Defenders of Ardania

 PC
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 17
  3. Negative: 5 out of 17
  1. Everyeye.it
    Mar 21, 2012
    75
    Defenders of Ardania is a good tower defense game set in the Majesty world. Some good ideas on the gameplay side mix a classic formula with some RTS elements. Too bad for the poor technical realization.
  2. GameStar
    Mar 14, 2012
    74
    The fusion of real-time strategy with tower defense rules works surprisingly well.
  3. Eurogamer Italy
    Apr 2, 2012
    70
    Defenders of Ardania is a mix between a tower defense and an RTS, but it lacks the right pace and boredom is around the corner in the single-player campaign. Multiplayer on the other hand gives more fun and more adrenaline.
  5. Gamers' Temple
    Apr 20, 2012
    66
    Defenders of Ardania is a good try at combining a couple of genres but it's a bit slow and confusing.
  6. NZGamer
    Apr 24, 2012
    65
    A solid tower wars title with little competition in the genre at the moment. Unfortunately, it's let down by a large difficulty jump and, although it's a visually pleasing title, the grid displaying locations isn't on by default - a strange omission for any tower defence title.
  7. Game Over Online
    Apr 5, 2012
    65
    So I'm (perhaps disappointed isn't the word because I come into tower defense games expecting so little) confused as to how the designers saw these elements coming together and didn't comprehend the problems they would cause in actual game play. I also have to confess a long-held desire to see a game that is like tower defense only reversed, where you get to be the invader. DoA has that, and I'm left contemplating that old axiom about getting what you wish for.
  8. Absolute Games
    Jan 23, 2012
    65
    Here is hoping that Paradox will fix the bugs, iron out the glitchy AI, and add more multiplayer modes. And if not… well, Defenders of Ardania will not be the first game with a great concept to get crushed under an avalanche of flaws.
  9. PC Master (Greece)
    May 16, 2012
    62
    It tries to set itself apart from the cornucopia of tower defense games, but fails. Despite the efforts for character and new features, the overall execution is messed up. If you are a true fan of the genre or you want all fantasy games in your collection, wait for it to enter bargain bin status and go for it. [May 2012]
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  10. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    May 9, 2012
    60
    Defenders of Ardania are nice improvements to the tower defense strategies. Pity there are many flaws which decrease its final score... [May 2012]
    All this publication's reviews
  11. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 27, 2012
    60
    A clever take on traditional tower defence, but little real longevity. [May 2012, p.64]
  12. PC Gamer UK
    May 11, 2012
    59
    A different take on tower defence, but one that needed more thought before being released on an unsuspecting public. [June 2012, p.110]
  13. SpazioGames
    Mar 20, 2012
    55
    Defenders of Ardania is an overall bad game. It's unable to deliver new features in the tower defense genre and has too many technical problems.
  14. 4P.de
    Mar 23, 2012
    46
    Despite nice visuals Defenders of Ardania has no chance of competing with games like Defense Grid, Sol Survivor or Anomaly. The balancing is below par, you hardly need any tactics and the interface is just poor.
  15. Worth Playing
    Aug 20, 2012
    45
    In the end, only certain elements of Defenders of Ardania work well.
  16. IGN
    Mar 19, 2012
    45
    There's something to be said for slow-burn strategy games that require precise tweaks and purchases to gain the edge in battle. Unfortunately, Defenders of Ardania lacks these nuances and insists on wasting the player's time with needless limitations and wave after wave of opposing forces that result in an ongoing stalemate.
  17. Armchair Empire
    Apr 27, 2012
    40
    With plenty of other tower defense titles and strategy games out there, Defenders of Ardania is a poor choice on which to spend your money.
  18. Games.cz
    Apr 2, 2012
    40
    A badly designed game with flaws that br(e)akes its multiplayer dramatically. You know, being unconventional and not able to write a proper game code doesn't pay off sometimes.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 29 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 29
  3. Negative: 17 out of 29
  1. AndreaGriffin
    Mar 16, 2012
    5
    This game comes to you from the land of Ardania, the setting of the game Majesty and its sequel Majesty II. You'll recognize the voiceThis game comes to you from the land of Ardania, the setting of the game Majesty and its sequel Majesty II. You'll recognize the voice acting.

    Gameplay-wise, the game plays very much like other Tower Defense games: You build towers along a grid, trying to stop the bad guys from reaching your fortress. Unlike most other TD games, however, you also go on the offensive: You build your own waves of critters and send them back through the map toward the other guy.

    While this is nice in theory and could make for a fantastic game, it just wasn't executed particularly well. You're susceptible to "zerg rush" tactics in multiplayer, the unit selection feels tactically unimportant (you'll use the same few units constantly), and the standard campaign doesn't have enough interesting challenges for an experienced TD player (although there are some challenge modes). An experienced Tower Defense gamer can expect 6-8 hours from the campaign. It's quite easy.

    One disappointment in particular is that you don't seem to be able to play the other 2 races/factions in campaign mode, which would go a long way to adding replayability to the very short campaign.

    Even after a patch applied the day after the release, the controls feel sluggish and unresponsive (although the patch fixed the most glaring errors). Graphically the game is nice and the sound is appropriate.

    Even the multiplayer experience has some issues. You cannot type messages to other players, everyone is booted back to the main menu once a game is over instead of returning to a lobby, and the AI always gangs up on Player 1 from the very beginning, never changing tactics or trying to surprise other players. Still, there IS an AI to play against, and in a game where tactical decisions need to be made it's interesting and welcome to have an AI at all.

    Game modes include free-for-all, 2v2, and 2v2 survival. The AI can be used in any of the modes. So, for your friends that can't handle playing against another player lest they (gasp) lose, there's options for their tender feelings.

    I don't know if there is a technical issue, but I was unable to find any open multiplayer games online. I was only able to get people into my game by inviting them directly via Steam.


    If you're a fan of TD games then Defenders of Ardania should be in your library; if you only have a passing interest in the genre, you may want to consider alternatives.    … Full Review »
  2. Arthas58
    Mar 23, 2013
    3
    I bought by Steam this game in reference to the good graphics aspect seen in the demo but in the daily utilization I was fully disappointedI bought by Steam this game in reference to the good graphics aspect seen in the demo but in the daily utilization I was fully disappointed by the bug and the lag inside the game. One of this bug refer to the fault in the utilization of F1 for the positioning of the towers with Windows XP at the moment I do not understand the reason also after some call to Paradox Help Center.
    The deployment of the game is stuffing because the only thing that you can do is send troop build towers and wait for the result that very often you can't in any manner determinate.So very often at beginning you win but you do not know really why because you do not manage the action in a useful way.Graphics and animation are good except for the window pop up of some command too much invasive that obscure a huge part of the field of battle but this is't enough to make a good TD Defense Grid ,Fieldrunner and also GratuitousTank Battle anc Comet Crash are really in another planet........    … Full Review »
  3. Tridus
    May 25, 2012
    4
    Suffers from an unforgivable sin - its boring. Due to the symmetrical nature of the game, there are stretches where you just need to wait forSuffers from an unforgivable sin - its boring. Due to the symmetrical nature of the game, there are stretches where you just need to wait for enough gold to do anything... And so does your opponent. That means stretches while itching at all is happening. It also takes a long time to put away a match after you've basically won due to how easy iris to take out attacking units with spells.

    Skip this one.    … Full Review »
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