Game Review

Clash of Clans – Too Expensive with Too Much Waiting (2022 review)

The game could be about playing it but it becomes just about waiting for upgrades to finish 95% of the time.

4.1
Our grade:
4.1

Since the game’s release in 2012, it has received numerous upgrades, and the developers don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. New content is published every few months that changes elements of the game’s rules, offers new structures and armies, or simply gives you additional cosmetic options.

After ten years of gameplay, the player base has naturally dwindled. Long-time players can still be found in the game, but fewer new players join to increase the competition. So, is this game still worth your time in 2022?

Clash of Clans: Essentials

Clash of Clans is a free-to-play mobile strategy video game created and published by Supercell in 2012. On August 2, 2012, the game was launched for iOS platforms, and on October 7, 2013, it was released for Android platforms via Google Play.

The game took six months to produce, with the gameplay altering little during that time. According to Lasse Louhento of Supercell, the development team experienced no major roadblocks during this period. Backyard Monsters and Travian were used as inspiration for the game, and the art style was influenced by classic Super NES and arcade games. 

The graphical style was initially more cartoon-based, but this was changed because the team was concerned that it might alienate the more hardcore element of their audience. Throughout the majority of development, the game was primarily focused on multiplayer, but following focus testing, Supercell went back and introduced a single-player feature. 

Supercell created four spin-off games set in the same universe as Clash of Clans.

  1. Clash Royale, the first game, was published in 2016.
  2. Clash Heroes;
  3. Clash Minis; and 
  4. Clash Quest. Clash Quest development was halted on August 17, 2022.

Gameplay

When you first launch the game on your mobile device, you’re met with a mainly empty area and a few basic structures to get you started. A modest town hall, army barracks, and resource-generating facilities are provided. The game guides you through the beginning, which is expected, given that its core demographic is slightly younger than Lords Mobile.

The game is centered on PvP fighting, notably Clan-versus-Clan attacks. The game’s basic mechanisms all support them, making this very evident from the start. You’re primarily tasked with acquiring resources and preparing your defenses and army for impending battles.

The first conflicts you engage in will be AI-only, and they will be relatively easy to complete. You merely need to assemble a large enough army to crush the adversary, and the process requires minimal strategy or thought. However, as the game progresses, the AI bases become more defensive, necessitating greater work to defeat.

While single-player raids are enjoyable, clan formation and battle are the game’s primary activities. To be able to start a clan from scratch or join an existing one, you must have a specific structure called a clan castle in your base.

When you join a clan, the game frequently puts two clans against each other in clan wars. Your base, along with everyone else’s in the clans, is reproduced on a war map. The members are then given 24 hours to cause as much damage to the rival bases as possible. The victor takes home the treasure and prestige, while the loser must lick their wounds. These attacks are the only way to have a good time in the game. 

Game Atmosphere

Clash of Clans is a strategy game that requires much attention and focuses on a difficult premise. The game transports you to a new magical realm full of troops, where you are a village leader in a fantasy-themed persistent universe. Furthermore, battles and raids are not an abstraction in this world. On the contrary, you will have to direct your invasion in real-time. And your warriors’ tiny but recognizable figures will heed every instruction.

The main distinction here is that Clash of Clans does not use the old energy constraints that characterize so many other freemium games.


You might also want to check out: Rise of Kingdoms – The MMO real-time strategy game inspired by history


Instead of throwing a door in your face the moment the action gets exciting, advancement is based on the gold and elixir stores you acquire from mines you plant across your encampments, which is a pleasant change.

Given its viral success, Clash of Clans is undoubtedly a compelling game with a classic management system that is far more spectacular than may be expected.

Artwork

Clash of Clans’ traditional top-down vision provides some stunning graphics, animations, and physical effects. For example, the screen will faintly shake as you unleash a devastating spell or launch a big projectile. With fancy laser-like death beams, flying arrows, flashing axes, and so on, it genuinely helps express the battle atmosphere.

Every conflict in the game is represented acoustically as a symphony of screaming, iron clanging, and perimortem shrieks. Ultimately, that feels amazing.

Tech Compatibility

To properly enjoy Clash of Clans, you must have at least the following specifications:

On Android:

  • OS 5.0 or better
  • 0.5 GB of RAM minimum (1 GB or more recommended)
  • 800×480 screen resolution minimum

On iOS:

  • iOS 11.0 or better
  • iPhone 5S or better
  • 1 GB of RAM minimum
  • 640×960 screen resolution minimum (higher is recommended)

Clash of Clans: F2P or P2P

CoC does have issues with the pay-to-win strategy on occasion. But that doesn’t mean you can’t thrive in this harsh world. Days of fun playing are guaranteed if you have a lot of patience, a talent for strategizing, wit, and a handful of companions to join forces with.

Overall, Clash of Clans provides a few good possibilities for spending your hard-earned money. First, there is the option of purchasing additional builder huts. You can improve multiple structures at once if you have additional builder cottages. Waiting times for building upgrades are among the most disturbing aspects of the game, so, surprisingly, it’s been so profitable. However, things can quickly spiral out of control once you start paying for one thing.

Review Summary

Clash of Clans was met with mostly favorable reviews from critics when first released. However, while Clash of Clans was a watershed event in mobile gaming, showcasing a breakthrough in mobile game design, its time has come and gone. Its features have often been upgraded throughout the years, although the actual content can become tedious after a time.

You can do so for free if you haven’t played the game yet. Regardless, we advise you to stick with new games more likely to have greater content or put you on a more even playing field with other players.

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