When comparing Wartime Cronies vs Shattered Pixel Dungeon, the Slant community recommends Shattered Pixel Dungeon for most people. In the question“What are the best turn-based strategy games for Android?” Shattered Pixel Dungeon is ranked 4th while Wartime Cronies is ranked 18th. The most important reason people chose Shattered Pixel Dungeon is:
SPD's gameplay is intuitive, allowing for it to be easy to get into. What is great though is that it's also very challenging, quickly making the experience both rewarding and addictive. Just one more game is a thought many will have before actually turning off their device.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Well designed maps
Game maps include Fog of War, Terrain Effects, Roads & Rail, and Multiple Building Types.
Pro Multi-opponent matchmaking
Can have up to 20 games (current version) and can queue up multiple games in a row. This way the player can find a game that has an active turn, for those times when the opponent is taking their time to make their move.
Pro Turn based gameplay that takes planning
Units takes different number of turns to build (IE Infantry 2 turns to build, Medium Tank 3 turns to build, etc), combined assault, and increased repair on/around owned buildings.
Pro Unit/nation variety & balance
Ground, Air, and Sea units with specialty units for each Nation. Each has their own skill-set and flaws, making for gaming that the user has to find a balance with in order to succeed.
Pro Challenging and fun gameplay that lends itself well to repeat plays
SPD's gameplay is intuitive, allowing for it to be easy to get into. What is great though is that it's also very challenging, quickly making the experience both rewarding and addictive. Just one more game is a thought many will have before actually turning off their device.
Pro Has a reasonable amount of strategical depth where the player can easily plan out their next move
The top-down, turn-based nature of the game gives the opportunity to plan out a complex series of moves. This way there is no time constraint, and the player can leisurely strategize what they would like to do next.
Pro Tons of replayability thanks to the randomly generated levels
In true roguelike fashion, levels are randomly generated each time a new game is started. On top of this mechanic, Shattered Pixel Dungeon goes one step further by randomizing effects of all items as well, so it's impossible to tell if a dropped item will have a positive or a negative effect based on its sprite representation.
Pro Frustrating in a good way
You have to learn in bits & pieces, requiring patience & tenacity. Then you get to do it all over again w/ different classes, challenge modes. Very replayable.
Pro Frequently updated
The creator updates this mod about once a month, bringing TONS of additions including skill trees, bug fixes, and difficulty tweaks.
Cons
Con No more development
Con Not recommended for the impatient type of player.
Con Extremely, even maddeningly, difficult
Con Hard to master
SPD's difficulty can be a turn off for some players as it is quite challenging and takes a long time to master. While there will be those that enjoy such difficulty, those looking for something easy may not enjoy the game.
Con Strange graphics
The 2.5D graphics or how to call it is confusing even after days of playing - you tap where you don't want to all the time. Zoom levels are wrongly set - everything is either too big or too small. The smooth paning when moving your character is dizzying for someone's head...