A Brief Game Analysis of The Battle of Polytopia

The Battle of Polytopia is a typical turn-based 4X civilization strategy mobile game with an in-app purchase business mode, which features troop-controlling, enemy-battling, land-expanding, and technology-upgrading.

OS: iOS 15.5

Version: 2.2.9.8251

Time Length: 3 days

Three game modes are categorized as PERFECTION, DOMINATION and CREATIVE, simple, clear and friendly to new players.

There are 12 regular tribes (including 4 free basic tribes) and 4 special tribes as major in-game monetization strategies.

Highlights:

1. A simplified civilization strategy game that players can accomplish in a short time

2. AI-generated map components and systems that create unexpected gameplay experiences, particularly in multi-player modes, players need luck to be placed in a good location

3. An almost unified tech tree system that players can learn faster to master tribes

Pros:

1. Core mechanics are trimmed down to be friendly to mobile users with fragmented time, meaning that players could have more flexibility to play the game compared to the Civilization game series.

2. Tech systems are organized and compiled in a basic upgrading system with a coin-spent-based transformative economic system, which adds to the difficulties of strategizing winning conditions

3. A unique visual style that carves its own path on the competitive market

4. Unpredictable competing strategies influenced and generated by AI and players

5. Various tribes with different tech growths

Cons:

1. The imbalance between some paid tribes and free tribes leads players to use very few specific tribes in order to win due to tech system design

2. Unstable server services affect players' experience and feelings of achievements

3. Similar tribe and tech systems do not differentiate much so that the gameplay becomes boring after a while

4. Lack of stories to create the magic circle of an immersive world

5. The mastery of tech-cultivating strategies has a high standard for new players

How to improve the game?

I thought of enhancing the game experience from four perspectives: Mechanics, Technology, Story, and Aesthetics - game design lenses, then broke down into detailed features that would bring huge differences in my imagination.

Questions to think about:

a. If a turn-based game is changed to be a real-time strategy game, how will the players accept the game? (If the situation is to develop a new real-time strategy game, it makes more sense. )

b. How would you change the current troops and technologies in The Battle of Polytopia when the players are already familiar with the tech system? Would they feel confused or unnatural when seeing different research paths?

c. How would you like to balance the new tech trees or troops if adding new tribes who are best at flying skills?