Clash of Clans has been one of the most popular mobile games in the world for the last couple of years. Seeing as how Windows Phone still doesn't have Clash after all this time, it's up to other game publishers to pick up the slack. Gameloft, one of the largest publishers of Windows Phone games, already has a fair Clash clone called Age of Sparta.
Today, Gameloft has released another game in that mold called Siegefall. This one tasks players with building a fantasy kingdom, training armies, and doing battle across a campaign and against other players. Siegefall mixes things up a bit by giving players direct control of their powerful hero characters during battle.
Read on for quick Siegefall impressions and our exclusive hands-on video with Mandy Paez from Gameloft!
Preparing for the fall
The Siegefall tutorial starts players right in the thick of battle. Your first goal is to destroy an enemy fortress. You've got several groups of troops with which to do it.
One big difference between Siegefall and other Clash-style games is how you control your troops. Instead of spawning dozens of troops individually, players start out with several clusters of troops already on the map. These soldiers stay clustered together, making them relatively easy to direct and track. You don't have a ton of control over them – just point them in the direction you want to attack and they'll head off to cause mischief.
It doesn't take long before you get a hero under your command. Siegefall currently offers three distinct heroes to unlock, including a brave knight and a towering troll. Unlike regular units, players get to control these hero units directly. Throughout the battle, you can send your hero wherever you want him to go. If your troops need support, pull the big guy away from what he's doing and send him to help.
In most Clash-likes, players can't do anything but watch after sending their units into the fray. Siegefall's heroes add a fair bit of strategy (and entertainment) by keeping the player engaged throughout the entire battle.
Another twist is the food system. As your units destroy structures, they'll discover food. You can spend this food during that same battle to summon reinforcements. The better the unit, the more food it costs to call more of them into battle.
Will Siegefall ever get Xbox Achievements?
Although Siegefall has launched as a non-Xbox title, it remains a strong contender for an Xbox Live update in the future. If you want that upgrade to happen, be sure to support the game with downloads and maybe even in-app purchases. The Xbox Live certification process for Windows Phone remains relatively time consuming and expensive. Gameloft decides which titles to upgrade based on their popularity, so not playing Siegefall won't help anybody.
Build your kingdom and conquer
Between fights, players will build up their bases. You can erect walls, defense towers, and barracks – all the standard stuff. Everything takes time to build. But Siegefall does have a nice little mechanic in which building times of one minute or less can be skipped at no cost.
Multiplayer raiding games have become fairly common on Windows Phone, even if the one that started it all remains elusive. Siegefall makes a name for itself by adding more dynamic and interactive combat. Plus the production values can't be beat. Stay tuned for the Windows 8 and RT versions, which should be arriving soon as well.
How does Siegefall compare to your favorite raiding games? Give it a try and let us know!
