Reviews
570
All in all, it won’t replace the PC version, nor is it meant to be. Crossover play would have been nice, as a one-time “unlock everything” fee as an in-app option, but for folks who are looking fora quick hit, this might satisfy the craving.
In the end, it’s a pretty fun game. The biggest plus is that it has great pedigree, in that its developer has experience in this genre, and that experience shows in this latest extension of the franchise. The scenes aren’t as haphazard as you might find in other games of this kind, and the period backgrounds are interesting almost on their own.
So, here’s a game that is looking to be a new portal for a fantastic tenured console game. It mostly manages to do that, even while subtly building in an RPG-style marker battler that should appeal to those folks — dare I say “millennials?” while propping myself up with me walking cane — who are new to the concept. It’s a hard feat to merge a retro hit with the modernity of mobile tablets, but I figure this one makes more than a valiant effort.
Ketchapp really does have an enviable blueprint, and Balls Race highlights it: fun from a visual standpoint, easy to get into and invariably addictive. It begs you to take it on, and then dares you to win individual races.
It’s fun, relatively self-contained number, easy to get into and enjoy. It allows for plenty of play of somewhat different types. It does bog down at times if you go the free route, so a little bit of patience would be required. Worth a look, and even an afternoon.
The cards can reveal new players (with new attributes) or clones of cards already owned and/or deployed. Clones can then be used to upgrade existing pieces do that they can be more useful in battle. It comes together well, and has been an enjoyable pastime for the past few days. Better than shuffleboard?
So, it’s a simple game with a specific focus. You get what you get, and from a time waster perspective, it mostly works.
My personal gripe is an admittedly nitpicky one; seriously, I get the buxom soldier trope, yes, but if there was ever a reason to use Kevlar to project gender equality, this could have been it. Seriously. Off my soapbox. It’s a seriously enjoyable game, and worth the time it takes to try it out.
The game is exceptionally well done. It does a good job of making the game feel fairly realistic, adding in gameplay elements that make it interesting for naval acolytes like this one. From the steering mechanism, through the battling systems, upgrading… heck, even the repair methodology. It comes together well and makes a lot of sense.
In the end, it does the deed if one is looking for an engaging time waster, because it doesn’t overly complicate matters with intricate missions or complex upgrade mechanisms. Shoot, get better, advance.