What We Liked..
Strategy and ARPG layers that work
Tons of systems and progression
Big community
.. and what we didn't
Expensive cash shop
Eternal Fury is a free to play browser-based strategy game with a twist. While raising your kingdoms, armies and alliances are all key gameplay features, you'll also need to upgrade your singular hero ruler, with RPG-like gameplay system in place that offers a good time.
Battles are fought on both maps - the kingdom world view and in arena-style battles that shakes up the usual boring and monotonous gameplay. While free to play, Eternal Fury's cash shop is a mixed bag and borderline hovers over what's fair.
What We Liked..
Great graphics
Interesting Company System
Addictive gameplay
.. and what we didn't
Repetitive missions
The cash shop unbalances the game
Audio hiccups
Watch the trailer:
Dark Orbit is a free to play browser based MMO with a heavy focus on ship battles, resource collection, and clan interaction.
Developed by Bigpoint, Dark Orbit (now dubbed Dark Orbit Reloaded), aims to replicate the likes of Eve Online, within the confines of and top down isometric browser game.
Bigpoint creates a wholly enjoyable experience with very few hang ups.
Select between one of three different companies to earn glory and fortune for both the player and the employer by completing quests, collecting resources and killing space baddies.
This gameplay loop, along with some solid sound design and interesting ships to create and customize makes for a very enjoyable browser game. However the repetitive quests, over reliance on grinding, and difficulty may grate on some players’ nerves.
Graphically speaking the game is top notch: we’ve rarely seen browser games as visually impressive.
The sound design is good, however some audio sounds compressed and low quality.
If you’re a fan of browser games or have a rig that doesn’t allow for more intensive titles, Dark Orbit may be an excellent choice for you.
What We Liked..
lots of strategy involved
clean graphical style
easy to pick-up and play
.. and what we didn't
really slow going
lots of gated elements
gold can give too great of an advantage
Call of War: 1942 is a strategy game set during World War 2. You build, you expand, you go to war, and yes – you exploit. Call of War is most definitely a 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) game, and even if that genre isn’t quite familiar to you, you’ve probably heard of another immensely popular 4X game: Civilization. Call of War takes the concepts of a 4X game and applies them to a free-to-play model.
What We Liked..
Highly realistic thanks to modern day setting and accurate depiction of military units
Active player base with Alliances recruiting across all game worlds
Dynamic weather system that can change battle outcomes
Achievement system that's uncommon for this type of game
.. and what we didn't
Slower than usual progression to encourage the purchase of premium Diamonds to speed things up
High learning curve for players that aren't familiar with military language
Graphics and artwork aren't the best to look at
No horizontal progression such as Champions to break the waiting game monotony
Watch the trailer:
Desert Operations is a highly realistic military themed strategy game that is free to play and has a modern day setting. The gameplay revolves around familiar strategy mechanics such as building, researching, resource management and real time-based PvP warfare. The game worlds are populated and advancing your nation is a fun challenge as players navigate through mechanics like a dynamic weather system that could change the outcome of battles. In addition to that, joining social Alliances will be crucial for the late game, but there are there things to do like hunting Achievements which is rare for games of this genre.
Other aspects of Desert Operations aren't the best such as graphics and aesthetics, but that won't matter too much if you're used to browser-based strategy games. While Desert Operations is easy to jump into, it does have a high learning curve for non-military enthusiasts and there is a very slow rate of progression which encourages you to spend real money on Diamonds to progress things like building or recruiting faster.
What We Liked..
Intuitive UI functionality
Healthy playerbase
.. and what we didn't
Difficult for free players
Localization issues
Genre: strategy, war, simulation
Setting: present
Graphics: animated artworks
PvP: guild or factions PvP all vs all
Generals: Art of War is a free to play browser-based strategy game. Set in a modern-day period in which authentic military elementsdoesn't look modern but if that's not your concern, then gameplay will feel very familiar to veterans. New players can ease their way in thanks to a good tutorial, and the community is large enough to support engaging alliances that is a core feature for team-play in larger warfare. The game does have a cash shop and while beneficial, players can opt to play for free and still make progress.
What We Liked..
Modern Graphics
Funny and laid-back atmosphere
Puzzles!
.. and what we didn't
Some features still need to be polished (the game is in Open Beta)
Hawked is a free-to-play online shooter released (in Open Beta) in November 2023.
It catapults players into the heart of X-Isle's untamed chaos, blending humor, mayhem, and the thrill of treasure hunting.
The game's strength lies in its dynamic gameplay—loot, upgrade gear, and engage in strategic battles against both AI-controlled Disciples and other player-controlled Renegades. The map, although filled with lizards, provides ample room for exploration, gearing up, and solving brain-teasing puzzles seamlessly integrated into the environment.
