The rise of play-to-earn (P2E) games — games that use cryptography-based blockchain technology — has sped up since last year. Currently, there seems to be a never-ending conveyor belt of these games, which makes the market very crowded. With so many titles published in this exciting new space, it can be hard to dig out the gems. Gunship Battle: Crypto Conflict is one of them. In a crowd of games still figuring out how to balance play-to-earn elements with compelling gameplay, Crypto Conflict doesn’t sacrifice fun.

It makes sense, considering that the game is only one installment in JOYCITY’s Gunship Battle franchise, with previous installments including Helicopter 3D and Total Warfare. JOYCITY has experience making these types of games — motivated to make them as engaging as possible — it’s just in this case that it happens to be a blockchain game. As far as mobile maritime strategy games, Crypto Conflict is as good as any. In fact, the play-to-earn elements actually add a lot to the stakes of the game and can make for more tense combat.

Graphics

On the surface, a lot of praise has to be given to the game’s graphics. There’s clearly a lot of effort that went into making the game look stunning. In all the action, it looks great. The cutscenes and combat are fun to watch, especially with Crypto Conflict’s focus on realism making it feel like a movie. The general map also looks great: the landscape is diverse and interesting, it’s simple enough to not come across as overly busy or unpleasant to look at, and the water effects are gorgeous and relaxing.

The developers also made sure to invest as much as possible into the animations, and it shows. This is a world that lives. Everything from the rolling tide of the ocean, the rumbling along of a truck, or the slightly changing glow of a light fixture in a room makes Crypto Conflict feel alive. Probably the most underrated aspect of the visual style, though, is the artwork. All the ships, characters, and accessories are beautifully drawn, and even reading through a piece of dialogue or browsing through the store is eye candy. The smart color palette choices and sharpness in the artwork make navigation easy as well. Even something as simple as the loading screen is both sleek and exciting.

Accessibility and tutorials

Once you start playing, you’ll find the game has great accessibility, even to those unfamiliar with the genre. There’s a great level of convenience in that you can play it both on PC as well as most phone types. The tutorial mode is very well-polished — guiding you through the various facets of the game and doing so with effective spotlights that don’t make you sit around too long. You’re still able to learn all the aspects of Crypto Conflict without sacrificing action. In addition to this, game features such as the “Carnival Event” allow rookies to Gunship Battle to navigate the game more effectively. That paired with the general accessibility of the game makes it one that anyone can transition to without any speedbumps. 

Gameplay

Of course, one must mention the gameplay. Crypto Conflict has not only met the previous marks set out by Total Warfare, but in some ways succeeded them. It’s clear that they have built on that strong foundation to make an even better product. You’re given a great general map. On one hand it’s packed with tons of engaging areas and facets to work with: an Embassy, Armory, HQ, etc. At the same time, though, JOYCITY made sure to make the map as compact as possible without being overly messy looking. There’s no big empty, all the interesting aspects of the game are closely packed together.

The developers also have clearly intended for Crypto Conflict to be a long-lasting title. All the different modes and features such as Armada Strike Group, Blitz Defense, and World Boss, paired with engaging events on a regular basis make the game something you don’t want to put down easily. On top of that, Crypto Conflict has made an effort to create a true community aspect within the game — offering features like Alliance that can allow you to collaborate with other players. How long JOYCITY will continue this content push is uncertain, but they’re doing everything correct right now. 

Of course, the most significant aspect of Crypto Conflict is the combat. It might be the strongest part of the game. This is where the graphics have their most shining moments — it’s so satisfying to hit another ship with a missile, and obliterate an opponent’s health bar. It’s standard turn-based combat, but the developers did their best to make sure the animation for these battles was as engaging as possible. The game also is potent in diversity within its combat system. It’s almost like Hearthstone — you can be very effective in winning battles with a very simple weapons system, or you can learn the ropes and start taking over battles — there’s plenty of military fleet to choose from. The amount of choice the game offers is great.

The amount of variance available doesn’t just apply to the combat, though. There’s a fair amount of customization in almost all areas of Crypto Conflict. Matters such as the game’s upgrade system and  jet building system can create a unique and personalized experience for every player. Surprisingly, the game focuses on details like even your own personal commander. For a game focused on maritime warfare, they took notice to allow you to customize you character — being able to build up different stats, equip weapons, and change outfits.

Verdict

Overall, Gunship Battle: Crypto Conflict does a good job at standing out amongst the rising trend of play-to-earn games. It has a level of simplicity and appealing elements on the surface to motivate anyone to try it out, with enough depth in its combat and involvement from its developer to keep players staying. It is the perfect game for someone that wants to explore the world of games based around blockchain technologies, as well as those that were fans of games like Gunship Battle Total War that just want some fun battles on the water. I highly recommended mobile game. 

This article is part of sponsored coverage by Joycity. All images via Joycity.