Creature Conflict: The Clan Wars

Cenega brings humor back into the strategy genre 

When a battle is close there are many things that occur to a tactician- wondering where a reserve of units has gotten to, wondering if the enemy is in range for your ambush yet, or wondering where the enemy is. Creature Conflict: the Clan Wars heralds the return of a long unused question- what is the silliest thing I can do? Set in a world of cartoonish graphics, combat, and mayhem the new title from Cenega is a real gem. Strategy fans will be engrossed by the complex and involving combat options available to players while fans of the zany forms of combat made famous by the Worms franchise will be just as captivated. Forget anything you think you know about combat. Its time to find out what a chimpanzee with a bazooka is capable of.

The story behind Creature Conflict is an amusing one. In a distant galaxy the various clans of mammals, the honorable Pack, the scientifically advanced Techies, and the ominous Frets are caught in an epic struggle. Their previous form of entertainment was picking on the dinosaurs until the cowardly lizards decided to go extinct rather than take any more abuse. Now the mammals are turning on one another. Thrown into the mix are powerful gems that grant their bearers special powers. The new prizes make the conflict all the more pressing for the three factions. Players can enjoy the single player campaign and follow the story line or they can fight one another in multiplayer skirmishes. Even in the multiplayer games it is still worthwhile to fight through the single player campaign- many of the weapons and abilities are locked until you earn the right to use them in a multiplayer game. The game is limited to the host player’s unlocked toys and abilities.

Each faction is unique in appearance, skills, and weapon selection. The canine Pack, for example, has several characters for players to choose from. The coyote, the hyena, and the wolf each have distinct voices and looks. They also have specialized skills that help create their role in conflict. The Pack might not have the most advanced weapons in the galaxy, but they are sturdy warriors. The Techies are the primates of Creature Conflict. Boasting higher intelligence than their opponents they have access to a variety of advanced weapons like the anti-gravity grenade. The Orangutan, the Gibbon, and the Gorilla are the three classes available to the techies. The Frets are actually the smallest threat, literally at any rate. These rodents are highly skilled at combat and do their best work with noxious poisons and explosives. The Beaver, the Shrew, and the Guinea Pig are all masters at deceptive combat.

Creature Conflict really shines when the multiplayer skirmishes are launched. There are options for capture the flag, battles to the death, and king of the hill style contests. Players can take full advantage of the customizable interface to arm and equip their minions. Each faction has their own weapon and play style and there is a wide variety of different strategies available. Just because the Frets are known for unleashing poisonous attacks doesn’t mean that they are equipped for a biological assault. They could just as easily be carting around standard guns and explosives. Another strong point of the game is the individual inventory system. Any character on a team can use some items, such as a burst of speed to increase your movement rate. For the rest, only the character that is carrying the equipment can play with the fun toys. This also adds to the strategy. If you specialize too heavily a clever opponent can severely limit your options by taking out a single unit. On the other hand, if you are too generic you lose out on some of the best weapons. Each weapon also has an associated cost to equip, so players will have to manage their resources closely.

The worlds of Creature Conflict are lush and vibrant, rendered in fantastic three-dimensional images. The worlds themselves are clearly defined, especially when a player zooms out to get a birds eye view. The various characters and objects players can interact with all show signs of painstaking attention to detail. Every character available has a full range of expression. Each has its own distinctive walk and mannerisms. The weapons used to bring devastation to the enemy are also lovingly rendered. Everything from shotguns to shoulder-mounted mortars has the same excellent quality. Explosions, bursts of flame, and the noxious wave of a poison gas attack are all easily recognizable.

The background music for Creature Conflict is a mix of romping tunes and sprightly music that helps a player lose themselves in the joy of the game. There is also an announcer who introduces characters the players have not seen before during the game, and while the voice is well done it can get monotonous if you are defeated and forced to replay a level. The individual characters each have their own unique voices. It is a nice touch and helps a player keep track of the action. The characters will talk during combat, trading insults or threats when they are attacked or even trying to convince their enemies not to shoot when they are locked in the crosshairs.

The gameplay for Creature Conflict is very good. The controls are intuitive and easy to learn. The weapons might take a little getting used to, but most of that is from the very unique game style. The worlds used as combat arenas are actually very small balls. It is possible to lob grenades or fire rockets clear around the planet and hit the other side. It is also possible to use too much force and watch as your explosives fly harmlessly out into space. This is a unique twist from standard strategy games. There are no “safe corners” to back into. The only cover available is the terrain. Background pieces of the background like walls, buildings, or trees can be lifesaving defenses. Even these can be destroyed by weapons’ fire, so there is no permanently safe place to stand. Combat is handled through a turn-based system. Players don’t have control over which of their characters will get to act, but must run through each creature on their roster in sequence. This can be a disadvantage at times for players, but it can also be a strong advantage as well.

Cenega’s Creature Conflict: the Clan Wars is a delightful romp, full of combat and humor. The unique gameplay aspects that Creature Conflict introduces are certain to keep strategy gamers entranced for hours. The combat is both fast-paced and fun. The various arena worlds have enough diversity and detail to make exploring them as interesting as the battles. The turn-based system might turn off some players but it definitely helps bring out the strengths of the game. Creature Conflict: the Clans Wars is certain to entrance fans and keep them coming back for more. 

Gameplay: 9.0

Creature Conflict is a lot of fun. The gameplay is smooth, the controls are very responsive, and the game itself is both engaging and hilarious.

Graphics: 9.0

Creature Conflict boasts some of the best graphics I’ve seen in a strategy game in a long time. They flow smooth through even the most chaotic explosions and render crisp and clear. The developers at Cenega have put a lot of time and effort into making sure this gem shines and it shows.

Sound: 8.5

The music and sound effects for combat are very well done. At times the announcer’s voice can be irritating (because it breaks up the combat a little) but the voice quality for both the characters and the announcer are excellent.

Difficulty: Medium

The controls and interface are easy to learn. Mastering the use of thrown weapons, bazookas, and other rocket launchers takes more time. It is difficult to aim a shot accurately when you are trying to arc it around the world.

Concept: 8.5

Creature Conflict has a few new ideas that bring new horizons to the strategy genre. Building on an established premise (peace through superior firepower) and adding in a large dose of humor helps flesh out this game.

Multiplayer: 9.0

Creature Conflict is a lot of fun solo, but playing it with friends is even better. There is enough silliness and humor that you’ll spend hours playing and laughing together.

Overall: 8.8

Creature Conflict is highly addictive for a strategy game. The gameplay is outstanding, the sound quality is very good, and the game itself is loaded with features to explore. The comic sense of combat is the icing on the cake that helps make Creature Conflict: the Clan Wars an outstanding game.

Tips:

When you are facing a boss monster in the single-player campaign always destroy it before you destroy its minions. The more enemies there are, the more turns you get between the boss’s attacks. Since bosses in Creature Conflict tend to hit hard..

Don’t let your characters get too close. A single attack can potentially hit several characters, and while the attack might not be fatal you need every hit-point you can find in some battles.