14 DAY TRIAL // I might have placed too many Splatter Guns on this map. I do have an artifact that makes them more efficient but their relatively short range can be a problem, especially when it comes to enemy creeps that can move very fast. So I try to remedy the problem by putting down two big artillery towers, with area of effect attacks. But I might be too late.
So I switch strategies. I first invest some of my limited stash of credits to upgrade the health of my drilling machine. This means it can withstand the damage from a few extra creeps. I also put down another blaster next to this level’s vat. It will help whittle down its health faster and when it is destroyed I will get a ton of more resources to work with.
Finally, I turn to some walls to add extra tiles to the path all opponents have to take to reach my base. I will expose them to blaster fire for longer periods and will stop those who can teleport in a straight line. I also change Brian Jar’s position on the battlefield, putting my only mobile unit in a better position to catch stragglers that get past my improved defensive line.
No Creeps Were Harmed TD is both developed and published by MinMax Games Ltd. I played a preview on Steam. The game offers a tower defense experience played at a rapid pace.
Short narrative elements at the start of each level hint at a narrative, but it’s not important. Gamers need to construct defensive buildings, use special powers, and manage a mobile unit, the Brian Jar, to defeat incoming waves of opponents.
The tower defense gameplay has been refined to extract the best the genre offers. Players start levels with some resources and a clear indicator of the paths creeps will take to their base. They can place an ever-expanding array of turrets, with different prices and stats, choosing the best places to thin and stop the flow of enemies.
Initially, it’s important to simply fire at opponents but soon walls become crucial to affect their paths and expose them to as much danger as possible. The Jar can use special powers to kill large numbers of enemies.
Players have to rebuild or clear certain tiles to enhance their defensive lines. Turret upgrades become more important as levels progress and there’s a rush option for waves that will give players extra resources. Artifacts will affect certain turrets, making some strategies more appealing.
No Creeps Were Harmed TD constantly adds new enemy types designed to get through typical defenses. If a base is losing health, pause the game, take a look around, click on enemies, learn about them, and then adapt tactics as needed.
No Creeps Were Harmed TD creates a science-fiction-tinged universe with plenty of visual detail for both creeps and player buildings. Players do not often get a break to simply zoom around and look at how the monsters die when hit by explosive rounds, but it’s a good spectacle. The game also does a good job of delivering information to help players build and defend. The voice acting is decent and the music adds urgency.
Conclusion
The game also offers cooperative multiplayer. No Creeps Were Harmed TD has strong pacing and I will play the full version to see how new turrets and artifacts will tweak gameplay and how complex the level design can get.
A preview key was provided by the publisher
