Defend Mechopolis

It's often said that the best defence is a good offence. Preempting a threat may seem like a questionable move, but it assures you're one step ahead of your opponent. Defend Mechopolis spikes out against potential criticism with promises of extra content and free updates; however, this promise only highlights a lack of substance.

As the floppy-eyed Professor, you're tasked with defending Mechopolis from the Iandian siege. Buckling up in the Professor's experimental defence vehicle, you tap to blast Iandian forces as they stream across the screen. Additionally, tilts of the handset move the vehicle left and right allowing you to manoeuvre around incoming enemies.

Iandian foes come at you in waves. Between each you can purchase bonuses using money collected from enemies you've defeated. For example, spending cash on an extra heart allows you to take an additional blow. Multiplier tokens boost the amount of money earned during combat.

You engage four types of Iandian forces in the quest to preserve Mechopolis - a massive airship, rolling turrets, red explosive spheres, and a conical tank.

It's a beautiful little army encountered on an equally appealing battlefield. Defend Mechopolis seizes style more than substance though, offering more in the way of visual quality than gameplay. A single background and this enemy quartet is all that you face.

The lack of variety extends into the action. Enemies are pedantic at best, always appearing at the same spots on the screen, always lobbing the same attacks at your vehicle. Completing a couple of levels is all it takes to commit attack patterns to memory, essentially neutralizing any threat the game's enemies pose. Without variation, Defend Mechopolis becomes a bore.

More enemies, new environments, different attack behaviours, upgraded weapons, bonus armaments - any of these would give combat a jolt of excitement. Promises of future improvements don't address the shallow nature of the game as it exists now. An online scoreboard is a noble effort to introduce depth and replay value, yet this only helps when the gameplay possesses those qualities independent of such a feature.

Defend Mechopolis is an acute example of style over substance. Looking good isn't a sufficient defence in the face of shallow gameplay. While the framework exists for a more entertaining experience, it's clear that this endeavour needed more time before entering the fray.