A different take on the tower defense genre with very unique features.

I played this game back when it came out and replayed it recently because I had good memories of it. Both experiences were equally memorable.

The gameplay, especially for the time, was a breath of fresh air. It introduced new concepts to an already heavily explored genre and somehow made everything mesh well to create a enjoyable product. In most levels there are 2 phases: base defense and attack phase. While defending, you manage your money to build obstacles to slow down your enemy whilst choosing from an extensive range of towers to help you out. You can also attack the enemy ball directly by trying to shoot it down. The attacking phase lets you take over a giant boulder; you can also choose some different balls with different interactions and manually progress through the map, trying to reach the enemy's gate while avoiding their traps. It becomes extremely rewarding and fun once you discover the map layout and start to plan out the best defensive placements accordingly, while also being able to weave through it smoothly. There are also some different modes and even multiplayer if you want to give it a try.

The art direction was what really drew me into this game. It's heavily inspired by historical art periods and famous masterpieces, animated in a style reminiscent of Monty Python's animations by Terry Gilliam. It covers various eras, including Ancient Greek, Medieval, Renaissance, etc. The cinematics are short but great, with a very distinct sense of humor. The levels are really well built, mixing and matching 2D and 3D models really well (the 3D models also have a great level of detail) and being fun to navigate through and explore. The boss's levels are also well done, making them feel and play like boss fights. One thing I have to point out is that it's extremely infuriating to replay levels, having to go through the same steps again with no real extra progression for 5-9 more minutes is a bore. The story is easy to follow and fun to complete.

The sound design is passable and pairs well with the game's overall experience. The soundtrack is subtle most of the time but shines every so often, the sound effects work, and most "dialogue" is done by relying on grunts, shouts, and other nonverbal expressions to convey their message.

There are also some aspects where this game is really lacking. The AI is especially bad, always following the same pattern and building the same structures on the same spots. The same thing happens while it's attacking, getting stuck in various situations. The gameplay feels repetitive at some points, and it's really easy to just go through levels without thinking too much. The ball's physics are also not the best. You are controlling a giant boulder around, and it feels like it, resulting in really awkward movement.

It Rocks.

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