Spellbinders, a new mobile iOS and Android game by Kiloo Games, released Wednesday and in the short amount of time we’ve been playing it, we get the feeling it’ll be a home run for the Subway Surfers creator. While the gameplay will be reminiscent of Clash Royale, it has its own unique twists that make it an altogether different but compelling multiplayer tower defense game.
Spellbinders is a lane-based MOBA in which the player assumes the persona of Titan Theos (initially, at least) and battles against other players or Titans online. The object, as in most tower defense games is to ward off enemies while trying to take the opponent’s “towers.” In this case, the towers are three temples. The game’s’ graphics are aesthetically pleasing, with colorful Titans that can be customized and entertaining sound bites and dialogue occurring between battles. While I’m hesitant to call the game as “good” or as absorbing as Clash Royale , it’s certainly a worthwhile game to explore if you love real-time strategic battle games.
Spellbinders Gameplay Walkthrough
When you first start playing Spellbinders you are taken through three tutorial rounds in which you are battling trainer Titans. In each of the twelve starter battles, you are introduced to new units or spells that are added to your arsenal of cards that will end up in your gameplay lineup.
The game has three lanes in which you are deploying units or spells to battle against your enemy. The object of the game is to completely deplete the health points of your enemy’s fortresses/temples. There are several ways to deplete enemy health points:
· Have a unit make it to the other side
· Capture a cannon
· Deal certain spells
· Use Titan powers.
Each unit or spell you deploy has different skill advantages and cost differing amounts of mana to use them. Like Clash Royale , you have a reservoir of mana that must be managed. It slowly regenerates throughout the game.
Besides the three lanes of play, another twist on the game is the element of capturing cannons. One cannon is positioned midway down each of the three lanes. As your units advance, if they get to the midway point without being killed, then the cannon on that lane turns to your advantage and deals intermittent damage to your opponent's health. If you capture all three cannons, they will then deal massive siege damage on your opponent. As a result, capturing and holding on to those cannons is an important element of the battle.
While the gameplay doesn't feel as intense as Clash Royale , there's plenty of strategy involved in the choosing of units to deploy that makes the game engaging enough to play on a regular basis. There are also weekly leagues to compete in for the grand trophy.
As players progress through the game, they unlock new Titans with differing units and spells at their command to offer an even deeper strategic twist. At the earliest level of gameplay, there are 10 units and 11 spells – a total of 21 cards that can appear in your hand. You don’t get to choose your starting four cards dealt at a time so it requires a different strategic thought process than in Clash Royale . It also takes more time to get to know how to best use various cards and units since you can’t build your own deck. You also cannot choose where to drop your units on the lanes– they always start from the home base.
After each battle, players are rewarded with differing amounts of gold depending on how well they performed in the battle. If you win battles they are rewarded with even more gold as well as runes.
Gold is used to upgrade various units and spells or purchase high-powered special units, Titan Powers and Mana refills to use in a battle. Runes allow you to unlock new Titans. Unlocking different Titans gives you access to special units each Titan commands. There is no penalty for losing battles in Spellbinders, but plenty to gain by winning them.
Spellbinders is available now for free on the Apple App Store for iOS or the Google Play store for Android. After we’ve played the game a bit longer and discovered more of the strategic elements, we'll be posting a Spellbinders strategy guide to help you in your battles. Keep an eye out for that in the few days. In the meantime, if you have any strategies you’ve figured out already, feel free to share them in the comments below.
Have you tried Spellbinders strategic mobile game yet? What do you think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
