Nerd Alcon: 8-Bit Armies

Micro Minion Daniel Reeder

So what is 8-Bit Armies, you ask? Well, it’s possibly the best chance we have at reviving a dead genre of strategy games. If you’re old enough, or if your parents raised you correctly, you know how to use your armies of tanks, helicopters, and orbital death lasers to drive your enemies before you and hear the lamentation of their women. You know what a tank rush is, in its original context, and remember the old Command and Conquer games. (Think Command & Conquer, Red Alert, and Tiberium Sun.) This is essentially those original games reborn anew; Petroglyph, the company that developed it, describes the game as a “Blast from the past” and a “Retro Real-Time Strategy game for the PC”.

Don’t let the pixelated ‘Minecraft’ graphics fool you, the gameplay is solid and action packed. The creators of 8-Bit Armies, Petroglyph actually have a few members from Westwood Studios (creators of the original Command and Conquer before Electronic Arts shut them down) on their payroll, which is probably why the game does so well channeling its predecessors.

Currently there are two playable factions in the game called the “Renegades” and the “Guardians”, which you can take into a single-player campaigns, cooperative campaigns which have been royally kicking our asses, AI populated skirmishes, and online multiplayer matches. The Guardians’ campaigns will cost you an additional $4.

8-Bit Armies has something really special that most games do not: active developers. The team making and managing 8-bit Armies has been updating the game with quality of life improvements every one to four days since its release on April 22^nd. That’s a profoundly quick turnaround for bug fixes from any size game developer, let alone for Petroglyph’s smaller team size.

Currently there are five or more factions planned for post launch, depending on how the game’s sales go. Each faction will receive their own campaign and cooperative campaign similar to the base faction, the “Renegades”. If Petroglyph follows their current precedent for DLC they will cost $4. Base game with two factions for $15 is a wicked good deal; we’ve been enjoying the hell out of this game and recommend it whole-heartedly.

Go buy 8-Bit Armies either at the website or check out Petroglyph on steam.

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About the Author: Daniel Reeder is a filthy no-good millennial whose only redeeming quality is that he’s one of the few who didn’t support Uncle Socialist for president. He’s head duck over Anachrobellum shirts at our store. A military spawn and aspiring gunfighter, Daniel has large squirrel-chasing shoes to fill.