I was playing Defender Chronicles II during break time at a First Aid workshop when a colleague ask what was it I was playing. I replied that I was playing DC II and was getting owned by the AI. He went on to remark that he too was getting pwned by the first Defender Chronicles, and that you have keep playing the game, in order to get experience (for the hero) and coin for purchases, (without which you have to do some IAPs).

For those who have not played either games, Defender Chronicles is a vertical tower defense game. The levels are kinda like Donkey Kong, just replace those barrels from the game with hordes of orcs, cultists, and supernatural creatures…all of them threatening to overwhelm your defenses.

Defenses are built at prefixed points along the path in each level. Players have a choice to built from up to 24 different units, and the coin you earn from winning (or losing) in a level can be used to unlock new types of units. Experience earned through the same way can be used to upgrade your hero’s (there are four of them to switch about) attributes.

Make no mistake, underneath the cartoony (but vibrantly detailed 2D graphics), here lies a really really tough game which rewards the persistent gamer. Only thing is, the IAPs present a shortcut to less dedicated gamers. The jury is still out though whether this kind of crutches should be put in a game in the first place but I guess that developers will always try to find different revenue streams other than selling the game out right.

Nineoverten.com rates Defender Chronicles II at a 4.5 out of 5. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. The game is available on the iTunes App Store for USD 2.99. Check it out over here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/defender-chronicles-ii-heroes/id512772066?ls=1&mt=8

A review code was provided to Nine Over Ten 9/10 for the purpose of this review.