BattleLore: Command Review
:: FEELS IMMEDIATELY IMPOSSIBLEPrice: $3.99
Version Reviewed: 1.2.1
App Reviewed on: iPad Mini
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The land of Terrinoth is in peril. Can you guide the Daqan forces to victory over the daemons of the Uthuk Y’llan? Fantasy Flight Games' Battlelore Command is based on the popular strategy board game. Here you'll be put in charge of the human forces of the Daqan - complete with calvary, melee, archers, golems, and even a few Roc-riding Ariel units.
The game uses a hex grid, random powers, and predetermined sets of moves for you to choose from. The trick is that moves will become unavailable until you refresh them, so choosing your strategy wisely is mega-important. Just a heads-up: you won't win the tutorial level, and this is a omen for things to come. Due to those limitations on movement each turn the first few levels are surprisingly difficult. In order to succeed you have to pay careful attention to what each unit can do and which powers you have available on each turn.
There's one particular level - let's call it the "sheep level" - which is just about impossible. While you're spending movement trying to protect a few flocks of sheep they're running off in all directions, including straight at an enemy who's looking to have mutton for dinner. Selection and placement of your troops is vital to even having a chance at saving the wayward livestock.
Another aspect of the difficulty is the chance to success for each unit to hit their target. If you think 17% is a workable number, you've never been surrounded by several daemons with 3 chances to hit and whiffing on every single attack.
Despite the difficulty of the first few levels, there are later ones that seem like a cakewalk in comparison. These "easy" levels are brief sighs of relief to keep you from pulling out your hair in frustration. This is not to say the game is unplayable;BattleLore Command is a fantastic strategy game. The difficulty only makes you feel that more accomplished when you succeed. It's fully voice acted and has a rich story that unfolds with each level, and unlike some strategy games, the pace seems to move pretty quickly. Heck, if you manage to plan out your attack perfectly you can complete a level in just a few turns.
It also offers a multiplayer mode for anyone looking to play with friends. You have the option of Online, Pass n' Play, LAN, or vs. the CPU. You also have your choice of faction and maps with different win conditions such as capturing orbs, destroying enemy strongholds, or just getting across the river before your enemy does.
BattleLore Command is a very nice adaption from the board game that offers a quick, if not easy, way to learn how to play. Just make sure you put your Commander pants on. You're gonna need them.