Ahead of the Game - Harbor Rush is hex-based PvP battling with fast-paced matches (and questionable AI art)
Three minutes, tops
- Collect hero cards and deploy them onto the battlefield
- Hex-based grid adds a layer of strategy
- Artwork looks very AI-generated, though
It's all about hexing your opponent one way or another in this week's Ahead of the Game series, where we tell you about a new mobile endeavour that's playable in one form or another despite its unofficial launch.
My very first experience with something of this nature was from Lego Star Wars Battles, and I mean duking it out with someone else under a pressure-filled timer while an energy bar recharges over time. Harbor Rush takes that same formula but on a hex-based grid, and what's interesting is that each structure or hero you deploy will add tiles you can further place your units on.
This PvP battler lets you collect a deck of heroes with their own different skills and abilities, but of course, as you might expect, the higher-rarity ones will also cost more to deploy on the battlefield. This is where your keen sense of strategy comes in - do you rush your opponent with low-cost units from the get-go, or do you save up those resources until you have enough charge to bombard them with a powerful hero in one go?
While I feel like I don't do too well under pressure when it comes to PvP, Harbor Rush's, well, rush is actually pretty exhilarating, if I say so myself. The heroes have distinct skills that you'll need to master and upgrade if you want to turn the tide of battle in your favour, and winning feels very satisfying.
The character art does look very, very AI, to be honest, so if that's something that turns you off, this might not be for you.
So, how do you play Harbor Rush?
It's currently in its early access phase on Google Play right now, so Android players can give it a go any time. In its current state, though, it feels like it lacks polish, and it doesn't seem like a lot of the elements are in place just yet. If you do want to take a peek at it in its raw form, now's your chance!
