Storm the Gates (PC) Preview

[tab:Preview]

Turn-based strategy mixed with a CCG.

I got the chance to try out the upcoming Free-to-play browser-based game Storm the Gates. Now, before anyone closes out this preview for that last sentence, let me first share with you that it’s actually a very competent experience in the free to play model. Please, allow me to go into more detail. Humor me for a bit. You may like what you read.

Storm the Gates is a turn-based strategy game where players take turns deploying units, discovering new areas and attacking enemy troops and strongholds. It utilizes resources for deploying units onto the battlefield. Players gain these resources by using moves to uncover areas of the map. Some areas may be mills or castles. Each gives their own type of resource and utilizing them allows the player to summon powerful units on the map.

By moving a unit to a certain point and connecting trade routes to the home base, the discovered resource will then begin to supply the player’s team. After summoning enough units, the player can then begin their assault on the enemy’s territory. Killing units and disconnecting trade routes to stop the enemy team’s flow of resources is the key to victory. After destroying the enemy’s base, the player wins.

It has a simplistic charm to it where no one is really out of the battle and anyone with a decent grasp on strategy games can easily understand. It is all about discovering resource-producing tiles, placing units on those tiles to open trade routes, summoning the army of the player’s choosing, and then taking on the enemy. Of course, it’s not all easy. The enemy may have a few tricks up their sleeves as well.

Units and special placements are represented in the form of trading cards. After a battle, the player gets a “booster pack” of cards they can use to create the team of their choosing. These packs can offer the player new or specialized units or items that can boost a specific turn or unit while in battle. Think of it like Magic: The Gathering but in a turn-based strategy video game. Units used in battle can gain experience and level up as well making them even stronger, but units that were defeated in battle could possibly have to sit out a few games to recover.

There are numerous modes both against AI and other players. Most notably are the real time matches where a turn can only be done every two hours. It gives off the feeling of a quick, jump in, take a turn, and come back later feel. There’s never any rush to complete a game. Of course, players wanting a full game without having to wait are available as well, each allowing either 1v1 battles or with numerous players.

This is just a taste of Storm the Gates. With the trading card system in place, this could become a rather large addiction for CCG players, and the strategy involved in each game show a lot of promise. Their Kickstarter page goes into way more detail and it can be viewed HERE. If this sounds like something up your alley, definitely check out their page. Just because it’s a free-to-play browser game, doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. I for one had a good time with it.

Preview copy of game provided by publisher.
[tab:Screenshots]
[tab:END]

Written by
Drew is the Community Manager here at ZTGD and his accent simply woos the ladies. His rage is only surpassed by the great one himself and no one should stand between him and his Twizzlers.