Fortified | Xbox One

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Bust out that theremin - or musical saw - and put on your wiseguy hat, because we’re taking a trip to 1950’s America. Martians are invading, and Uncle Sam needs you (and any chums you can muster) to help fight against the alien menace. Clapfoot Games’ Fortified is a mash-up of tower defence and third-person shooting, and for the most part, it really works.

​By Rob Holt

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@acousticmagic

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Developer: Clapfoot Games
Publisher: Clapfoot Games
​Platforms: Xbox One, PC.
Players: 1-4

Tasked with protecting a rocket against the invading extraterrestrial army, you’ll first set-up your defences, before switching to third-person shooting mode when the waves of aliens begin pouring into the map. It’s an interesting and satisfying set-up, albeit one we’ve seen before. As alluded to, Fortified can be played solo or as part of a team; the single player is enjoyable, but it’s in co-op that the game really shines.

At the beginning of each mission (there are twelve in the main game) you’re dropped into an American city, with a basic map showing where the rocket is, and more importantly, where the aliens will be attacking from. From here it’s up to you to place your defences; everything from Tesla coils to anti-aircraft guns, to cannons and sniper units. If you set your fortifications up well, you’ll find yourself doing minimal third-person shooting in the early stages. Once you get past the third stage though, you’ll need all your strategic nous and gun-running brawn to stave off the big green nasties.

It’s in these latter stages where a human companion really makes the difference, as you trade information on the whereabouts of the next wave of baddies, where to place your fortifications and when to employ use of your skills. Working on a successful strategy together can be immensely rewarding - especially if it has taken you a dozen attempts to get it right! As you progress you’ll also unlock new weapons and new units to deploy, meaning you’re always equipped to tackle whatever’s thrown your way. Fortified is a largely smooth experience online too, with little latency to hamper proceedings.

The game also boasts a lovely art style and sense of humour; the character models appear basic, whilst possessive of lovely warm edges that perfectly fit the tone. Steam rising up from the undergrounds, brick buildings and streetlights all give off the appearance of 50s America. The menu screens are adorned with graphic novel-style stills that showcase the main characters; The Captain, The Rocket Scientist, The Agent & The Spaceman. Each character has a unique visual style and an amusing array of one-liners and quips, giving the game real charm.

A sticking point for some could be the difficulty curve, which can reach high peaks, even with co-op partners along for the ride, as you tackle an array of enemies from an increasing number of directions. Some of these enemies are simple on-foot robots, some are annoying crab-like swines, but it’s the pesky buggers that fly or quickly roll through the map before launching a tirade of terror upon your rocket that’ll trouble you the most. This high-level of challenge can grate at times, but when you eventually nail your strategy and see your rocket blast off into orbit, you’ll feel darn proud.

​Fans of XCOM should definitely check it out - assuming they enjoy tower defence, of course.

​Fortified does have a couple of other stumbling blocks in its way, mind. Often ridiculous reload times proved to be frustrating on a number of occasions, resulting in unnecessary deaths and a waste of precious seconds whilst waiting to respawn. Combine this with the lack of enemy variety - it quickly becomes tiresome seeing those same irritating crabs on every level - and the experience is unfortunately knocked down a few pegs.

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Fortified offers plenty of bang for your £11.99, a very fair price for the hours of fun you’ll get out of it. Fans of XCOM should definitely check it out - assuming they enjoy tower defence, of course.

Pros

• Great blend of tower defence and third-person shooting
• Hours of entertainment for the price
• Smooth online experience
• Fabulous art style and humour
• Very moreish gameplay

Cons

• Difficulty curve can grate
• Not the most original game
• Repetitive and annoying enemies
• Weapon reload times

Score 7/10

Be sure to check out our play-through video underneath too!