FunkyPear's gravity-warping gameplay is back, but unlike previous titles you're not just putting around in space. In Gravitee Wars you play a bunch of adorable little space marines who want to blow up all the other differently coloured adorable little space marines because... well, because golf is for sissies, I guess, and real men solve their problems by firing a rocket into someone's faceplate. It's turn-based action with physics and strategy stirred in.
A handy tutorial walks you through everything you need to know, but the basics are simple. Move your player around the planet with the [arrow] keys, and the camera with [WASD]. Shooting is as simple as clicking on your chosen unit and dragging the mouse in the direction you want to fire before releasing. Don't take too long aiming, since you're on a timer; once you've fired, you're also given a few precious seconds to try to scamper out of enemy range. (Fortunately, you can hit [P] to pause if you need a second's respite.) Sounds simple, right? The catch, of course, is that the gravitational pull of the larger planets littering the playing field will affect your shots.
That's not all. Perform well and you'll get a cash reward you can spend between levels on upgrading your units, and buying more teammates or weapons. And of course if you're the sort of person who covets intangible pixel accolades, you'll want to shoot for the various achievements the game awards, not only for completing levels in as few turns as possible, but for things like launching an enemy into space, or taking out two baddies at once. Interplanetary warfare was never so sweet... or adorable. D'awwwww lookit his widdle limbs flailing in agony! Just remember that only completed levels are saved; you can't quit in the middle of a battle and pick it up in the same place, if you close a level before you finish it you'll have to restart it next time. Space is a harsh mistress.
Analysis: Changing an established formula is always risky business, especially when the original was so successful. If there's one thing people fear more than pop culture, it's change, and for some people this latest installment in FunkyPear's series might be too big of a change. For me, Gravitee Wars is silly, cute, and easy to pick up. The ability to replay earlier levels to earn more cash for upgrades means you won't get stuck on a level, but it also means you can just blast through the tutorial stages a hundred times in quick succession until you have a tiny death squadron at your fingertips before the fifth level. Decisions, decisions. I have to admit, I probably would have watched more Star Trek if conflicts had been settled a bit more like this and a bit less with sweaty, grunting Shatner wrestling. (I love you, Captain Kirk!)
Even enemies of different colours won't attack each other and instead concentrate all their firepower on you, which kind of makes you think that maybe you're just some jerk who hasn't learned to get along with everyone else. It can also make things annoying since some levels basically guarantee the enemy gets at least one cheap shot in the beginning at your team because of the way turns play out. While the gravity physics are fun and interesting to play with, they can also potentially be frustrating since it can be difficult to plan long shots with multipliers when you don't know how the field is going to affect your shot. Add to that the fact that gravity changes when a planet has a piece blown off, and you have a recipe for hair-pulling frustration if you want to achieve that coveted gold star.
But if you're not that concerned with pulling in a flawless track record, Gravitee Wars is a fun and clever game all on its own, with a nice bit of challenge to keep things interesting. From golf to guns, the Gravitee series has had some big changes, but still keeps the fun and clever mechanics behind it all intact. If you loved the gameplay just the way it was in Gravitee 2 (which is definitely worth a play) then the new concept and gameplay in this latest title might boggle your mind. Turns out gravity and strategy live together in harmony. Who knew?
I hate that new toolbar. It sucks. Just terrible and annoying.
[One simple click turns it off. It's much more than just a toolbar, though. Highlight any word or phrase in a review for a quick search. Also, please use the Facebook and Twitter links we provide to help spread the JIG love. We need your help if we're going to be able to continue doing what we do here. -Jay]
This is really fun. I was playing it last night wondering if JIG was going to do a review. I was right. I agree some of the physics are annoying, but I find it a very enjoyable experience none the less.
We'll be posting a new version later today once it's ready. The developer is working on v1.2 that includes improved AI and a few bug fixes.
Does that mean the data/save will be reset?
Also note about the toolbar: don't really mind it myself, but the hide option doesn't work in Opera.
[Sorry for the Opera (dys)functionality, we'll work on a fix for that. In the meantime, you can use spatial navigation — [Shift]+[up/left arrow keys] — to highlight the double-arrows in the upper-left corner of the screen, then press [Enter] -Jay]
Do those bug fixes include making it work on Linux? Because here it doesn't work, there's no collision. The missile flies, goes through planets and orbits indefinitely.
Flash 10.2.161.23, 64bit version.
I've had a few reports of the missiles not colliding with the planets, and they always seem to come from the Linux 64bit version of the player. I believe this may be a bug in the Flash Player, rather than my code, but I'll certainly look into it. I'll be releasing the new version some time within the next 6 hours, and I'll try my best to work out what's causing the problem within this time, but I can't guarantee it, especially since I don't have a Linux machine to test it on! Here's hoping!
FunkyPear
Question: the stats tell me I haven't killed with the poison dart. I know I have. Bug? Can't get the achievement otherwise....
The actual dart impact needs to kill the unit, not the poison. Fixing this in a future version (hopefully the next one, but got bigger fish to fry at the mo :))
Thanks for the heads up, funkypear. For what it's worth, Gravitee 2 works just fine, collisions and the rest.
Thanks for the dart info. Finished 100% and was a lot of fun. Cheers.
Really? The controls change based on which side of the planet you're on? In what universe does that make sense?
