Tribal Trouble Review

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October 13th, 2008 | By

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Tribal Trouble Website and Information

Tribal Trouble is a Real Time Strategy game that pits Island Natives against the invading Vikings. There are the aforementioned 2 factions who each have 5 units and 3 buildings (which are equivalent). The scarce variety of units and buildings is really the only indication that this game is an Indie title since the graphics, gameplay, presentation, etc. are all well above and beyond what is typically seen in the Indie industry and is very comparable to big budget PC titles with immense development teams. Furthermore, the simplicity and focus on the units/buildings makes the game far more enjoyable to play and less daunting to approach. My least favorite thing about RTS games was the immense diversity and huge amount of time that had to be invested learning each unit and its strengths and weaknesses. I may be in the minority on this, but I really feel that with the immense RTS lineups, you really can only spend the time getting to know one game’s units, buildings, etc. Regardless, this game is really impressive in almost every aspect.

Gameplay: 9.5/10
Pros: All the typical RTS shortcut keys and functions are there (only streamlined) and the controls are instantly accessible. The best thing about Tribal Trouble though is the simple units mean that players don’t sit around and build massive bases and units and then just mass strike. There’s a lot more back and forth and time management is a bigger issue than in other Real Time Strategy games.
Cons: The simplicity of the units is nice, but I would have liked to see a couple more buildings and maybe an exclusive unit or a little more difference between the Native and Vikings.


Graphics: 10/10
Pros: I really can’t express how impressed I was with the graphics of this game. The game features a fully 3D world and camera which can rotate, pan, zoom, etc. You can zoom in right on the littlest Peon and see the very fluid animations up close. There’s a distinct look between the two factions and the menus and presentation are all top-notch
Cons: I guess the character models look a bit blocky up close and make you aware of the lack of polygons, but you can’t fault the game for that when there are hundreds of units waddling and running about.

Sound/Music: 8.5/10
Pros: The sound is perfectly adequate and solid and the musical scores are quite good.
Cons: I could’ve used more music (there are only about 4 musical scores).

Lasting Appeal: 9.5/10
Pros: Randomly generated island levels, online multiplayer, and 2 very fun campaign modes…there are plenty of modes and features to keep you playing.
Cons: The lack of units/buildings can wear thin and although it contributes to Tribal Trouble’s initial appeal, it also detracts from its depth.

Average: 93.75%
Tilt: + 0.25%

Tribal Trouble is great fun. I guess I haven’t mentioned the humor yet, which this game has in spades. The premise itself is humorous: Drunk Vikings get lost on an island and start fighting the natives. Tribal Trouble is $30 which is higher than the typical Indie title, but it is also of a much higher caliber. If you download the demo, you will immediately be impressed with Tribal Trouble’s graphics, presentation, and gameplay. Anyone who likes RTS games should buy it and anyone who has avoided them because of their vast learning curve should step up to the plate and play this more casual take on a hardcore genre that dominates the PC market. A must buy for everyone who enjoys PC games.

Verdict: 94%

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Mike is the Owner and Founder of Indie Game Magazine. Mike lays out every issue of the magazine and focuses on boring business stuff, but still makes time to write about indie games. You can follow him on twitter @mgnade or email him directly at mike[at]indiegamemagdotcom

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