Developer: Metaversal Studios Price: Free
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 3GS
Elemites is a freemium, ad supported game where players can play the first 10 levels from the game’s first area for free and unlock two more areas via in-app purchase for $0.99. Along with the extra levels, ads are removed and new spells become available to the player as well.
Elemites tells the story of Relph, a pitiful wizard who’s been chased from his village by peasants tired of his lame magic, who is back for vengeance after finding a spell book that allows him to summon elemental minions and cast powerful spells to alter their abilities. Using these newfound abilities, the player can help Relph exact his revenge and lay waste to the towns, villages, and castles that stand in his path.
This game is an real-time strategy game that takes place on a scrolling field. As Relph walks up from the bottom of the screen, enemies come towards him from the top. By touching the screen, players can summon elemite minions from the ground to meet, attack, and destroy Relph’s enemies before they can reach Relph and harm him. As more damage is caused, the player receives more vengeance points which can be spent on upgrades to Relph, his elemite minions, or his spells.
Relph can use spells to changes the abilities of his minions. By default, the minions attack with their fists. By augmenting them with spells however, the minions can be lit on fire, thrown at great speeds, blown up, or made to be poisonous. These spells can also be combined together for even more tactical options, like throwing a group of minions that have been lit on fire, making them into flaming missiles.
This game is a lot of fun and it is really easy to get into the groove of summoning minions, augmenting them with spells, and laying waste to the country side. Various buildings and enemies in each level as well as some boss fights add variation to the game. A good number of spells are available and the seemingly endless ways they can be combined add a surprising depth to the game. Strategy fans won’t be disappointed.
The game’s controls are a bit kludgey when it comes to moving Relph from side to side to avoid hazards or pick up mana that enemies drop. The visuals aren’t as stunning as some other games but they are charming enough and fit with the game’s quirky theme. Still, these are small complaints and Elemites as a whole is still a solid title.