Castle Creeps (Android) Review

Aesthetically, Castle Creeps looks and plays like a standard tower defence game. Between the standard fantasy medieval setting and multiple lanes that creeps - orc-like monsters - progress down, it's got all the earmarks of its genre. It's got a couple unique selling points, though, starting with how the actual towers positioned around the lanes work.

Stationed at various points in the map are spots to place a variety of towers. Each tower works best against a certain type of enemy unit, so strategizing based on the information given at the start of each map allows you to plan the best route for the creeps to progress down. In addition to towers, garrisons of small soldiers, which can delay enemy waves, can be positioned. Using both in tandem allows towers to get the maximum damage possible, while still preserving the life of the garrison soldiers.

Managing all the structures is done through the use of material which is generated from slaying creeps, and from what is given out at the beginning of each stage's setup. Upgrading, building, and repairing damaged structures all utilise the same basic resource, so it's important to manage. Choosing to spawn new waves early does reward bonuses, but it's not always worth being swarmed under. However, choosing to get a head start on the next round can give you the time needed to set up defences for the next waves.

A lot of the strategy does come down to "place soldiers at choke points and let the towers do the dirty work" but there's lots of ways Castle Creeps shakes it up. Enemies do tend to stick to the same entry point, but they do switch it up, requiring demolition of existing towers and replacing them with a different type. It makes for a surprisingly fast-paced battle, but it can get a little hectic when trying to upgrade, downgrade, and manipulate all the elements on the map.

The out of combat upgrading system is also a little bit overdone. Each of the four different types of buildable objects (arrow turrets, cannons, garrisons, and magic towers) has several story-based upgrades to unlock, which can all be built upon from the base unit in combat. However, each iteration of each tower levels up separately with material obtained from levels or unlocked from chests. The upgrade system feels a little clunky, it is a cool way to adjust your playstyle, though it's best to keep everything consistently upgraded.

In addition to the structures, there are also multiple heroes that can be managed as well on the map. While they're not quite as complex as a standard MOBA character, they fill a similar role. Direct them to a certain spot and they'll be wailing on creeps in the area, allowing towers to get more shots at them. They also have their own special skill, allowing them to impact the stage in a myriad of ways; and while they don't add a lot of complexity to the game, they do allow another layer of micromanagement, which can be especially helpful in maps with limited resources.

Upgrade materials for both buildings and heroes are rewarded for completion of the various maps, and it's possible to replay older stages to obtain them as well, but the rewards get substantially diminished each time. Chests can also offer lots of materials, but they can only be opened for free every few hours, to every few days, depending on what type is being opened. Anything more than that and you'll be paying out of pocket.

Early on, the maps aren't so difficult where this will be an issue, but as the creep waves ramp up in difficulty and a wider range of enemy types appear, it's a lot more tempting to start either slowly grinding, or busting out a few bucks for some quick upgrades. There's also other paid perks, like extra resources in battle, or super-powered soldiers which can be spawned without a garrison. The features aren't super intrusive, though they do go out of their way to introduce them.