Rise and Fall
With just a handful of units at your disposal and only one overriding goal, namely, to remain the last man standing, it seems unlikely that Greed Corp. could muster enough strategic might to keep players interested for very long. However, digging into the game a bit further, it becomes apparent that the game’s simplicity and lightning pacing complement the strategic options that are there in such a way that it ends up being one of the most enjoyable strategy titles I’ve played in awhile.
Whether playing the lengthy campaigns alone, taking on friends locally, or hopping online, playing through Greed Corp. is a great time. This is a virtual board game that takes cues from Euro-resource collecting titles, but simplifies and streamlines the gaming concepts for easy comprehension. Within just a few of games, you’ll have all the basics mastered, but recognizing how to combine these simple ideas into good strategy will take a lot of practice.
As mentioned, the object of Greed Corp. is to be the last man standing. In order to conquer the competition, you’ll have to directly destroy all enemy units or circumvent their forces by demolishing the earth beneath them. By the end of a match, the map you’ve selected will be a shadow of its vibrant, former self; large sections will have fallen into the abyssal mists and the remainder will be cracked and defiled by industry.
A handful of units will help you master all that you survey. Walkers are grunts that can be sent forth in order to claim new territory, are used as pawns to protect more valuable constructs, and can be deployed en masse to capture enemy terrain and emplacements. Walkers are very cheap to purchase and make up the bulk of your forces. Harvesters are also very cheap to buy and add greatly to your coffers, extracting resources from the surrounding tiles.
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Of course, industry leads to destruction; Harvesters will continue to drill until their hexagonal tile crumbles out of existence. The same fate is also in store for the surrounding tiles if they are at a lower elevation. Thankfully, this destructive tendency can also be harnessed to your advantage. By placing a well-protected Harvester amidst the forces of your opponents, you can make even the most fortified tiles worthless by slowly extracting gold till they come crashing down, or by making an instant suicide blitz through its self-destruct function.
Walkers and Harvesters are your main units, but you’ll also have to construct and make use of other structures. In order to produce Harvesters, you’ll have to build Armories; placing them in strategic positions is of the utmost importance. If you find your forces isolated because the world has crumbled around them, you can try one of two strategies: attack from distance with Cannons, or lift your forces to the frontlines via one-time use Carriers.
Units and buildings have varying costs which help to balance out their power and impact on any particular game. Also, freshly built units and buildings or loaded cannons cannot be used until they’ve seasoned for a round, making timely construction of your forces a crucial part of strategy formation. In the end, unit/building costs and parity between all forces ensure the game is well balanced, leaving only a lack of a good strategy to blame for defeat.
Playing through the campaign is a great way to learn the ropes. You’ll also be treated to a fun story of four rival factions vying for the last fertile corners of a failing planet. Maps continually change, there are multiple AI difficulty levels to select from, and there are a bunch of Titles (and Achievements) you can garner along the way. Playing through the Freemen, Pirate, Cartel, and Empire campaigns will bring you several hours of strategic fun when you’re all alone.
Better still is the delight you’ll get out of playing against friends at home or with random/hosted matches online. Without a doubt, Greed Corp. really shines against human opponents. That’s not to say computer-controlled factions won’t provide a challenge, it just is a lot more fun when you can crush a buddy with your mental prowess, making sure they know you’re superior to them through an onslaught of ego-diminishing verbal abuse.
Another reason multiplayer action is so good is that each player has but one minute to get all of their moves in. That means there is a maximum of three minutes between the time you end your turn and start the next one. Moreover, rarely will players need their entire minute of allotted time. Frequently, it will take players less than 30 seconds to finish, essentially halving the already miniscule wait. This is perhaps the best aspect of Greed Corp.: not only is it a compelling strategy title, but the lightning-fast pacing means you’ll never be bored to tears waiting for your turn.
Graphically, Greed Corp. is very attractive. It should be; there are only a handful of elements that needed to be rendered and the game is turn-based. The four different factions’ units and buildings are easily recognized at a glance, the environments are bright, the animations are smooth, and the resolution is very crisp. The old-timey jazz background tunes are delightful and the sound effects such as Cannon fire, Harvester drilling, and terrain pillars crumbling are satisfying and appropriate. What’s more, inputting commands to your forces is easy and smooth thanks to the simple controls and well thought out button-mapping.
Greed Corp. is an excellent, user-friendly turn-based strategy title. Both the single-player and multiplayer portions of the game are great fun and boast loads or replay value. Of course, this is a title for those in search of quick bouts of superb strategy gaming. If you’re looking for drawn out, epic competitions, or if you only have the patience for popping melons with a scoped rifle, Greed Corp. is not for you. I’ll be anxious to see how this is received by the gaming community at large, because Greed Corp. has the markings of a go-to strategy franchise.
RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.8 Graphics
This is a very attractive game. I loved the crisp resolution and quirky machines. 4.5 Control
The gameplay is well supported by a streamlined control scheme. 3.8 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The instrumental themes are a throwback most will enjoy. The sound effects are satisfying. 4.5 Play Value
The single-player campaign is challenging and rewarding, topped only by the local and online multiplayer portion. 4.3 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.
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