Tactics By Email
Naked Wars is an unusual type of game for the PC--but console players who are familiar with games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem will grok the gameplay quickly.
The main difference is that Naked War is played via email; each turn, you plan your move, send it to the server, your opponent does the same--and when both turns are in, the server sends both of you email with the results of the turn. You 'replay' the turn to see what foiled your well-laid plans, and continue with the next. Each turn will take you about five minutes to plan--and depending on how quickly you and your opponent want to play, you can either complete a full game in a couple of hours of quick back-and-forth, or play it out over days, or even weeks.
Each player controls four characters in a cartoony world that wouldn't look out of place on a SNES. Each begins with a pistol and nothing more; scattered about the map are crates containing power-ups, and vehicles you can enter and control with much more powerful weapons. Each character has a number of action points to spend each turn, which can be used to move, fire, smash crates, and so on. When an enemy character's health is reduced to zero, instead of dying he is "demobbed"--he or she loses all equipment, and is rendered naked. The victorious character gains the demobbed characters "doofer"--which you can regain (and become clothed again) by demobbing that character, or by finding a "Promotion" power-up. The game wins when all eight doofers are controlled by a single player.
Despite the cartoony appearance of the game and its light-hearted approach, Naked Wars is a game of considerable strategic depth. Victory goes to the player who knows the capabilities of the different vehicles, plans efficient use of power-ups, and carefully deploys his units each turn. It's a game that rewards thought and intelligent use of resources, rather than relying on skill-and-action--almost Chess-like, in some ways.
If it has a flaw, it's that there's no tutorial or single-player mode to learn the ropes. Instead, resign yourself to losing the first few times you play--and be upfront with your opponent that you're a newbie. The Naked War community seems quite friendly, and more likely than not, he'll teach you the ropes (while, of course, being merciless in his assault). The game's website does contain a useful manual and FAQ, of course.
With innumerable maps, destructible terrain, and a fair variety of vehicles and power-ups, Naked War is a game that can grab and hold you for many months to come.
A Note on Business Model
The Pickford Brothers have adopted an unusual model for Naked Wars; the client software is a free download, and if someone else challenges you to a game, it's free for you to play. As a newbie, you can make one challenge for free--but beyond that, to challenge another player, you need to "subscribe"--a term that's something of a misnomer, since it doesn't involve a payment every month. The basic deal is $20 for 20 challenges (there are more expensive deals that are cheaper on a per-challenge basis)--so figure that if half the games you play are the result of a challenge from someone else, and half involve you issuing a challenge, the game will cost you about 50 cents for each complete game.
The developer says:
Naked War is a new video game by The Pickford Brothers. It's a fun, turn-based, strategic battle game for two players over email.
Features
- Two squads of four soldiers battle for supremacy on an island arena
- Drive tanks, fly helicopters, ride boats, or just shoot your opponent to bits!
- Incredibly easy to play, suprisingly difficult to master, a strategy game for everybody!
- Challenge anybody in the world!
- Play via email, at home or at work!
- Pick your team colour and join in the world-wide-battle with each game!
- Beautiful, fully destructible, 3D game world
- Fully customisable squads
- Design and upload your own islands with the easy-to-use map editor
Reviews
"Naked War [is] one of the most refreshing and damn near essential games of the year, and an inspirational figurehead for independent developers everywhere... the brothers have undoubtedly made the game of their careers."
- GamesTM
"[Naked] War marries the unpretentious presentation of Worms with the sound tactical thought and play-by-email options of Laser Squad Nemesis.""
- 80%, PC Gamer UK
"It's the game I played most this month and I'd be surprised if I stop anytime in the near future"
- 7.8/10, Game Tunnel
"Although it's ostensibly simple, Naked War is a game with enormous and entertaining hidden depth."
- 8/10, Eurogamer