Recs.
Updated
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Controls are very precise
The UI of Reprisal Universe makes it incredibly clear where in the game the player is altering the terrain. Some powers do have a small random element to them, but due to their visible nature, after a couple of uses it is clear what general area those powers will affect.
Pro Mechanics are easy to understand
Reprisal Universe primarily revolves around the player’s ability to alter terrain by raising or lowering it, with the goal of creating large, flat landscapes that are easy to populate. The other mechanics revolve around using god powers, which can be beneficial or hurtful. These two basic mechanics are extremely easy to grasp and visualize what effect they will have on the game.
Cons
Con The game does not expand beyond its predecessors
Reprisal Universe is billed as a spiritual successor to Populous, one of the first god games. However, Reprisal Universe doesn't really add anything new to the original Populous formula. The basic mechanics of Reprisal Universe, shaping the terrain and the player's power based on the size of their followers' settlements, are the same as those from Populous. Reprisal does add some new god powers for the player to use, but the effects these new powers have on the game are so minimal that Reprisal Universe seems more like a remake of Populous than a successor to it.
Con Most levels rely on fast action to win
Many of the levels of Reprisal Universe rely more on rapid actions than thinking ahead or creative problem solving for success. The same basic strategy of quickly creating a large, flat landscape while sending units out to form new settlements before they have reached full strength before attacking the enemy can be used in almost every stage. The game's mechanics do not really leave room for the player to successfully try alternative strategies.
Con Skirmish mode set-up is not customizable
While the game does randomly generate maps for the skirmish mode outside of the preset campaign levels, the options that the player can control are pretty limited. The game only provides set-up options for difficulty, game speed, and whether the game allows kindling, a mechanic in the game that trades power for speed. Notably, there are no options for how many opponents the player will face or how large the islands in the game will be. If the player has a specific type of map they want to play on, they will have to keep loading randomly generated ones until they find a god fit.
Con Players have to use out of game sources to determine what effects mechanics have
The game does not explain what effect player actions have on the game. This information can often be easily found online, but it is less convenient than having the game explain it directly to the player. For example, the player will get the option to grow forests fairly early on in the game, but the benefits of a forest are never explained. It would be preferable if the game had a tool-tip or in-game manual that explained that forests provide extra mana for nearby settlements.
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