Iron Marines Invasion

The first Iron Marines gave mobile gamers some strategic sci-fi action on the go, and while this game brings another wave of interplanetary warfare, is there enough reason here to reenlist? On the surface, it looks like Iron Marines Invasion has a lot to offer with a substantial number of missions, units, and heroes, as well as a slew of available upgrades. And yet, with so much content seemingly available, the game still feels light on the whole. Part of this is due to the fact that there are a number of additional units and heroes locked behind a paywall. Sure, you can defend the universe with the stock troops available, but the menus put a lot of spotlight on the optional purchases to the point of making players feel like they paid for only a partial release.

Gameplay in Iron Marines Invasion is an odd mix of good and bad. On the one hand, it's great to be able to switch between unit types on the fly. Also, there's a lot of options available in terms of using special weapons and unique hero powers to turn the tide of battle on a dime. The problem comes in the form of basic controls. Simply trying to move your units around the map is a convoluted experience that involves dragging your finger from one unit to its desired position. But moving groups of units means selecting an empty area near all the units, hoping they're all in range, and then moving them together without accidentally separating one unit from the whole group instead. Add to this the fact that units don't seem interested in attacking while moving. Instead, they'll walk through enemy ambushes like ducks in a sci-fi shooting gallery. After picking up the nuances of the controls things improve significantly, but it's more than enough to frustrate players in the earlier stages of the game.