Clash Royale (for iPhone) Review
Clash of Clans is a big deal in the world of mobile games. It's a free game that brings in more money than most AAA blockbusters. In fact, it brings in enough money to make elaborate Super Bowl ads. And it's the kind of runaway success that makes a lot of people want to copy it, which is bad for games critics like me who like to try a lot of different things. I'll admit that I can see why that game's mix of building a city and a little bit of strategy would be popular, but I never found it very fun. So I didn't have high hopes for Supercell's Clash Royale, the game that would replace Clash of Clans. Clash Royale seems like it was made to be a popular iPhone game, with all the expected but still annoying free-to-play problems that comes with it. I was surprised to find that Clash Royale's unique mix of modern strategy game ideas is also really fun.
PROS
- Skillfully blends ideas from multiple strategy game subgenres, including card games and tower defense.
- Intuitive, one-handed play.
- Cheery visuals.
CONS
- Aggressive free-to-play mechanics get in the way of progress.
Clash of the Titans
When I say that Clash Royale is genetically engineered to be a hit, I mean that it takes ideas from some of the biggest and most profitable free games, like tower defense, MOBAs like Dota 2 and League of Legends, and collectible card games like Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. Plus, it has the very well-known Clash of Clans logo on it.
Let's look at what each of these has done. Clash Royale is a real-time strategy game that is a lot like a tower defense game. Players try to survive waves of enemies by building defensive towers. But since it's also a multiplayer competitive game, players do this while sending their own units to destroy the towers of their opponents.
Here are where the MOBA parts come in. The field is split into two lanes, and where you send your units can change how you play. You can attack equally on both sides, or you can focus on one tower to make a direct path to the enemy base. However, if you do that, the other lane may not be able to defend itself. When you destroy an enemy tower, you can move your units further into enemy territory. There are a lot of things to keep track of for a game that can be played with one hand and one thumb.
The deck-building part of Clash Royale is what makes everything else work. The way players use their units and spells, like archers, giants, and fireballs, is by playing a card. Your hand is made up of random cards, but you build your deck before each fight. When building your deck, there are a lot of things to think about. You need units that go well together. Strong units are great, but they use up the magical energy you need to play cards. So, it's also a good idea to pack your deck with cheaper units and make sure it's balanced so you're not completely defenseless while your energy refills. You can improve your cards or trade them for better, rarer ones outside of battle. The deck building adds a great level of depth to a fun casual strategy framework that was already fun. It's no surprise that there's already a busy group of Clash Royale fans giving each other deck tips. Unfortunately, the deck building also lets the game do some of the worst things you can do in a mobile game.
Royale With Fees
The aggressive free-to-play systems in Clash Royale are more frustrating than those in other games because the gameplay is so good that you are disappointed when the game goes out of its way to stop you from playing it. To get rewards, which are things that show how far you've come and give you a reason to keep playing, you have to wait for treasure chests to open. In matches, which last a few minutes, you can win chests. But chests can take anywhere from a few seconds to several hours to open, especially if there's a chance that something valuable is inside that you can't just buy in the shop. Also, you can only open one chest at a time.
These problems get worse the more you play the game, level up, and open up new battle arenas, each of which has its own new cards that you can get by chance. The gray list of rare cards you're missing from your deck starts to feel more like a taunt than a challenge. And if that wasn't enough waiting, the game also limits how often clan members can give each other cards unless they pay up. The best deals give you about 100 gems for $1, but some chests require dozens of gems to open right away, so it's easy to pay more than you want to.
At least it's clear where all that money is going. As far as the quality of mobile games goes, Clash Royale is right up there with Angry Birds 2 ($0 at Apple.com), which makes money in the same way. The 3D medieval fantasy art style looks like it came from a DreamWorks movie. It is bright, full of personality, and funny. The fact that I had to wait a lot while playing the game on an iPhone 5s didn't bother me as much because of how well it looked and how well it played.
Heart of the Cards
Even though it's annoying, it wouldn't make sense for Clash Royale to get rid of the ways that its predecessor made money. So I guess we should be glad that, unlike Clash of Clans, Clash Royale's gameplay has changed into something really great. Try Clash Royale if you like card games, strategy games, or something in between, and you're patient.
