Widget TD Review

Turret defense games are a genre that doesn't lend itself well to innovation. The idea of each game is SUPPOSED to be the same, and it's okay if they feel nearly identical in terms of gameplay.

Widget TD doesn't try to bring anything new to the formula, for the most part. The basics/pretty much the whole game are identical to every other game of the genre: buy turrets to defend your base. Bad guys crawl along a path that leads to your base. Turrets shoot bad guys as they come in range. Bad guys either die, or reach your base and cause bad things to happen. Of course, there's lots of strategy involved with what you buy, and where you put your turrets. Other than that, when it comes down to the action part the player doesn't do much more than watch your (maybe) carefully planned defense force do the dirty work. And pray that the computer-controlled buggers don't screw you over in the process.

That being said, Widget TD manages to involve the player a bit more than is typical of this genre. Rather than having to sit and watch hopelessly as a floating cube of death wafts out of range of all your shooting things, you can actually take control of any turret and fire at things that the AI wouldn't. In other words, you can go into first person and manually fry the evil polygons. And you can aim and shoot much faster than the computer does.

While it would seem that the first-person gameplay is tacked on and not at all conducive to the gameplay, it actually is very well integrated into the strategy. While it doesn't make much of a difference in, say, easy mode, it does become helpful during some of the later/more difficult levels. Oftentimes, the turret that's player controlled will be able to dish out a lot more damage than the less human ones.

The main draw, however, of the game is probably the very flashy graphics. While they may seem excessive, the visuals are all in 3D and have lots of shiny sprites and lights and lasers. Add the electronica/dance soundtrack and you've pretty much got a strategy rave game: almost a genre in itself. The camera moves around freely and allows the player to maneuver it to whatever position they want, even if it's entirely cosmetic and moving the camera to a weird artistic view actually makes it kind of obnoxious to play.

Overall, Widget TD is an amusing diversion. It has plenty of replay value (level editor, share custom levels with others via the interwebs, etc), and it's reasonably challenging. But, for all of its efforts, it doesn't quite manage to break from the mold. Fun and flashy, but not the innovative magnum opus it seems like.

Graphics:
Everything is sparkling and metallic, with bloom and sprites galore. The game is dressed to impress, and it succeeds.

Sound/Music:
The tunes are good, but they're kind of generic. In fact, the sound in general is adequate, but not all that memorable.

Gameplay:
The game plays perfectly fine, and has some nice hooks to it, but it doesn't stand out in any major way.

Concept:
You can easily find the same premise in countless other free flash games. This version just looks and plays better.

Value:
There's plenty of replay value and customization options, so $15 is understandable. For turret-defense buffs, the price will be an easy pill to swallow. Those outside the demographic might need some water to swallow it down.

Fun:
Entertaining, but it doesn't really leave any kind of impact. Widget TD will amuse you for a while, but only the most hardcore strategists will stick with it for an extended time.

Overall:
All you gamers that sat and played those free time-waster games in the tech lab during high school: Widget TD is the luxury model, compared to those far more simplistic incarnations. There's not much different here, when you get down to it, but it's still entertaining.