Raid on Coasts (PC) Preview

By Eric Ace 20.02.2018

Review for Raid on Coasts on PC

'Indie' games have become all the rage in the last few years, but in many cases this term has really become blurred when major producers suddenly say they are 'indie' and are racking up millions on Kickstarter. In a breath of fresh air, Raid on Coasts is as indie as it gets, made by a single guy who has been using free sprite resources online, among other things; and while the game has a way to go, it actually hits the most important part: being fun.

There is a plucky kind of feeling Raid on Coasts possesses that is rarely seen in games anymore. Made by a single person using various online resources, it's the type of recipe that usually ends in disaster but happily avoids it in this case. Simply looking at the screenshots, it might be easy to dismiss, after all, the game literally uses free sprite resources, but having played it, the action strikes the most important note in that it is actually fun.

This RTS takes a cue from older aspects of the genre in regards to 'King of the Hill' type engagements. The map has around 20 spots that generate income when held. They are the typical mechanic of having to occupy the area for a length of time to remove control before establishing your own.

Where Raid on Coasts gets interesting is how each player has their 'military base' outpost, which is typically heavily defended, and units spawn from the edge of the map when made, meaning the only thing to destroy is this single strong building. In general, income is low, so a squad of units needs to last a while. This has the effect of not just mashing units together to see who wins, but rather dodging around the map trying to secure undefended locations.

Screenshot for Raid on Coasts on PC

As far as combat goes, it is surprising how fairly realistic Raid of Coasts feels, in that infantry do nothing to tanks that can mow them down easily, whereas rocket units can in turn destroy tanks. Each unit actually shoots its own projectiles, which can go wide, hit wrong targets, and so on.

The player can upgrade their base into more defensive positions that eventually give artillery, as well as defensive helicopters. At this stage, the game takes an interesting turn with defensive lines forming and trying to survive airstrikes to pick up fringe locations that are not guarded. The AI is competent, and overall the feeling of 'just lost that, quick need to grab this other location instead!' keeps gamers hooked on desperately waiting for reinforcements.

As of right now, Raid on Coasts is still in the very early stages, there are some glitches, only one map is on offer, and there are some optimisation problems, but overall it is impressive in that it is indeed actually a fun RTS. Depending on how the future development goes, it will be one to keep an eye on.

Screenshot for Raid on Coasts on PC

Final Thoughts

Despite the rough graphics, and the early alpha stages of the game, Raid on Coasts actually strikes many of the right notes, something that million dollar RTS games fail to do. Combining 'King of the Hill' with small squad tactics, the intensity of the matches stays high throughout. If development continues in such a positive way, this is going to be a surprising gem to watch out for, especially given its cheap price.

Developer

Outlaw Wars

Publisher

Outlaw Wars

Genre

Strategy

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  n/a

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date Out now   

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