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Bronze in Review Bronze in Review Hot

Michael Barnes Written by Michael Barnes     February 03, 2011     1731     
Bronze in Review

Pictured is Bronze, a PC game you might very well have never of. I might not have either, but Bill Abner sent me a link to a Tom Chick preview of it a couple of months ago. As you can see, it's one of those futuristic computer board games that shows up on a monitor.

It's actually pretty good. It's a tile-laying Eurogame, but it's a bit more aggro than you'd expect. I think these guys really should have released it as a printed game because I think the Eurogamer crowd would have really dug it. No luck, fairly abstract, pictures of people in historical garb.

Unfortunately, it's $30 and it's download only which I think puts the game way out of the price range it should be.You can buy a tile-laying game like Neuroshima Hex for $2 and Carcassonne for $5 on your phone and anything from Settlers of Catan to originals like Greed Corp. for $12 or less on the console services. And this game doesn't even have multiplayer outside of hotseat.

The demo is worth checking out, but you don't really get to do the campaigns, which is really where the game is at its best. But it's also free.

Review is right where you expect it to be.

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Comments (8)
  • 2011-02-03 04:58:26 | avatarBlack Barney

    wow it looks really good

  • 2011-02-03 06:47:26 | avatarbill abner

    It is really good.

    It basically comes down to $$.

    It's overpriced at $30 but $30 means different things to different people. The AI is ruthless. Puzzly, yes, but it knows how to play its own game which so many games today -- don't.

    But taking money out of the equation, you will get a lot of mileage out of this game. Really wish it has at least direct IP play.

  • 2011-02-03 06:54:41 | avatarMichael Barnes

    That is true,there is value here in the ludicrously competent AI.

    I would say that if you intend to play strictly solo and really get into it as a 20-30 minute lunchbreak-style game, then you might very well get your $30 out of it. It's not like Civilization or anything, not a 4-5 hour marathon session kind of thing.

  • 2011-02-03 09:28:04 | avatarBullwinkle

    I can't decide if the reported strength of the AI is an overall plus or minus. I know that sounds strange--as a strictly solo PC gamer, a good AI is essential for me--but if the AI is really that strong out of the gate, it makes me wonder if the game has the kind of depth I really want. For $30, I want the next Armageddon Empires, not a Eurogame.

  • 2011-02-03 13:17:41 | avatarMichael Barnes

    That's a good point Bullwinkle, it does point to a different kind of depth and one that may not be very desirable for some folks. Sort of like Greed Corp, there is no element of chance so the AI is going to run the numbers on you every turn. That makes the game challenging, but maybe not in the way you'd really want.

  • 2011-02-03 13:44:20 | avatarBlack Barney

    i need a guide for Greed Corp or something. I can't beat the 2nd campaign area at all (Pirates I think)

  • 2011-02-03 20:45:50 | avatarMattDP
    Quote:
    Puzzly, yes, but it knows how to play its own game which so many games today -- don't.

    Still sore about Blood Bowl? :)

    (In point of fact, I was originally so excited about the BB release that I'd planned to upgrade to the latest console generation just so I could play it, alone. But your review persuaded me not to bother and I'm still on my 1st gen Xbox. Godo job too since - as I didn't know at the time - my future free space for playing video games would be zero).

  • 2011-02-04 00:34:23 | avatarbill abner

    I will always and forever be sore about the Blood Bowl port.

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