Quite buggy.. several times the enemy has just walked around in circles until the timer runs out... and my option to change weapons just disappeared once
Version 1.2 is now up
flash 10,2,161,23 64bit here too and no collisions very interesting effect for a bug
Lots of fun. I think my biggest criticism is the way the camera jumps around during chain reactions and the fact that (unless I've missed it) there's no zoom. Much harder to plan long shots, and not as satisfying to watch. (Did I kill him? I think so, but the camera's jumped back to the shooter, so who knows...)
Wouldn't this be awesum if it was an online multiplayer?! Bit like 'Worms' which I adore!! Great game
How do I "make the units on the title screen cry"? All other awards are straightforward, only this one eludes me.
I'm on level 7 and one of the blue guys starts to take a turn, walks a little but then freezes with a question mark above his head... seems like a bug... it's happened twice and the little guy both times was at the edge of a blast crater...
Is there a way to skip the enemy's turn or jump start him into making a shot? It's very annoying.
@F4: Just click them.
Really fun game. Definitely lost some productivity to it. :)
Also getting the no collisions bug. But I'm on Mac OS X 10.6.4, Flash player version 10.2.161.23 . Sadly, makes the game unplayable.
@Simone: Flash Player 10.2 isn't even out yet, so it's likely the Flash Player you have installed.
I'm running 10.6.4 with Flash Player 10.1.82.76 and the game runs without any collisions issues in both Safari and Firefox.
how do you change the graphics to gravitee 1? i dont get it!!
Funny game. I revisited training level 1 to do some weird stuff with the AI. I split up the AI's planet into two parts, and a weapon pack spawned right on the part that the AI was not standing on! The AI walks in circles for the rest of eternity... ;)
Fun game, just a couple things make me want to pull my hair out (both mentioned already, but you know): the lack of zoom/jumping back to the shooter camera stuff is a bit annoying, and the whole "I have to wait a full minute for the other little dude to just sit there and do nothing while his timer counts down" thing is just gut-wrenching! Maybe he could take pot-shots at an intervening planet or shield rather than make us all hyperventilate? ;) Otherwise lots of fun.
NVM POP
Seriously. The wait is unacceptable.
I have everything done, except the "kill somebody with every weapon" bit. The stats page says I never killed anyone with a landmine, which I have. I've knocked them off the map with it, damaged them to death with it, have them walk into it, have it placed under their feet, chain them between two placed mines... and it still says I've killed nobody with the land mine.
how do you make the units on the title screen cry? its the only acievement i dont have.
to make them cry you click on them
I don't know why, but when I click on either "return to menu" or "level select", nothing happens, so I can't play past level 1. Everything else works except for those two menus. I've tried versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and even 1.3 (on kongregate) and the problem still persists.
I tried playing on both Internet Explorer and Firefox, both with updated Flash. But nothing.
No collision on my Mac either. Both Safari and Firefox don't work.
[Try updating your Flash Player. The game runs fine for me on Mac, Safari and Firefox. -Jay]
every time i enter the game and i shoot the missile, it just goes through the planets and the gravity just pulls it around infinately. even when it is near an enemy it just goes through them. please tell me whats wrong i really want to play this game, thank you.
Except for the occasional highly improbable shot by the computers, I love this game!
Really wonderful game! Addictive and beautiful and smart.
why the cpu stays thinking till the time is over when I'm in a position they cannot reach me?..wouldnt it be better if they just skip their turn? waiting the clock is boring
It wont let me buy weapons in the shop. I clicked on every part of the things and it wont buy it. it has an infinty symbol on it, but its the only award i don't have, and i can't buy it! (~,~)
I cant buy anything in weapon shop everything jusy has infinity sign also i have full team of people all with upgraded health and accuracy full. cant get award for either of those
I have the same problem as Diamondice and Borva24. really annoying to dangle that achievements carrot and then snatch it away when you're so close.
Again, I have the same problem as the ones above. Makes the game a ton of easy (Nuke everybody, mwahahaha!!!) but that digital accolade eludes me again and again.
Does anyone know how to resolve the issue i posted earlier with the whole cant buy guns in the shop or upgrade team anymore so i get my last two awards?
They've fixed the problem. You now don't have infinite weapons. If you buy max of everything you get the award.
how do you buy the weapons? it says that i got it all when i play.
i don't know how to buy them. Doesn't say a "Buy" button and it says a price to each weapon.
For some reason all the weapons are infinity when i try to buy any. The only problem is it doesn't let me get the badge for it???????
i got 48 of the awards but the "make the units on the title screen cry" is really bugging me! how do i do it?
How to make the awards 46 meanle "you made the units on the title screen cry !"
press "back to main menu" you are now on the title screen,
on the planets there is 2 red 2 green 2 blue and 2 yellow person, tap on every one of them so they start crying.
I have a problem with the music on this game, it's a major bug. I try to play the game everything is fine but if I try to upgrade my stuff the sounds starts blasting like electricity exploding. I believe it to be a music glitch because if I turn the music off no matter what the exploding sound is still there and I can kind of hear the music in the back. even if the music is turned off. (-_-) please any suggestions. It is really annoying I've tried on many different sites to see what the problem was. It's the game I believe. please if someone knows how to fix this problem or has it tell me . THANKS
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