While the aesthetics might borrow heavily from popular trends, the game's quirks and charms overshadow any lack of distinct identity. Movement mechanics and gunplay may need refinement, but the overall experience hints at the potential for a gaming gem.
What We Liked..
Addictive gameplay
Active community
Long PvE campaign
Fun PvP
.. and what we didn't
No crossplay feature
High gap between free and paying players
Genre: strategy, war, managerial
Setting: fantasy, historical
Graphics: animated artworks
PvP: guild or factions matches or duels PvE PvP
Hustle Castle is a free to play idle-management RPG that's 2D in nature, taking place in a fantasy medieval setting. Players must build their castle up by constructing and upgrading rooms, each offering progression purposes like food, gold and army training. Dwellers are how players will progress, as these little settlers can be trained and armed, and then sent out on missions in the PvE campaign to bring back all important loot. The game's simple and addictive idle-sim management gameplay will keep you hooked on either the PC or mobile phones. Expect PvP battles, clan features and a cash shop to quicken progression.
What We Liked..
Free to play and mostly fair
Good graphics
Runs well on modern rigs
.. and what we didn't
Low player population and long match finding queues
Input lag issues
notmycar is a free to play vehicular battle royale game, featuring fast cars and deadly weapons in fast paced matches using familiar battle royale mechanics. The game is in early access beta, meaning that more features and gameplay improvements will be added over time. There are limited game modes available, but players can expect brand new rewards from progression systems like XP levels up, or they can be purchased from the Season Pass and Cash Store.
The game runs very well with excellent graphics and presentation. Gameplay is fluid and fun, but suffers from occasional input lag in which skills don't react fast enough to make a difference in vital moments. The playerbase is also low for a game that's fairly new. Overall, notmycar is a fresh entry into the battle royale genre and one that's worth a look if you enjoy pimping out cars.
What We Liked..
Excellent fast-pace action
Fun gunplay and power up systems
Plenty of progression
No pay to win
.. and what we didn't
Champion balance
Uneven match queue times
Quake Champions is a free to play FPS game that continues the Quake franchises' long history of excellent fast-action team matches and gameplay. The game has over a dozen Champions to play as and each comes with unique weapons and abilities that are customizable the more you play. Progression comes fairly for simply playing the game, and players can unlock more content like cosmetics and additional match modes the higher their rank.
Presentation is fantastic and so is the gameplay, as that familiar power up utilization in matches combined with the frenzied swapping of weapons and quick movement offers some addictive gameplay. The cash shop uses currency awarded from simply playing the game and allows you to purchase cosmetics and there is no pay to win.
What We Liked..
Historical accuracy and attention to detail
Beautiful graphics
Intuitive interface
Free-to-play model
.. and what we didn't
Slow pace of gameplay
Underdeveloped PvP
Genre: strategy, war, managerial, simulation
Setting: city, historical, present
Graphics: animated artworks
PvP: PvE
Rise of Cultures is a strategy game for browsers and mobile devices developed by InnoGames. The game takes players on a journey through different eras of human history, starting from the Stone Age and ending in the Middle Ages. Players must build and manage their cities, research new technologies, and engage in battles with other players.
One of the key features of Rise of Cultures is its emphasis on historical accuracy. The game provides players with a detailed representation of the cultures and societies of each era, including their architecture, technology, and military tactics. This attention to detail makes the game both educational and immersive.
In terms of gameplay, Rise of Cultures offers a variety of activities to engage in: you can build and upgrade buildings, gather resources, and train troops, both solo or with your fellow guild companions.
One of the biggest strengths of Rise of Cultures lies in its graphics. The artworks are stylish, beautiful and detailed, and they really bring the historical eras to life. The interface is intuitive and easy to use, making it extremely accessible to both new and experienced players.
Rise of Cultures also features a well-balanced free-to-play model. While it does offer in-app purchases, you can enjoy the full experience without spending any money, for real. This makes it a great option for players who are looking for a high-quality game without breaking the bank.
However, there are also some downsides...
Some players may find the pace of the game to be slow, as it can take time to gather resources and build up a strong city. Also, the multiplayer component is quite underdeveloped as the main emphasis of the game is on PvE: while somebody could consider it as an advantage, those looking for a hard challenge against other human players are going to be disappointed.
Overall, Rise of Cultures is a solid strategy game that offers a lot of worthy content. Its historical accuracy and attention to detail make it stand out from other games in the genre, and its free-to-play model makes it accessible to a wide range of players.