Battlelore: Command iPhone Review

For years fans of strategy board-games inhabited a relatively obscure section of the gaming world. In the last few years though, mobile game designers have looked towards the likes of Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, and Settlers of Catan for inspiration. The board-game mechanics translate well to touch-screen and make for a typically faithful recreation of the source material. Battlelore: Command is based on the board-game of the same name which uses the Commands and Colors ruleset. The game is a fairly straight-forward affair, but that's a special thing on mobile. Battlelore doesn't handhold or cut the player any slack. It teaches you the rules and puts you in the game and lets you play. That is a good thing.

The Good

Battlelore is a fun introduction for anyone who hasn't played a strategic board-game. The system is fairly simple to learn and players will pick it up quickly. The fights aren't too long and translate well to mobile.

The Bad

The opposing sides of the conflict are fairly generic and those looking for a story aren't gonna be too satisfied. The battles can be a bit repetitive and the game doesn't offer much in the way of variety and it appeals to a specific subset of people.

The Verdict

Battlelore: Command is a great mobile solution for those who enjoy strategy or are fans of the more complex board-games that are in vogue right now. However, casual fans will not find much to be had here as the gameplay doesn't lend itself to spontaneous play. For those who are looking to try the genre though, Battlelore is a great starting point, having challenge without an overwhelming ruleset.