Road Stones Review | TheXboxHub

The tower protection idea is a tough one to get proper, with solely the cream of the crop – like Vegetation vs Zombies – in a position to deliver longevity to a usually repetitive sport loop. Builders HugePixel, whom it’s possible you’ll recognise from the Lord of the Click on sequence, want to present a tower protection with a slight twist. May Highway Stones ship one thing new for a path well-trodden, or is it missing route and the flexibility to hook you in?

Let’s get the story out of the way in which first, which tells the story of a magical kingdom in peril as forces of the undead are marching in direction of it. Solely the mage can shield it by way of the usage of crystals, and that’s your lot by way of narrative for Highway Stones. A mere 5 uninspiring storyboard panels, that includes bland paintings, that may as nicely not be current in fact. However, the gameplay itself may very well be the saviour.

There are twelve ranges in whole, all of which see you assume the function of the mighty mage from an isometric perspective. The mage has the flexibility to roam every static woodland space, putting highly effective crystals wherever on the battlefield. Beginning with a single blue crystal, it should ideally be able the place it could actually goal incoming enemies. Enemy routes are clearly mapped out, but it surely’s superb even when that you must make strategic changes as soon as extra crystals are in play because it affords full freedom to select up and transfer them at will. 

The primary mission differs between ranges: both using the storm as quite a lot of undead waves come your means or defeating a boss-like enemy, whereas limitless waves again it up. It’s nothing revolutionary, nevertheless a number of threats are certain to maintain you in your toes and guarantee a problem is available. At occasions it does really feel virtually not possible to cope with them although, particularly when the hardest foes all the time emerge within the earlier waves. It additionally leaves little likelihood to organize for them as incomes upgrades and extra crystals is a chore.

So as to purchase such issues, you will need to acquire power orbs which spawn on the map; as you acquire one, one other pops up someplace else. Now, it’s not a foul concept in precept, however the variety of orbs wanted can hit the dizzy heights of twenty and the mage isn’t the quickest of characters. This limits the quantity of upgrades you possibly can earn in the course of the intervals during which they’re wanted essentially the most. I’d name it an pointless distraction, made worse by rogue enemies thrown into the combo with the only real goal of damaging the mage. Surprisingly, the mage can’t combat again.

Positive, you possibly can herald knight and witch characters to sort out the wandering enemies, but it surely’s a waste of the orb acquisitions. Bringing in further crystals that do higher injury, sluggish monsters down, and hearth quicker, are far more necessary. The choices are restricted within the early ranges, providing a mere fifteen selections in comparison with the end-game the place a whopping seventy are readily available. By that time it’s cool to have bombs, mines, and crystals that assault a number of enemies with every projectile launched. 

When you can luck out with orb spawns close by one another, or draft within the orb helper which finally unlocks, and resist the excruciating problem initially of every degree, then later waves are a breeze. It’s a weird problem spike that might put folks off, adopted by extra thumb twiddling as your contraptions take out the remaining waves of enemies. 

With reference to enemies, the designs are superb with out being overly thrilling. When you’ve seen one rat, troll or skeleton, you’ve seen all of them. There actually may very well be additional selection all through, which extends to the maps themselves too. It’s all very related with an abundance of cartoon woodlands, every having barely totally different path routes as a differential issue.

Finally, Highway Stones shouldn’t be an awesome tower protection sport, however an affordable and barely cheerful one. The liberty proposed by the gameplay is respectable, with numerous upgrades finally at your disposal to extend the enjoyment of defeating monsters. The issue is totally skewed although, inflicting frustration when your sources are restricted. In the meantime, orb gathering turns into a chore, leaving you to attempt to keep watch over the enemies as you collect sufficient orbs to get some assist.

For below a fiver, Highway Stones may offer you one thing to do for just a few hours, otherwise you may need to quit on the first hurdle. It’s a danger.

Highway Stones is available for purchase on the Xbox Retailer