Total Domination: Reborn Review

My thoughts on Total Domination: Reborn were all over the place while I played it. First I thought it looked really neat. Then I felt a bit blah because it's so mechanically similar to other MMOs of the sort. After that I remembered how entertaining MMOs of the sort can be. It was like that for a while, until the training wheels came off and the PVP elements started to kick in. That's when I decided once and for all that it most definitely wasn't a game for me.

It takes a bit to get through the tutorial in Total Domination: Reborn, but it's a very necessary process. The fundamentals of research, construction, resource gathering, and raiding encampments are both incredibly important to know in the first place and a vital step to getting an adequate base set up. Some structures bring in essential materials while others can produce soldiers and other combat units. Raiding mutant infestations or other player's bases is more hands-off than some games, with players simply selecting a base to attack with whichever soldiers they wish to use and then waiting for a timer to tick down, but it's still a very important part of the game. Of course amidst all that there's also a lot of emphasis on forming alliances with other players and turning Facebook friends into cyborg warriors.

It should be apparent from the start that Total Domination: Reborn is a nice-looking game. The visuals are detailed, even when zoomed in really close, and the designs for most of the soldiers and heavy weapons are really cool. And, as I've mentioned, the core mechanics are solid and entertaining. This particular brand of MMO can be a bit of an acquired taste but it's definitely worth checking out at least once. And why not one with a sleek cyberpunk veneer?

If someone has already invested lots of time into a similar game they probably won't have much interest in Total Domination: Reborn. And while it held my interest pretty well at first, even with the familiarity, the PvP became a real hassle. I'm just not a fan of trying to complete a simple, non-threatening, game-assigned task (i.e. Recon), then not only failing it but having most of my forces wiped out at my base when the other player decides to retaliate. Or having the rest of my forces totally destroyed by another attacker. Which, of course, means spending a lot more time and money training up a whole other army.

I don't really know why the PvP bothers as much as it does in Total Domination: Reborn. I mean I've played games like this before and it's never been a problem. I guess it just feels too oppressive, in a manner of speaking. Still, that's no reason to assume that anyone else won't be able to enjoy it.