Battle Worlds: Kronos (PlayStation 4) Review

The turn-based strategy takes place on a hexagonal grid map, which is par for course for the genre. By utilizing the hexagonal grid over a simpler and easier to design square grid, an extra layer of depth is added to each movement; there are more ways to attack an enemy, but also more way to be attacked.

Units and buildings can be bought or captured, necessitating some basic resource management. Units move around the map and perform attacks through Action Points (AP). There's a set amount of AP per unit, forcing some units to move and attack, just move, or just attack. The AP system makes way for the much needed feeling of consequence necessary in making a tactics-heavy strategy game.

On paper, Battle Worlds: Kronos is almost the ideal turn-based strategy experience. Unfortunately, it can't simply be looked at on paper. While the title boasts over 50 hours of single player content divided between two campaigns, it's unlikely that reaching that length will be a pleasant experience. The mechanics and technicalities are certainly present for a compelling campaign, but the map designs and the enemy AI are largely underwhelming.

While there's the option for variety, it becomes clear all too fast that every map has a very specific tactic in mind for clearing it. Want to utilize chokepoints to lure out enemies while keeping unit and building loss to a minimum? Too bad, the map wants an aggressive play style. Want to rush into enemy territory and surprise attack? Too bad, should have been more defensive and held a chokepoint.

The tedious objectives are appropriately garnished with completely unmemorable maps. Kronos is completely unremarkable. The realistic look of the world is nice at first, but without a specific style, it becomes all too boring to spend hours looking at.

It's downright disappointing just how homogenized the entire world looks. There's set up for a rich, attractive world, but instead all that's presented is the equivalent of a generic skeleton with some charmless meat chunks thrown on to decorate the bones. The reality is, Battle Worlds: Kronos has no aesthetic identity. It barely has its own gameplay identity, heavily towing the line between homage and plagiarism, borrowing from far better genre definers.

For all its flaws, however, Battle Worlds does have one saving grace: its multiplayer. Live, asynchronous, and cross-platform, the online is everything a multiplayer feature should be. Design flaws with the AI are instantly solved by replacing them with a human. Butting heads, tactic to tactic, makes up a fair bit for the lackluster single player.

There's a genuine sense of adrenaline that comes in when facing a particularly skilled tactician. Strategies change at the drop of a hat; a good run can go sour in a second, and a bad run can be turned around by one calculated maneuver. While it's not enough to salvage the whole experience, the multiplayer shines as a silver lining on an otherwise cloudy planet.