Greed Corp

Resources will always be the downfall of man. To possess and possess even more, until you can possess no longer. It is only when these supplies start to run low that we start to look outside to see what is left. And after we failed to quench our thirst with the remains, we’ll mercilessly try and rip everything from another man’s clutches. We’ll face demise only to fuel our everlasting greed.

Somewhere along those lines, Greed Corp sets the story for 4 different factions, each fighting for their own cause; be it wealth, power or just the freedom to be left alone. To do so, they’ll have to battle on fleeting plains that rest high up in the clouds, while even destroying those small fields for the resources they possess.

A bright moment in the fleeting world of Greed Corp.

There aren’t a lot of styles more visually appealing than grim but bright steampunk, which fits the industrious theme perfectly. Yet, it is the vintage piano and horn soundtrack that make the presentation complete. Its up-tempo and yet light-hearted feel is enough to keep the entertainment of playing going, although the track does halt frequently during play.

A game of Greed Corp starts on a terrain of hexes divided in 5 different heights, with the sixth being oblivion. Walkers are the only unit available and will thus serve as the driving force behind gameplay.  To harvest the lands, you’ll need to pump the ground into submission, which lowers it a tier each turn, until the ruins decay and fall. This simple, but innovative way to alter the landscape with high stakes risks keeps the momentum of a game high, until the final stalemate of and endgame makes it a battle of the minds.  Luckily, you can also airlift your units, shoot off artillery or even kamikaze your Harvesters to use the falling landscapes to your advantage.

Your greed will be your downfall; quite literally. Now choke on your Harvester.

This original concept of hexes, levels and danger makes for a simple and yet highly strategic form of play, which almost seems chess-like at times. As everyone is paired off with the same means, it is the person that can anticipate best that will probably win. Greed Corp forces the forethought that a tile will not remain there forever and every individual is very vulnerable at all times. Planning several turns ahead and adjusting to tactics is critical, as odds may turn swiftly and leave a game to be lost, decided on one turn of play. Unfortunately, the occasional accidental slip may also cause for an entire game to be lost, which is punishing; but then again, so is war.

But still, the simplicity that forebodes a much deeper mechanic is paradoxically also its biggest flaw. Only being given a handful of options is strategic gold, but before long this modesty will become plain. Greed Corp is fairly one-sided, as each premise will ultimately lead to the same stalemate, with the same limitations. There’s a few sidesteps, but usually a game will be won by using a carrier to fly over another territory and either capturing it or placing a Harvester to destroy it. More so, multiplayer battles feel more like praying for opponents to attack each other and biding time, more than it is controlling the battlefield and deciding what to do next. But there are only so many times a terrain can be won in the same manner and still come off as an accomplishment. Putting a slight bit more variety could have helped from the routine killing the drive to play in longer sessions.

Oh, another Harvester victory? That's cool, I guess.

It’s a crying shame that the layers of gameplay aren’t as rich as the hexes on the playing field, as Greed Corp does look like it will run much deeper on the surface. But once the first tier gets plowed away, what are left are the same materials that made the game function before. This prevents Greed Corp from exceling into the incredible, original new structure it is. Rather, it keeps the game a decent, but one-sided strategy prodigy that will either play like a charm or swiftly grow dull. For any strategy fan, this title is a refreshing and almost obligatory addition to the game library, but other players will first have to question their love for chess, before entering the charming novel world of this game.

Gallery

Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed.