Electric Nightmares

Our four part series about generative AI and its use in video games

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Freeware Garden: Mars Commando

Tower defensive

After the brilliant human species of Earth depleted their planet's vast water resources, it was forced to focus its brilliance on Mars in an attempt to rob it of its own (frozen?) water. Oddly, Martians were less than ecstatic about such a prospect and decided to kick the colonial bastards off their planet. Humankind's survival once again demanded war. A war, the tacticalities of which, Mars Commando will let you handle.

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In a manner similar to that expected from the tower defense genre, at least in its basics. Before each attack wave, you'll buy and position different types of troops, each with their own stats and firing arcs. You'll set up your defenses and stock up on special items in order to protect your silo. You'll be using barricades of various strengths, plus mines, buffs and an upgradeable droid to repel each wave.

Everything and everyone is set; the next wave may proceed.

Unsurprisingly, the enemies you face will get tougher and more varied and will thus require varying tactics as you progress. There's a slight rock-paper-scissors logic to the proceedings, and you'll have need to consider your tactics carefully.

It also gets hard quickly. When you barely have the funds to replace your defenses between attacks, are down to your last three wounded soldiers, and can only afford a single mine with which to fend off a huge swarm of Martians waiting to crush your water silo, you'll properly appreciate just how tense and challenging a game of Mars Commando can be. And wish you had read the in-game manual when the game suggested it.

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