Ironcast

Ironcast for PC, SWITCH and etc. is a turn-based strategy set in a steampunk world and inspired by the mechanics of the popular Puzzle Quest series, as well as the works of the first science-fiction writers, such as H.G Wells or Jules Verne. The game is the debut of Dreadbit – an independent, British studio with Daniel Leaver onboard, who co-created two initial installments in the LittleBigPlanet series, popular on PlayStation consoles.

Plot

The game is set in an alternative reality; the year is 1886, and the action takes place in the Victorian England. France and England have been at war for a decade, and the French are slowly turning the tide in their favor. Because the army has not been powerful enough, a group of influential and rich businessmen create an association known as the Consortium of Merit. Their goal is to fund the production of modern-day combat mechs, which utilize the latest technological achievements of the Victorian period. Having decided to cooperate with the government, the Consortium reserves the rights to designate its own commanders and to select those in control of the mechs. The player takes on the role of one such commander, and their task is to re-organize the remaining British forces and to direct them to battle alongside the powerful marching machines.

Mechanics

The aforementioned Puzzle Quest largely inspired the mechanics. Turn-based skirmishes underpinned by the principles of the so-called "match 3" logic games, constitute the core element of the experience. During each turn, the player can match objects on the map up to three times, erasing elements that symbolize ammo, energy, repairs, the cooling system or money for example. The points the player collects in so doing, can be spent on reinforcing barriers and the mech's defensive systems, as well as to activate different abilities and effects, which can be used many times in a single turn. Several mech models were included, and those differ in their durability, energy, and weaponry. Also, the same number of commanders can be found here. They affect the course of the in-game events through their unique special skills.

In Ironcast for PC, SWITCH and etc., each campaign lasts for about 60 minutes and is comprised of a series of randomly generated missions. Each of those requires the player to stop the French who are marching to London, and the session ends with a boss fight. Each time, the players have 14 days (14 missions) to prepare themselves for that final fight. During these missions, the player has to gain experience, gather resources and develop both their mech and the army that accompanies the machine in combat. The results of the boss fight depend largely on the player's effectiveness when completing the said preparatory missions.

Last updated on 11 April 2016