EPTI have finally found it... Something I've been in search of since gaming on iPods has become more popularized. That is, I have found a strategy game that is actually worthy of comparison to Starcraft ii!
The name of the game is Starfront.
Starfront is an RTS that can be downloaded from the iTunes app store for $0.99 (may be subject to change, as apps do change in price occasionally).
The best way I can describe this game would be by comparing it to Starcraft II; you have two currencies which you must gather to produce units and structures to defeat your opponent. There are 3 races, very similar to Starcraft, and they are the consortium (Terran), the myriad (Zerg), and the wardens (Protoss). There is quite a bit of depth to the game with resource management, there are many variations on build orders and timings to effectively keep you and your opponent on their toes, and the balance of the game from what I have played so far is very fair (or at least I can't see any obvious holes).
Controls for the game are actually pretty sick. There are points in the game where i feel as though my APM is around ~40ish. That may not sound impressive to somebody who's reading this with a keyboard beneath them, but for an RTS for a touch-device, there's a lot of shit to keep up to pace with, and the controls can allow you to meet that fast pace.
There are 3 different games types (1v1, 2v2, FFA), all of which can be played on a ranked system or can be hosted in a custom game. There is a single player campaign mode which for each race, but i won't comment on it because I haven't played it. As for the online, the game is populated; the longest wait I have had for a game was on a sunday at 1am EST and it took 1 minute. Games can last from as short as 4 minutes to as long as 30 minutes.
Also, I feel like this next bit deserves it's own paragraph: YOU CAN SAVE AND WATCH REPLAYS IN THIS GAME!!! If your build order has holes in it which your enemy has taken advantage of, save the replay, watch it in up to 4x speed, and see what happened! This is probably one of the best features this game can offer which every other RTS title for touch-devices does not include. Again allow me to stress how awesome that is.
Simlar to starcraft, there are strategic risks involved in your decision making. One may play a macro style, attempting to gather more minerals from your natural expansions, or you can play more 1base savvy playing more of a micro/timing heavy style. There are ground units, flying units, and stealth units, all which can be upgraded with +attack/+damage and some with active ability upgrades.
I'd recommend this game to any person who enjoys hand-held experiences, or to any person who loves RTS games. The play style is much like Starcraft, and for $0.99, it's the cheapest and closest experience you will have in comparison with starcraft
Also: see the thread I created to link sc2 folks and TL folks with starfront. The online network for starfront lacks an instant messenger, but it does include a friends list where you can invite and message others. search up: Starfront nerds unite! and feel free to post your info!
