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Having moved up from the ranks of total conversions and mods for well established games like Half-Life 2, developer Isotx has decided to take a shot at the gaming industry with their first commercial release, Iron Grip: Warlord. Full of mayhem, heavy gunplay, and character customization, Iron Grip's unique take on the shooter genre will have players coming back for more.
Initially,Iron Grip: Warlordlooks to be nothing more than the average first-person shooter. At the onset, players are equipped with a relatively weak rifle and amongst a handful of teammates, must defend their stronghold from advancing enemy forces. But after a relatively short amount of play time,
Iron Grip: Warlordreveals that the "been there, done that" feeling is almost non-existent as Isotx has crafted a title that is both innovative and surprisingly addictive.
Gameplay is divided into two distinct aspects: First-Person Shooter and Real-Time Strategy. Players will be dropped right in the middle of the action as enemy forces make their way towards the stronghold. Equipped with a rather weak musket, which can only fire off one bullet at a time, players will have to rely on teamwork in order to successfully thwart the swarm of enemy soldiers. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, even more so considering that the teammate AI of the single player campaign can be a tad unfocused. Serious players looking to lower their frustration and get the most out of Iron Grip: Warlord should essentially play it as it was meant to be played, with friends.
Players will immediately realize that Iron Grip's defense-oriented gameplay is nothing to take lightly. Enemies will relentlessly make their trigger-happy selves towards the stronghold and will stop at nothing to ensure your defeat. Defending the stronghold is a player's only real concern, as there is no enemy territory that can be overtaken and occupied in hopes of shifting control of a battle. The main objective however, is to lower the enemy‘s morale. Though this can be accomplished by continuously laying waste to enemy troops, players will want to keep track of the confederate officers. These particularly difficult soldiers make up a large portion of the enemy's morale and upon defeat will offer huge power bonuses and a chance to wield their overwhelmingly powerful mini-gun. A handy map will always display you and your enemies' whereabouts, making navigation throughout the maps simple and effective.
As players begin to rack up kills, they will also gain power. Power can be distributed in a number of ways which are ultimately essential for a player's survival. As the enemy will escalate the violence by bringing in large numbers of soldiers and even tanks to help sway the battle in their favor, power can be used to purchase new weapons and upgrade player stats. Ditching the musket early on is, by far, the wisest choice players can make, as well-spent power can earn an assortment of weapons such as machine guns, rocket launchers, and flame throwers to keep enemy forces at bay. Players can also take advantage of the wealth of character customization options as increased health, speed, and the ability to do more damage are available for purchase and upgrades. A player's role can be tailored to fit any circumstance to meet the needs of the team. It is a refreshing change for the genre, as players can alter their stats on the fly, granting them the ability to be who their team needs them to be and not be confined by classes and limiting their options.
While spending earned power to beef up players' stats is all fine and dandy, it can better be spent in the construction of support structures. Once again making excellent use of RTS elements, players will be able to build contraptions such as turrets, for both their infantry and tanks, and various traps to make enemy advances a thing of the past. These structures can further be upgraded by spending additional power and are crucial for some of the harder missions. And even though the options are somewhat limited when compared to the character customization, being able to create these structures merely adds to Iron Grip's level of fun, as players will effortlessly slaughter mobs of enemy soldiers with well placed machine gun turrets and fortified tanks.
As fun and addictive as Iron Grip is to play, it does come with a few annoyances. There are times when playing by oneself can be utterly impossible. With enemy tanks requiring a large amount of attention and rockets to take down, the uncoordinated AI will begin to show its inability to be of any help and enjoyment will quickly slip into frustration. The enemy AI can either be incredibly brutal or severely incapable in dealing with your attacks. The difficulty options are somewhat unbalanced and the maps can be a tad repetitive, lacking any kind of distinction.
As graphics have not been mentioned, I feel it is best to step aside and address how much I adored the look ofIron Grip: Warlord.
It reminds me of a classic shooter with a heavy emphasis on action and smooth gameplay. The frame rate does not even bother to flinch as hordes or units and tanks populate the screen at an alarming rate. Isotx had made magnificent use of the Quake Engine and their knowledge of the technology is astounding. I have never been one for graphics and that being said I feel that Iron Grip's archaic look may work against its overall appeal. It may be easy to dismiss this title on looks alone but those willing to get over the fact that some of the greatest titles have been graphically inferior by today's standards, will find that Iron Grip: Warlord is a great experience and worth the relatively low price of admission.
If Iron Grip: Warlord is any indication, Isotx should be considered a creative force to be reckoned with. Delivering the best aspects of first person shooters and blending the experience with RTS elements has made for an amazing combination.
Iron Grip: Warlord is nothing but simple fun and players wanting a distraction from those prettier and more expensive titles should make it a point to purchase Iron Grip: Warlord.
Fun Factor: Grab a weapon and slaughter those who wish to take over your stronghold. It does not get more fun than this.
Game Length: Players will find this online game to deliver fun for hours on end as its levels can be tackled alone or with other players.
Difficulty: Easy is too easy and Hard is simply brutal. Accessible to newcomers and veteran shooters alike.
On the Negative Side: AI can be dodgy and unhelpful. Maps are uninspired.
Bang for your Buck: At $24.95, players will devote a lot of free time to this moderately priced shooter.
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