Boom Beach Review

The follow up to Clash of Clans, Boom Beach is guaranteed to be quite the success. While it maintains many similarities to its alliterative predecessor, it also improves upon the format. While Boom Beach still won't sway its cynics (yes, it does like one to spend money), it'll still entertain many.

As before, players are given a home base to defend and build upon. Attacks from enemies will be on a daily basis, so it's fortunate that there are plenty of defensive capabilities to install - such as sniper bases, mortars, and the trusty mine. The latter adds a strategic element to the game, allowing one to place them in whatever order they wish, hopefully taking out the enemy before they get too close to one's base. Defense isn't all that's required of the player, with conquering (or liberating as this game like to sometimes call it) other bases just as important.

Indeed, attacking is the main source of fun here, as building is a slow going process. Unlike other games of this type, one can only build or upgrade one building at a time, slowing things down quite a bit. It's possible to skip ahead with the use of the premium currency, diamonds, and it'll certainly be tempting.

Fighting itself is a bit messy, but less so than in Clash of Clans. While it's still not possible to directly control where the troops go, it is possible to encourage them in a certain direction through the use of flares. Dispensing medic packs as well as some convenient weapons can also be deployed, with all of these aids gained through the use of coins, acquired via destroying opposing buildings.

Boom Beach is mostly an improved version of Supercell's earlier title, but it does miss out one very important part of such a multiplayer focused game: there's no way to chat or co-ordinate with other players. It's a fairly solitary affair at this stage, and that's not conducive to enhancing the addition levels.

It's a fun title to dip into and slowly build up one's forces, but I think it's when the surely inevitable introduction of alliances and chat come about that Boom Beach will prove to be at its most beguiling.