Defense Grid 2 is a 2014 tower defense video game developed by Hidden Path Entertainment, published by 505 Games, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Linus, and OS X. As a sequel to the 2008 Defense Grid: The Awakening, the game follows players who defend different locations from waves of aliens attempting to grab and escape with the power cores housed in each location. .

Positives:

• Good music
• Challenging gameplay
• High replayability
• Graphics are good
• Tons of variation
• Fun multiplayer

Negatives:

• Lacks a story
• No new units

Campaign:  The player takes on the role of the commander and their companion AIs, tasked with defending bases, colonies, space stations, and outposts from waves of aliens attempting to grab and escape with the power cores housed in each location. Most of the story’s exposition is given through the voice overs during battles over its 20 different levels or through the loading screens.

Great, challenging single player experience that fans of the first game will undoubtedly enjoy.  The campaign itself isn’t overly lengthy and there isn’t really a focus on a story.  Would’ve liked a more engaging story with perhaps more information on the characters. (3 out of 5)

Gameplay:  Those who’ve played the first game will definitely fall into the flow of things here.  The gameplay can range from being simple and easy to being incredibly complicated and challenging.   Units and upgrades cost resources, which build slowly overtime or can be acquired by killing the aliens. Different towers provide various abilities that are good against different types of aliens.

Any players of the Defense Grid: The Awakening will be familiar with the units, however there is a serious lack of new ones (although the boost tower is a great addition), which could’ve added more variation to the gameplay.  However, the game compensates for this by providing effects for the units. The new boost towers are a good means of building paths and improving the towers built on top of them.  Loading screens aren’t overly long and do provide information about the story and setting.  Different types of levels; some fixed, some open with branching paths, and others that change. (4 out of 5)

Graphics:  The different levels and backdrops are well detailed and well designed giving the game a pretty futuristic and at times alien feel.  It’s a very diverse look game as well with all the different locations. Camera is viewable from several heights as well as several angles.  The unit and alien designs aren’t overly detailed but still looks good. (3 out of 5)

Score/Music: The musical composition is actually really good, giving the game a pretty mellow tech feel.  Voice performances are pretty campy but is good.  There is some pretty good humor in the dialogue.  The sound design is done really well also. (4 out of 5)

Replay Value:  If there is one thing this game has, it’s variation.  Every level has four or five different modes (some possessing limited resources, some where a certain color of units can be set, some where a certain type of units can be set, etc.).  Every unit has different modifications whether it be increasing its damage effect or focus on the strongest enemy.

Between the different units, the different abilities, the different locations, different modes and challenges there is potentially a ton of extra hours for players to enjoy.  There is also the multiplayer, which is surprisingly good with a fun co-op and a challenging competitive mode.  (5 out of 5)

The Verdict: In the end, Defense Grid 2 is a great game and an awesome sequel to Defense Grid: The Awakening.  Yes, it would’ve been cool had there been some extra units and probably a bit more story, but this is a solid game.  It has tons of replayability, a great score, good graphics, fun multiplayer, and challenging gameplay.  Defense Grid 2 gets 4 out of 5.