task, and the inevitable reload time penalty on the highest level means that, whilst the weapons devastate the enemy, they never become overpowered. Similarly, the controllable vehicles are never capable of dominating the battlefield, with a 10 second timer on unattended tanks before they despawn.

Enemies aren’t a considerable threat when it comes to firepower; only the tanks and occasional bombers are likely to cause damage to your defenses, whilst the myriad of infantry and cavalry units pose a danger of reaching your precious toy box purely due to their massed ranks. In addition to the mobile waves of units, a number of the levels feature hostile emplacements intent on making your job harder; once dispatched, it is possible (and in most cases, advisable) to place your own defenses in their position.

If the 12 regular levels aren't enough action for you, completing the Campaign will unlock Campaign+ mode, allowing you to play as the German forces on alternate versions of the maps. Throw in a survival mode and challenges on each level to unlock a series of themed trophies, and there's plenty to keep coming back for beyond trying to beat your previous scores.

PC players may have a few gripes with the work done porting the game from 360 - for some, the biggest stumbling block will be the utilisation of Games for Windows Live. Whilst no issues were encountered with GfWL during the review process (and personally, I have yet to have any problems with it in any game), regional restrictions and personal preferences will mean this is an absolute deal breaker for many.

If an addition is cause for concern for some players, it will be the subtractions that upset others - the PC release lacks the option to remap the controls and has been unceremoniously stripped of the multiplayer component from the console build. The multiplayer, when present, sees players facing off one-on-one across relatively small maps compared to those in the main campaigns. In addition to placing defenses and controlling vehicles, players also get the choice of which units to deploy in the forthcoming waves; the end result is a rather unique competitive twist on the classic tower defense mould.

As a way of apology, the PC release contains both of the DLC from the Xbox version; the first, Kaiser's Battle, adds French toys and a handful of new levels, while Invasion pits the Germans against the British "Secret Weapons", featuring other toy box classics such as knights, UFOs and a giant robot.

The AI can have some questionable targeting choices when left in control of turrets; it’s nothing a little baby-sitting can’t fix, but it can easily lead to attention being drawn away from where it is more sorely needed. That said, and even with the minor issues of the PC version, the arcade price point makes Toy Soldiers a bargain whichever platform you choose.