Armies of Gielinor

Overview
Full Review
Screenshots
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Area: Global
Official Site: Armies of Gielinor
Publisher: FunOrb
Developer: FunOrb
Platform: Web Browser

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Overview

"Armies of Gielinor" is a browser-based tactics game set in the "RuneScape" universe that offers multiple unit combat and management.

Features

Tactical gameplay elements
Multiple unit options
Instant pick-up-and-play action

Area: Global
Official Site: Armies of Gielinor
Publisher: FunOrb
Developer: FunOrb
Platform: Web Browser

Review

Reviewed by Cody Hargreaves

Browser games are evolving, and they have been for quite some time now. The problem they seem to be having is that with so damn many of them available, even the really good ones seem to get lost amidst the sea of the not-so-good, and they are becoming harder and harder to find. That's why you're here, isn't it? To find out which ones to play, and which to avoid like scurvy? Of course it is, and happily I've just finished a few solid hours playing a real gem: "Armies of Gielinor".

"Armies of Gielinor"-like so many others now days-is a browser game that utilizes an incredibly slow loading java interface with dated, but fully 3D graphics. It looks a lot like "RuneScape" at first glance, which makes sense given the developers and the fact that it is a "RuneScape" spin-off. However, it happily plays much differently. While it is indeed set in the ever-popular medieval fantasy era, the quest for glory section has been removed entirely leaving behind a solid lobby- based and highly strategic PvP masterpiece. It's the sort of game that can easily help to kill an hour or so while waiting for class to start or taking your lunch break, and thus is the perfect concept for a browser game.

Before getting into any of the real action, you begin playing with the completion of a small, yet thorough, tutorial that covers all of the basic elements of the game. It plays out a lot like a giant medieval game of "Chess" combined with "Monopoly," really, and as such there is really very little to learn. However the RTS styled movement system and turn-based combat make unit placement and resource management crucial to every victory, and allow for a surprisingly large amount of tactics and fun.

The tutorial covers everything from your basic turn-by-turn movement, whereby each of your units can move a certain number of spaces in any given turn, before passing on to the next player. Units vary quite a lot, and are separated into 4 categories-Light, Dark, Nature, and Neutral-each represented by a different god, and each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Each player begins the game with a single Neutral unit, the Barbarian, which is the only unit in the game that can capture Portals, Towers, and Villages.

Portals are used to summon additional units, Villages generate mana (also required to summon the units), and Towers help to defend your troops. The gameplay really is that simple, but finish the tutorial and join in the fray with other like-minded warriors and you'll soon see exactly what I mean when I say that this game has plenty of room for strategy and tactics. Games can consist of anywhere between 2-8 players, and there are several different modes to explore. Combat between two units is easily the part where the game shows its weakness, as there is zero input from the player and instead all battles are pre-determined by the statistics of the unit. Fortunately, these battles can be skipped, making them little more than the clashing of two pieces on a chess board.

Those wishing to take it to the next level have the option of paying the $3 US per month fee, granting them a few small aesthetic bonuses, access to achievements, and best of all, full access to the other 35 games release by FunOrb. Talk about your good deals, right?