Fortified tasks gamers with trying to defeat hordes of robotic enemies in order to save planet Earth. You have four bad-ass heroes to choose from, each one has their own unique set of skills and strengths. Once the fierce battle begins, you have to start building defensive structures to protect the city and command your fierce units to shoot down flying attackers. In order to take down the invading forces--players are given an arsenal of weaponry that consists of Cold War era weapons and experimental alien technology.
Gameplay in Fortified is very straightforward--set up your weapon towers to slow down the intruders and fight them off until the next wave hits. There are up to 12 levels with an ever increasing-difficulty meter with each one unlocking new content and weapons along the way. The color combinations and exquisite art design in Fortified created sufficiently rich environments to give you that unique feel of old sci-fi movies.
Fortified starts off pretty darn fun--I choose my class and start building my structures (which cost money) to fend off the invaders. Shooting down endless waves of enemies starts to give me an adrenaline high and after finishing the first level--I feel pretty invincible. After completing the levels I receive some pretty cool unlocks, and I head off into the menu to upgrade my character. Next level starts up, I am still feeling pretty confident after a few waves, but notice that they are slowly getting harder to fight off. By level four/five, I start to realize my luck and talent has wore off, and reality starts to kick in. The reality was I suck now, and I need some freakin' help!
One thing you learn very quickly in Fortified is that there is power in numbers--the alien forces have you outnumbered from day one--but you can still fight back in four-player co-op mode. Yeah, single player mode exists, but unless you want the most infuriating experience of your life, I suggest you invite a few friends to the party. Even after I formed a team, the aliens were still kicking our asses pretty hard, but we managed to hold them off with our trusty machine guns and grenade launchers.
Fortified is basically too challenging for its own good. The game is continuously changing up things--such as adding in enemies coming from multiple areas simultaneously--on top of rolling and flying forces and multiple bases. However, this also meant that the title never became repetitive and offered a lot of variety in gameplay, but it did end up giving me a terrible migraine from continuously screaming at my TV.
In the end, Fortified is a pretty good game despite its few flaws. With a little practice and a good team, Fortified became more enjoyable over the course of gameplay. However, for those of you attempting to go into this war alone, be warned that you won't make it out alive. To learn more, visit the official Fortified website.
Features:
- Genre-Bending Gameplay – Fortified combines third-person shooter, real-time strategy, and tower defense mechanics in an exciting new way!
- Retro Sci-Fi Flare – Go back in time and experience an alternate history, where planet Earth is assaulted by an unstoppable Martian menace. Be immersed in a world that’s straight out of a 1950’s comic book.
- Construct the Ultimate Defense – Players will fortify their base by strategically building a network of defensive structures to thwart the oncoming waves of mechanical invaders.
- Pulp Inspired Character Classes – Fortified features four classes based on prominent pulp character archetypes, including a jetpack piloting heroine, a shotgun wielding space cowboy, a secret government agent, and a battle hardened Marine captain.
- Four-Player Co-Op – It can be difficult to face the Martian machines alone. Fortified offers diverse co-op gameplay that requires team coordination and strategy. There’s power in numbers, but victory only comes to those who work together.
Reviewed for Xbox One