The most important asset of this title is not the campaign, which is rather short and lacks a persuasive narration, but the solid gameplay that makes each mission exciting. Instead of trying to come up with a brand new story, or import elements from more famous franchises, Kingdom Elemental has a very different approach. Basically, the narrator makes fun of most strategy/rpg games' method of promoting the product, by hiding the lack of creativity behind a fancy story, trying to project an epic aura over an otherwise worn out narrative.

While these comments inserted between stages may be regarded as mildly amusing by some players, or downright tasteless by others, at least they achieve their goal and divert the attention from the virtually inexistent storyline. The tutorial on the other hand is a worthy addition that I strongly recommend, if not for its instructive value, than at least for the exhilarating comments. It takes just a couple of minutes, and it's a fun and effective way to pick up the basics, before plunging into the intense fights.

In theory this is a very straightforward game, that is comprised of two main phases for each mission and controls that should be easy to pick up, even by those less accustomed with strategy games. You are given a certain amount of gold before each scenario, allowing you to purchase a couple of units unlocked in previous missions, with the sole goal of fending off waves of incoming enemies. The second phase consists of the actual fight, that pits your small army against increasingly aggressive foes, you are supposed to annihilate using special abilities.

So you start with just a handful of units but as you progress with the campaign, more elaborate troops will be unlocked, becoming instantly available before each mission. Setting the stage for the upcoming confrontation can seem a bit tedious after a few battles, but good planning can give you the upper hand in the first moments of conflict. By default, melee units will slowly advance to engage the enemy, so choosing the right spawning locations will help you gain a firm grip of the battleground.

{pagebreak}

Since the enemy forces are revealed in successive waves, it's virtually impossible to anticipate what's coming next, so decisions must be made on the spot. Micromanagement is the cornerstone of every successful level, but even the most proficient players would be overwhelmed, in the absence of a live saving option. Being allowed to pause the game at any given time, it's nothing short of a blessing, because you get the chance of issuing orders to each unit, while the enemy is not reacting. You can only instruct your forces to execute a single action once the game resumes, but it's more than you can hope for, given the intensity of the fights.

Unfortunately this can only be achieved after failing once or twice, but this trial and error approach has more advantages than shortcomings. The most obvious is the long term reward of making each mission feel different when being replayed, due to the various ways you can combine units to reach the most effective task force. Furthermore you can decide how you'll tackle each obstacle by devising diverse tactics, without risking to fall victim of the routine generated by repetitive missions.

Selecting units seems like an easy task, given the reduced number or forces you control and the ability to pause the game whenever you feel like it, but sometimes this can prove a bit tricky. The problem resides mainly in the control mechanics, which force you to use the left-click button for both selecting and issuing orders. More than once I've committed the fatal error of directing troops towards a friendly unit, instead of dispatching them to fulfill a more useful action. Unless you spot the error in a matter of seconds, the consequences can be so severe that the entire strategy will fall apart, before any countermeasures can be arranged.

What makes Kingdom Elemental so passionate is the fact that each fight feels like a struggle to survive and with few units available, the urge to keep them alive is irresistible. Fighting in confined places that look more like arenas than large battlefields, allows no room for tactical retreats, further increasing the pressure. Regular enemies can prove to be more than a match for your forces, even when playing on moderate difficulty, but fighting bosses is truly the highlight of the game. Endowed with special abilities that could wipe out your entire force, these cool looking opponents will give you a run for your money, but the satisfaction generated by their demise is awesome.

{pagebreak}

Conclusion:

Strategy games enthusiasts will definitely appreciate the solid gameplay and the overall quality in Kingdom Elemental, while the average graphics and underdeveloped storyline won't have a deterring effect on them. Without being an easy game even on moderate difficulty, the sheer complexity of the tactics devised to overcome an obstacle, will never reach the point of frustration, but inspire players to persist and improve.

Gameplay: 81

Choosing between ten different units, each one with its distinct abilities will offer multiple ways to deal with the incoming waves of foes, boosting the lasting appeal of Kingdom Elemental. The gameplay is easy to pick up but hard to master, so it's most unlikely that anyone willing to take on this challenge will get bored fast. What this title lack in terms of campaign length, it makes up through complexity while unlocking the skirmish mode will further increase its life span.

Graphics: 73

I must admit I've seen better graphics in strategy games, even a couple of years before this title was released, but given the limited budget and the nature of the game, there is no reason to complain. Units are detailed and they stand out from the crowd, the battlegrounds are not too diverse but won't make your eyes bleed either, while combat animations are good enough not to create discontent.

Sounds: 83

Voice acting is very good and most people will appreciate those sarcastic remarks regarding other games, as funny and legitimate. The music is quite impressive and fits in nicely, creating the right mood for a skirmish, but I've got mixed feelings about the comments that units constantly utter. Most of them are humorous and very different from what this type of games got us used with, but since there are just a few lines for each action, they can turn into a nuisance very fast.

Hardware: 72