Wargaming.net are a relatively small group, who are focused on delivering dedicated strategy titles that satisfy the needs of fans. While their titles haven’t made much of an impact on the sales charts, they’ve all received critical success based on their attractive gameplay structures. Massive Assault Network 2 is a sequel to the company’s previous titles, Domination and Massive Assault Network, and once again flexes its superior turn-based strategy structure to deliver a fairly fulfilling experience, despite some obvious lack of depth, a price-tag that makes you second guess their intentions, and more of the same that was found in previous versions.
The gameplay structure is very similar to other turn-based strategy titles like Advance Wars: you’ll have bases to govern, territories to maintain, units to deploy and enemies to destroy. You’ll control your units in a turn-by-turn fashion, much like a game of chess, where strategy is the key. That’s the great thing about MAN2, rather than relying on a player’s ability to rush and overwhelm their opponents with units, the emphasis is truly focused on your ability to strategically control your units. Matches can easily be swayed in a matter of turns, depending on what units you decide to deploy and how you desire to move them. To add to this, MAN2 also provides several additional gameplay elements that increases the strategy to the next level.
There are a number of maps to play on...
Firstly, you’ll be given several bases to start off with, all of which have a certain amount of resources to spend on new units. Resources can be eaten up fast, leaving you in a void of nothingness if you don’t get a move on. So, there’s a huge focus on swift movement and urgency for gamers to secure new bases that are spread throughout the map. Another aspect is the game’s intriguing addition of secret allies, which allows you to disclose a number of territories as your allies anytime throughout a match. You can decide to reveal your allies early on, or you can unleash a surprise attack onto opponents depending on when you decide to disclose your allies.
Units are another momentary aspect of strategy too. Certain units provide a number of benefits, and help decide the outcome of a battle. There are certain units such as helicopters that can swiftly secure territories, long-range missile units to weaken boarders, naval units, transport units and even some cheap units that can be used as meat-shields. While you can boost your army with heavy-robot units, you’ll have to take into consideration the cost of each unit and weather they’ll be eaten up with relative ease if you make an advance on your opponent. Honestly, MAN2 provides probably the most simple and engaging strategy experiences found in a turn-based game. There’s so many factors to consider when approaching battles and even simply moving your units requires thought – one wrong move and bang, you’re dead.
MAN2 is primary an online-oriented game where you’ll be able to play against human opponents, customise your player profile and work towards reaching the ultimate ranking goal. Thankfully, unlike some games, online matches are fairly accessible and easy to set-up, with there being chat rooms, listings of players and an interface that is fairly easy to understand. However, making MAN2 strictly an online game is unfortunately a step back for the series, since now there’s really no dedicated single player mode at all. While you can play against AI opponents, there really seems to be no purpose in doing so, since there’s no story to back up the game at all. Matches themselves - against human or computer-controlled opponents - are fairly uninspired and lack in any depth. There are a variety of maps to be found in the game, with a lot of them just being taken from previous Massive Assault games and failing to provide variety on the battlefield. There’s a lack of environmental changes despite being able to fight on volcanos, meaning that each map is virtually the same but with just a different setting. Sure, you will need to deploy different tactics but the inspiration isn’t there, making the maps feel a little bland and the different settings a little useless.
...and plently of units too.
If there was one thing that MAN2 fails at it is depth. As mentioned previously, there’s no story meaning that there’s little indication as to why the two available factions are fighting over planets, and the background behind their individual units. The two factions are virtually identical too. While there are different designs and unit names, most units between the two sides have the same purpose – it’s a real shot in the foot, since the game lacks all sorts of personality. And if multiplayer isn’t your thing, there’s nothing really to attach yourself to – and really, multiplayer will eventually wear too thin, severely hurting the longevity of the game. In addition, matches are only limited to 1vs1, rather than a focus on more team-oriented matches that could've worked well with the MAN formula.
Then you have a few gameplay issues that make the entire game a tad frustrating. One flaw that caused us issues was the fact you cannot overtake your own units to access areas. So, for example, you could deploy a blockade of non-moveable units on your boarders to prevent enemy units from coming in. However, if the enemy doesn’t attack you, you’re stuck with an impassable blockade made by your own units – it’s highly exploitable, and highly frustrating to have it happen. Additionally, units will remain inactive on a space for one turn once being destroyed, meaning no units can overtake that spot despite the unit being destroyed. Again, opponents can exploit this problem by sacrificing cheap units and causing a blockade where your units are vulnerable to attacks.
Unfortunately, Massive Assault Network 2 doesn’t exactly feel like a step forward for the series - it feels and looks like a budget title and the price is ridiculous, especially considering that the changes from previous versions aren’t that spectacular. There’s a terrible absence of depth and variety, which ultimately hurts the entire experience. Regardless, MAN2 is still a worthwhile title that’ll be enjoyed by those who enjoy strategy titles, but is doubtful to introduce newcomers to the genre.
I know who you are, kolobock.
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