If you're a fan of the original, go preorder the sequel here.
If you've never played it, now is a great time to check out what you've been missing. Defense Grid is arguably the best Tower Defense game yet made, and throwing $15 into the kickstarter will get you the original, plus all the upcoming bonus content, and Defense Grid 2 when it gets released(1). The Steam Codes for Defense Grid and all current DLC showed up in my email moments after I pledged, so there's minimal waiting to get in on the action. You really don't know what you've been missing until you try it, and this is a great deal.
Even if you don't like Tower Defense games but haven't played Defense Grid, it's still worth checking out. Tower Defense games are puzzles centered around building the best death trap at their core, and most examples of the genre do a terrible job of it.
Too Slow? Defense Grid lets you hit Ludicrous Speed and then instantly backtrack to various level checkpoints if you made a wrong move anywhere along the line. Unleashing the Orbital Death Beam doesn't hurt either.
Too Short? Defense Grid has tons of levels and challenge modes to keep you busy for a long, long time.
Too Stupid? Beyond the challenge modes, large variety of towers and enemies, and levels designed by the team that's been working on Counter Strike, Defense Grid kicks it to the next level with the 'You Monster' DLC that pits you against GLaDOS. With her changing the rules and levels at whim, you'll find a better Tower Defense challenge here than anywhere else.
Too Dull? Defense Grid was given professional aesthetics and a 3D graphics engine that looks good even today. (Not amazing, but good none-the-less if you like industrial sci-fi.) Exploding, burning, and zapping enemies just doesn't look this cool in other Tower Defense games. Each level(2) also comes with narration from a pro voice actor that ties everything together into one story with its own history and world and even a bit of drama, which is way more than most of them will give you. Also, these things don't suck, which is another huge plus over the average example of the genre. Even if you don't care about any of that, you still get a chance to duke it out against GLaDOS one more time, and she's about as present in her DLC here as in Portal.
And then after all that, you'll be getting Defense Grid 2 which will push the genre to the next level all over again.
Oh right, they're also planning on giving both games multiplayer modes, so you can get your friends in on the action with you - for Free if this Kickstarter nets you extra Steam codes(3).
Running a Mac or Linux box? The 750K goal will port Defense Grid 1 to your system and Defense Grid 2 will be cross platform at launch, so you won't be missing out either way. Support more game developers that support you!
I've read that getting burned by Kickstarters is a growing 'thing' as of late, but this one is really no-risk. Hidden Path Entertainment is a pro gaming company and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Again, these are the people Valve has working on Counter Strike, so the product isn't going to be half-assed or vaporware. There's also a number of great bonus tiers in there with a bunch of swag, AMD video cards and Razor mice being donated by the respective companies. Even if you pull out, you still get to keep the Steam DG1 codes they're handing out to supporters.
Some people have also balked at the 1 Million goal, but they're forgetting that this is a real game development company, not a couple of dudes using their apartment as their office. Salaries have to be paid, lights have to be kept on, and this is the most direct way Hidden Path Entertainment can start making Defense Grid 2 as soon as their current project ends in August. Traditional Publishers consider this project too small to bother with, or it just won't work within their structure(4). This Kickstarter is the best way to give the company and the fans what they want, more Defense Grid now.
(1)Even if this Kickstarter doesn't reach the end goal, update #7 confirms that all $15+ supporters will get Defense Grid 2 when it is released, just later than sooner. As long as it hits the 250K mark, I think, which it will.
(2)Excluding the Resurgence Map Packs if I remember right, but the You Monster DLC and all original levels have narration.
(3)Extra Codes from the Kickstarter are truly extra. Hidden Path Entertainment will be sending out new Steam codes for the bonus Kickstarter content when they become available. If you already own Defense Grid, preorder DG2 and the Containment DLC then gift DG1 and current DLC to your friends right off.
(4)Explicitly stated in one of the update videos. First or second I think it was...
If you've never played it, now is a great time to check out what you've been missing. Defense Grid is arguably the best Tower Defense game yet made, and throwing $15 into the kickstarter will get you the original, plus all the upcoming bonus content, and Defense Grid 2 when it gets released(1). The Steam Codes for Defense Grid and all current DLC showed up in my email moments after I pledged, so there's minimal waiting to get in on the action. You really don't know what you've been missing until you try it, and this is a great deal.
Even if you don't like Tower Defense games but haven't played Defense Grid, it's still worth checking out. Tower Defense games are puzzles centered around building the best death trap at their core, and most examples of the genre do a terrible job of it.
Too Slow? Defense Grid lets you hit Ludicrous Speed and then instantly backtrack to various level checkpoints if you made a wrong move anywhere along the line. Unleashing the Orbital Death Beam doesn't hurt either.
Too Short? Defense Grid has tons of levels and challenge modes to keep you busy for a long, long time.
Too Stupid? Beyond the challenge modes, large variety of towers and enemies, and levels designed by the team that's been working on Counter Strike, Defense Grid kicks it to the next level with the 'You Monster' DLC that pits you against GLaDOS. With her changing the rules and levels at whim, you'll find a better Tower Defense challenge here than anywhere else.
Too Dull? Defense Grid was given professional aesthetics and a 3D graphics engine that looks good even today. (Not amazing, but good none-the-less if you like industrial sci-fi.) Exploding, burning, and zapping enemies just doesn't look this cool in other Tower Defense games. Each level(2) also comes with narration from a pro voice actor that ties everything together into one story with its own history and world and even a bit of drama, which is way more than most of them will give you. Also, these things don't suck, which is another huge plus over the average example of the genre. Even if you don't care about any of that, you still get a chance to duke it out against GLaDOS one more time, and she's about as present in her DLC here as in Portal.
And then after all that, you'll be getting Defense Grid 2 which will push the genre to the next level all over again.
Oh right, they're also planning on giving both games multiplayer modes, so you can get your friends in on the action with you - for Free if this Kickstarter nets you extra Steam codes(3).
Running a Mac or Linux box? The 750K goal will port Defense Grid 1 to your system and Defense Grid 2 will be cross platform at launch, so you won't be missing out either way. Support more game developers that support you!
I've read that getting burned by Kickstarters is a growing 'thing' as of late, but this one is really no-risk. Hidden Path Entertainment is a pro gaming company and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Again, these are the people Valve has working on Counter Strike, so the product isn't going to be half-assed or vaporware. There's also a number of great bonus tiers in there with a bunch of swag, AMD video cards and Razor mice being donated by the respective companies. Even if you pull out, you still get to keep the Steam DG1 codes they're handing out to supporters.
Some people have also balked at the 1 Million goal, but they're forgetting that this is a real game development company, not a couple of dudes using their apartment as their office. Salaries have to be paid, lights have to be kept on, and this is the most direct way Hidden Path Entertainment can start making Defense Grid 2 as soon as their current project ends in August. Traditional Publishers consider this project too small to bother with, or it just won't work within their structure(4). This Kickstarter is the best way to give the company and the fans what they want, more Defense Grid now.
(1)Even if this Kickstarter doesn't reach the end goal, update #7 confirms that all $15+ supporters will get Defense Grid 2 when it is released, just later than sooner. As long as it hits the 250K mark, I think, which it will.
(2)Excluding the Resurgence Map Packs if I remember right, but the You Monster DLC and all original levels have narration.
(3)Extra Codes from the Kickstarter are truly extra. Hidden Path Entertainment will be sending out new Steam codes for the bonus Kickstarter content when they become available. If you already own Defense Grid, preorder DG2 and the Containment DLC then gift DG1 and current DLC to your friends right off.
(4)Explicitly stated in one of the update videos. First or second I think it was...
