Deathtrap is a hybrid tower defense game crossed with an isometric action role-playing game by Neocore, the developers of the Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing series.
The Great:
- Very satisfying trap and level desing makes for top notch tower defense aspects
- High production values makes the game feel adn play very well
- Great RPG mechanics make the playing of the level as fun as the strategy (better than just watching your towers do their work)
- Significant layers of interlocking strategies (leveling up traps and player character at the same time) allowing impressive variety in playstyles
- Provides the same compulsive gameplay of other tower defense games with the added benefit of being able to play the levels yourself
- Levels are well designed and rarely if ever rely on cheap tower defense tricks (e.g. sending all the bosses up the previously least used path)
- Steam workshop support will give this game hours of additional playtime possibilities
The Good:
- Optional side objectives make for more interesting moment to moment gameplay
- Difficulty ramping is well-balanced and appropriate
- Good Steam support for achievements, cloud saving, and trading cards
The Bad:
- The campaign is slightly short with it able to be completed in about 5-6 hours which is offset by heavy modding support which should give this game hundreds of new maps to play
- Does not tie itself very much into its sister games (The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing series) which is a missed opportunity for expanding both series
Conclusion:
This is a slightly odd complaint, but I think Neocore could have done better than they did with this. After two exceptional games in the The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing I and II, I was expecting more of that to come over into this game. The story, the characters, the world are all too shallow compared to their earlier works. I beat this game in a day's time which is almost impossible for my schedule, and I got a great game, but I was expecting more.
Still, this is one of the best tower defense games around complimented by incredibly engaging RPG elements for the both the player character and the tower defense aspects at a bargain price. It would be nearly impossible for me not to recommend.
9.0 / 10
