There's a lot of talk at the moment about whether or not free to play is the way forward for interactive entertainment.
While there are many games that seem to paint this potential future in a positive light, there are just as many that stretch the definition of the word 'free'. Epic Raiders is one such title.
On the face of it, Epic Raiders seems innocent enough. It features Gamevil's trademark cute 2D visuals, and it's accompanied by a bouncy soundtrack that raises a smile with its energy and enthusiasm.
Knight and dayThe core gameplay is also appealing, at least initially. The developers have clearly taken one look at mobile RPG-action title Battleheart and borrowed a great many ideas.
You control a team of warriors in real time by using your finger to dictate their movements. Each character is versed in a different discipline - the Knight is your all-round option, while your mage and archer are specialist vocations, offering ranged support for your melee fighters.
So far so good, but after a few minutes it becomes abundantly clear that to get anywhere in the game you need to invest real money.
All the best items, weapons, and armour are locked down, and although you can earn credits through continuous play, the stern challenge means you're unlikely to want to take this route.
It's surprisingly difficult to get started in the game - a design choice which is no doubt built around encouraging players to reach for their credit cards.
Epic exploitationIf there were an engaging experience waiting behind this micro-transaction barrier then we'd be more forgiving, but Epic Raiders is ultimately repetitive and uninspiring.
Controlling your force of warriors can also prove irksome -especially when you're trying to prioritise your attacks against several enemy types. The screen becomes hopelessly crowded, making the right move seems like trial and error.
Free to play games are obviously going to figure quite strongly in the future of video gaming, but they need to be handled better than this. Epic Raiders is a pretty blatant money-making scheme masquerading as a piece of gratis entertainment. You're better off just downloading Battleheart.
Epic Raiders
Epic Raiders is visually appealing and initially engaging, but it doesn't take long to reveal its dubious intentions. Unless you're willing to sink a considerable amount of cash into the game, it's best avoided
Damien McFerran
Damien's mum hoped he would grow out of playing silly video games and gain respectable employment. Perhaps become a teacher or a scientist, that kind of thing. Needless to say she now weeps openly whenever anyone asks how her son's getting on these days.