Greed Corp (XBLA) Review - PAGE 1

Once upon a time
A land of milk and honey
A world of opportunity
Of digging, drilling, mining
For treasure beneath the sand
Until the great quakes came
Resources became scarce and more valuable
Four corporations fight over what’s left…

Do a search of W! Games’ IP Mistbound. You won’t find any Wikipedia entries or other evidence suggesting that such a game exists. So what is it, exactly? 

Mistbound isn’t a game but a virtual platform of sorts, created by developer W! Games. Greed Corp is the first of a series situated in this gorgeous universe inspired by industrial revolutions in the 19^th century, possessing a softcore steampunk aesthetic.

Mistbound itself was once a pristine world now torn asunder by war among its inhabitants. The four factions that dominate Mistbound are at constant conflict over resources, and Greed Corp has you play as these separate entities in their never-ending search for paradise.

In the campaign, you'll start as the nature-loving Freeman, then onto the Pirates, Cartel, and Empire. Each faction has their own unique story, presented as text before and after every match. Finishing one group's story will earn a new title and expand the Mistbound map, unlocking new zones and tougher battles.

Instead of operating over solid ground, you'll be doing battle on what looks like a giant board game separated into hexagons. These tiles rise from a dense veil of mist (hence, Mistbound), varying in height to simulating topography, and are destroyed throughout a match. The shifting landscape makes movement exceptionally tricky. When a tile collapses into the mists below, all buildings and units occupying that space are lost.

Throughout every match, the land will be continuously consumed, gradually crumbling away level by level with each turn based on players’ actions. There’s no way to avoid this, as currency comes from resources, resources come from mining, and mining slowly destroys tiles. This makes every match incredibly tricky, and the ultimate outcome near impossible to predict; a player left with a single tile and Walker could easily expand in a matter of minutes and claim victory.

Walkers are the game’s only movable units in Greed Corp and serve as grunts, relying on Carriers providing transport across great distances or gaps. The Harvester and Armory are your only buildings; the first is a gatherer that destroys tiles at every turn, while the latter can be likened to barracks, used for producing Walkers and Carriers. Cannons, built separately or on top of Armories, let you grief opposing armies at long-range, though ammo needs to be bought one shell at a time at a hefty price. 

Each army has the exact same units, just sporting different designs. There are no tech trees, no actual stats. No Rock, Paper, Scissors or roll of the dice. The only numbers you'll be seeing show how many units or shells are currently available. When facing Walkers, for example, it's one to one, meaning the attacker loses just as many as the defending army – think of them as kamikaze fighters. Similarly, Cannons can only take down tiles one layer at a time, and Harvesters mine at a constant rate; there’s no way to alter damage output, speed, or defenses. 

Yet Greed Corp is deceptively simple, and a few minutes spent in the first match reveal how really complex the game is. At first, five units may seem lacking, but true genius lies in the game’s puzzle aspect, which turns this TBS into a chess game with a twist. Some patience is required when learning the ropes, and hidden complexities might feel daunting at first. You can’t predict when opponents may self-destruct and ruin your plans for the next ten turns, or whose tiles they’ve got their sights set on. Will they blow your units sky high or move in for a capture? Essentially, every step could be your last, and the tables may turn at any point in a match.

The player is forced to think ahead and fast. A counter keeps track every turn, sounding an alarm whenever you’re low on time. Without an “undo” option, accidentally confirming a selection or making a bad move under pressure will leave you slapping your forehead. Letting players cancel immediately after a regrettable choice would have been an absolute lifesaver and prevented frustration. As it stands, every move you take is final, which seems silly because nothing actually moves or is built the same turn it is selected. Basically, you can’t remove a misplaced building before construction, nor withdraw any another command.

Despite the very serious and tragic theme, Greed Corp’s design is surprisingly pleasant and whimsical. The buildings and robots slowly draining the land are petite and cartoony, and the background music sets an amiable mood using a mellow blend of brass, piano and bass. Toss in the occasional timbre of cymbals and we’ve got a jazz medley. Trendy while evoking imagery of decades past.

The entire game is an exceptionally charming little strategy game with no shortage of personality. The seemingly mismatched visuals and music give the game plenty of character. In terms of gameplay, a unique blend of TBS, tactical play, and remarkably challenging puzzles ensure an addicting experience. Achievements and titles aside, victories reward you with a smug sense of self-satisfaction, whether you’re playing against a skilled human or the computer on “Beginner” difficulty.

Too shy for online multiplayer? The single-player campaign is challenging enough on its own and offers hours upon hours of play. Priced at $10 for consoles (PC version coming soon), Greed Corp is easily one of the best titles found on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Of course, this is an absolute must by if you dig strategy games, though anyone can learn the basics after a couple runs through the tutorial. Ultimately, Greed Corp will be easy to learn but difficult to master.