Toy Soldiers Review

It's the devastating war between Britain and Germany, World War 1 is being replicated with stunning realism with... wait a minute, these are toys? Fly toy biplanes, drive wind-up and go toy tanks and destroy the opposition's men in what is one of the finest strategy-come-action games on Xbox, and it's all part of House Party month.

Story

Think of this as World War I with your mum and dad's (possibly gran/dad's) toy collections replacing real weaponry. You're faced with the challenge of defending your toy box from the opposition by means of force and utilising all the equipment at your disposal. Battles take place right over Europe as the German movement to capture and cease power continues to build up pace.

Gameplay

Right, storyline over now I get on to what really matters with regards to this game, and that's all about the gameplay. First of all, this is one of those little unique twists on an old, tried and tested formula that we like so much here at Game Attic.

Although from appearance and your first introduction to the game, yes it looks remarkably similar in style to a standard Real-time-strategy game (place guns here, defend this position etc.), Toy Soldiers throws a spanner in the works by completely changing gameplay by allowing the player to control the placements and other assorted weaponry (such as tanks, planes) along the way.

What you effectively have here, is 2 games. Should you wish to leave your AI guys to it and would rather play commander from the sky, you can do so no problem. Doing so removes the soul from the game though as so much detail and attention has been paid to the design and workings of the weaponry, that it's the source of most of the fun.

Along the way and as you progress further into the game, different weapons are available to be placed. You begin the game (normally) with a stable of cash that allows to take stock and sort yourself out with basic defences to stop the first advance from your enemy. With each kill (whether it be enemy placement, soldier, cavalry, tank, 'choppers etc.) you get a cash reward that allows you to boost your defences by either upgrading or occupying another placement point dotted around your toy box.

In the later levels, you can leave your guys to defend your box on their own and you have to go beyond enemy lines in order to wipe out the enemies defences which are hampering your armies progression.

Enemies come in 'waves' which can be seen and ticked down at the top of the screen allowing you to prepare for the next onsalught. If you see planes a'coming, set up an anti-air turret immediately and such, up until the final enemy wave. Final waves sometimes conclude with a "boss battle", which sees a standard piece of equipment jumbo-ised (it's a word) and your task is to kill it dead, good luck as these things are BIG.

Graphics

The general presentation of the game can be altered by your own personal preferences. If you feel like going all old school, turn the film grain option to on and be absorbed into the dark ages of technology and development as the cavalry come charging towards you.

That - you may be glad to hear - is completely optional though. Other than the film grain this is a totally 2010 affair with beautifully detailed surroundings, well animated enemy attacks and deep detail on everything within eyesight.

What's great though is the real sense of 1900's toys and play time. The massive big "ROAR" tanks have little clockwork windy up bits on them, when enemies are shot, they don't explode in a puddle of blood with limbs flying everywhere, they simply break into two. It's charming and unique look extends to the sympathetic battlefields where these wars take place.

The battlefields are detailed, with ruts full of mud, puddles, barbed wire and the like and are distinctively war torn and ravaged, just as you expect them to be. Overall, it's a triumph.

Sound

From the early war gramophone style menu and pause menu music echoing the 'tunes' of the generation, through to the gritty cries of a sniped soldier as he plummets to the ground, this isn't toy-like at all.

Tanks sound mean and furious and the base weapons all sound mean-as, with satisfying 'boom' bellows and the like, filling the battlefield.  The infamous bugle "we're coming!" starts every wave of advancement and an alert siren informs you of when an enemy is too close for comfort to entering your base.

It's less unique and adventurous sound wise, but we can forgive it that simply for the way it plays.

Multiplayer

Take the battle online via Xbox live over 5 maps encompassing all the stuff you loved about single player including: taking bombing runs in a plane then flying into the enemies toy box without him even knowing, to blocking the road with a tank and screaming "YOU SHALL NOT PASS", this can either be a serious strategy game fix for your Live arcade collection, or a mess around laugh fest (which is what it turned into for me).

If anything, it catches the fun and spirit of actual toy playing just for the digital revolution and 'kids' of the facebook generation. It's simply too fun at times for words.

Summary

Well, what a shocker. From the first try I had with the trial to actually playing the full game was a massive leap. The increasing learning and difficulty curve will keep you busy and on your toes, whilst remaining challengly fun throughout. One of the greats of Xbox Live Arcade (I say that a lot right?) and proof that we're going through a golden time of arcade classics. Buy without concern, it's great.