Boid (Early Access) Review

By Marcus Jones  |  Posted: January 12, 2015

SelectButton’s Early Access reviews provide valuable insight into a work in progress. The game will be reevaluated once officially released, as the review below is based on the Early Access build of the game at the time of the review’s published date.

Boid, a new class-based RTS indie game to recently hit Steam in Early Access, is fun. While many may not be fans of the RTS genre because of its level of detail and depth at times, Boid takes a vastly different approach. It simplifies the genre, making it easily accessible and the type of game anyone can pick up and play at a moment’s notice.

Based around the idea of evolution, players do not have any bases or base-building to worry about. Instead, the game revolves around locations on the map that act as spawning pools, continuously generating the base unit. Base units are then taken out into the microworld of Boid and used to capture other points on the map. These points can be spawning pool, but there are some that will take your base unit and evolve it into a different unit. These are noted by the symbols on the location and there’s quite a variety: gunner, bomb, poison, scout, etc. These specialized units carry their own strengths and weaknesses. However, they do not spawn continuously and the location must be fed from your spawning points to continue creating the army you desire.

Throughout the process of amassing your army, the opposition will be doing the same. If you’re up against a bot, expect them to hit early and fast. Up against a human opponent, it’s a different matter. This is where the fun of the game really kicks in. Managing your forces and doing everything you can to grow your army while defending your units or making small feints can be a challenge. Boid’s small maps have a number of different paths, making it possible for the enemy to launch assaults from multiple directions.

Trying to micromanage your army while maintaining both spawning locations and evolution spots can be overwhelming at times (trust me, I lost to the bots more than once). But the overall simplicity of the game is a major draw. Matches don’t tend to last long and the ones that do are a tough fight for every inch of space. Watching the match-up of units is a blast since each type has its own unique advantages and disadvantages against others.

Simply Put

Boid is an excellent RTS title. It cuts the genre down to the core and maintains all of the fun elements while also providing a challenge. Since it is still in early access, some portions of the game such as the map creator are currently locked, but I look forward to seeing the full product when it officially releases.