Ironclads 2: Caroline Islands War 1885 Reviews

7/10

I bought a copy on the Totem Games website, and then I bought the bandle 10 in 1. I'm a fan of the whole series. A unique naval wargame!

Great game scenario! Reminded old games like "Imperialism." As soon as I have more free time, I will play more. To be honest, I do not play manual battles.

I bought it on Christmas sale and did not regret it. No revelations. Just another good script for the Iron Clads series. I was not lazy and read on the net. Such a conflict really could be. Both the Germans and the Spaniards were preparing for war.

I just finished playing this game scenario. I want to say that I liked it. But I knew exactly what game I bought. Before buying, I recommend watching a few videos on YouTube. The games made by Totem Games are very unusual and sometimes even strange.

If you are a fan of sea battles, you will like the game: (7.5 out of 10) [h1]Pros:[/h1] ✅Nice graphics. ✅At the beginning it seems very difficult, but after several moves and battles, it is very easy to master. ✅Historically accurate, all ships present on the map correspond to reality (name, number of fleet, filling). ✅There are several tactical options, from the frontal destruction of the enemy fleet to blocking supplies on the enemy islands. ✅Artificial intelligence behaves quite well if you look at other games about the fleet (the same Total War). Ships sometimes sail in zigzags, try to conduct roundabout maneuvers, etc. ✅The developers touched on a period that is almost not touched upon in games (I only saw Shogun 2: the Fall of the Samurai), in this game we will see the first battleships with gun turrets. ✅Discount pricing policy is excellent. The game itself costs more than 200 UAH, with discounts of up to 50 UAH. And the whole pack with 10 games, you can buy for 150-200 UAH. [h1]Minuses: [/h1] ❌I saw a number of bugs, but they were very annoying (For example, it was that the ship was firing but the cannonballs were not flying out, although the fire was being fired and smoke was coming from the fire. This was noticed when changing the type of shells) ❌Insufficient information on guns and some ship systems that are still implemented here. ❌Sometimes the battles drag on, up to an hour of battle is basically enough, the game has a 2x time speed, but the game needs 3x scrolling implementation. [h1]The note:[/h1] ⚡There is no Ukrainian language - this is not a problem for me, but before purchasing the game, please read this. ⚡As I wrote above, the game is frightening because at the beginning it seems very difficult and incomprehensible, but when you get familiar with it, you will already want to play it, and then the newer parts, because the game is really very good, and the subsequent parts as I see it is being finalized.

Rating a game like Ironclads 2: Caroline Islands War 1885 is somewhat harder than some would think. Totem Games tends to cringe when people call the game a wargame. Developers likes to think of this game as more of a simulation title rather than a wargame. In some respects they is right. As a game though this is a very good one, one that anyone interested in naval warfare should look at. In fact, this game would make an excellent follow on for that title. The game is not a fast paced game. Yes, you can speed up the time in the game, in fact, you will have to if you want to play the game at all, but even so this is a slow paced game and the action fulfils itself over time. If you want a quick bang bang style game then this isn’t it. The ships of the time were notoriously inaccurate in their firing and in this game it is evident. You will fire dozens of shots at an enemy ship before you will finally sink it. Yes, there may be a lucky shot but don’t count on it. If you are even remotely interested in naval warfare from the age of steam then this is a very good game to check out. The game isn’t perfect, the interface can be frustrating to newbies but the game is fun, and engrossing. In the end I recommend the game.

When the game works, it's actually not that bad. I still haven't really figured out the RTS boardgame-esque mode where you move stuff around, but I understand some of the functions better. I also managed to win a 4v5 naval battle without losing any units, the controls took time to get used to and there is very little in the way of tutorials but overall it's doable. The biggest issue is the constant crashing and more often, that fact that sometimes fleets (like 4-5 ships per side, not much) take forever to load in. Also the game doesn't seem to like it when you alt-tab out of the window and using windowed mode isn't that optional since you need to keep dragging your mouse against the edge to move the screen. I'll probably check the manual again since last time I read it, I had zero clue how to play but overall, wouldn't recommend in this state. Not a bad game but the technical issues can get very annoying.

This review is aimed at new players thinking of getting this game. If I'm being honest, I bought this game purely because I was desperate for a naval-themed game set in the Victorian Era. The setting has potential, and the naval battles are pretty decent, but I just can't recommend this game. Sure, you can argue the gameplay is a challenge, but there is such a big and unnecessary learning curve for just trying to figure out how to play. The UI is honestly poor and moving the pieces around on the map is unrealistic and confusing. I'm not saying a game should hold your hand as figure out how to play, but when you produce 10 games over the course of several years without even changing the gameplay style even after your player base routinely comments on how confusing it is, then you're ignoring a problem and alienating new players. You shouldn't have to look up a separate video on youtube from other players on how to play a game like this when you have plenty of opportunity to do so in the game itself. When you actually figure out how to play, I'd say its a decent game, but it feels more like an incomplete beta than a completed game. This might be an indie title, but it deserve more improvement and polish than this. 6.5/10 - Get this game on sale and after some consideration. Its not World of Warships, and its War on the Sea, so if you're expecting gameplay like that then prepare to be disappointed. If you're just looking for some new and very unorthodox, then get it.

A very unique and fun game for enthusiasts of the era. Though some might be turned off by the graphics and the slow pace of the game, keep in mind that this is a very small studio working with limited resources. In all, I enjoyed the game and the challenge that it gave me. In particular, I enjoyed the fact that the starting forces are all you have to play the game with, forcing you to be cautious and wait for the right moment to strike to seize victory in the overall campaign.