Creeper World 4

It's not quite there, but it might just be that the game just isn't my thing?

I was really excited to play the game because it seemed clear from reviews and the development history that this game is both an experimental take on tower defense and management while having a unique gimmick for the enemies. So seeing a fourth itteration with overwhelmingly positive reviews and as much content as possible for what the game is sounds awesome!

Unfortunately I think there are a lot of things that are either not touched on to make the game interesting or the game just doesn't have a base formula polished yet, but I'd rather hope it's just the delusions from the former rather than it genuinely being a problem of the latter.

Mainly the real issue with the game is that it feels like a slog. I know that the whole point is that you're supposed to be pushing back against this enemy that's composed of literal volumes of liquid, so it's meant to be more alien, oppressive, and equally interesting to look at, but instead it leads to the game feeling kindof boring. Instead of feeling like you're just barely surviving and only barely managing to push back against an overwhelming threat, it instead feels like your strip mining where your slowly just grinding away at the edges of the map to push it back just enough to connect to the objective. I know this sense of satisfaction of slowly inching towards victory might be satisfying for some, but when the tools you use to deal with the threat ends up being just gun turrets and bombs instead of something equally unique for the liquid, I can't help but get a sense that the liquid is just the developer being lazy with what the enemy is to have an easier time making the game instead of any genuinely interesting concepts with an enemy that is made of liquid.

While I realize this is completely unfair to blame it all on just visuals, I at least think it's worth a recommendation to swap things like gun turrets and mortars for maybe liquid vacuums, or if they even shot out a freezing element they'd shoot to shatter the now solid enemy, or make them get absorbed by a sand bomb, nothing crazy, just a little flavor text.

I also fully believe it's entirely possible that's where the criticism ends. It's not for me with how it's just a slow push with what feels to me to be an unimaginative world.

What I really hope though is that I either didn't play enough or these initial problems I faced gave me the sense that...
I feel that similar to the unimaginative aspect, there's not really anything special mechanically with the game. It's just placing a bunch of towers to keep up energy and then placing turrets as the enemy will slowly peel away. As far as I could tell, the enemy could be replaced with anything else, so much so that I don't even really feel it's really an enemy. This game could be called "terraformers" or something and be about using plant turrets to slowly make areas of a planet green and vibrant as the poor atmosphere conditions make it worse. It could be hordes of zombies, it could be mist, growing solid blocks or just magic light just as much as it could be a liquid, it doesn't make you think any differently about this enemy than you would a big red spot labeled "evil"

While not liking the style or liking the way the game plays out is one thing and entirely just up to my opinion and why I wouldn't recommend it, I would put the last criticism as something for anyone to be wary of with this game. If anyone could let me know if I just haven't played enough or if there are things introduced that would be nice and I'll edit the review. Otherwise I'd just say this game is disappointing, and for my taste just not really fun :/

It's the same great Creeper World core gameplay with new features and in 3D!

The jump to 3D was effortless, and it remains one of the best "Tower Defense, but goop" games on the market.

Really cool spin on the RTS genre.
Feels a bit like tower defense, but with liquid as the enemy, the actual enemy is a creeping blob of goo. Sounds weird, but it works really well.
Satisfying to push it back and build up your defenses, always keeping an eye out that the liquid is not breaking through Definitely worth checking out if you're into strategy games with a twist.

I bought the game because of its name, but it's a really fun game

A very enjoyable strategy game, particularly aimed at turtle generals 🐢

Essentially you have to resist the purple liquid ("Creeper"). It slowly gets more complex as you complete the campaign, the enemy will unlock new units, and usually you do too to counter them.

The campaign is essentially a tutorial, which when you're finished there's custom levels to play indefinitely.

It can become slightly dull once you have tipped the scales into your favour, it then becomes a job of mopping up the last sections of creeper. But the beginning when you're facing overwhelming odds keeps you coming back.

The tutorial can be lacking in explaining some concepts, so I'm going to tell you something that will make sense once you play:
1. The green squares around your towers generate energy. The first thing you should do when starting, is cover the safe area with towers to cover it in green. Continue to do this as you gain ground.

If you don't have energy, you can't fuel your war machine and it takes longer to build things

2. Pylons make your distribution network more efficient, you can physically see resources travelling around faster.

This game turning into 3D was such a crazy fun spin. Worth every penny

Simple, slightly confusing to start, not sure how to cancel or delete structures, but after an hour enjoying this. Starting to feel some deeper strategy within it. Easily worth it on a 70% sale, not sure about full price as its pretty basic graphics. But overall would recommend.

Neutral Comments - the overall story line is pretty confusing. The campaign as expected is the tutorial but its not clear what you should be doing. The factory construction icon not being on the same build bar as everything else is a really strange design decision?

I don't feel the story line other than trying to get back to Mars adds anything. Not sure what it even is, and generally stopped reading it many missions ago. If anything it just confuses you as to what your trying to achieve.

Enjoying playing it is addictive. Gets a bit tiresome moving all the units, and when you get to 50% mission completion becomes a bit of a chore. Could do with an end game mammoth tank hopefully I unlock one soon?

I have probably been playing creeper on and off for like 20 years (think it came out as a flash game when I was in my teens). I have to say never really resounded with me. But Creeper World 4 is totally different. I feel it is really fleshed out and really fun. The missions are challenging but not punishing, Some missions can be long, but not grindy. You always feel like your making progress, and if your not it often has to do with your build earlier in the mission. A lot of fun and highly recommend it to anyone!

surprisingly good game ended up playing 11 hours in one day lol, didnt even realize how long i spent till afterwards

This game is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy the trip more than the destination.

good game just wish theyd fix .1 creep out in the void from scalling walls like its a horse in skyrim

I made it past 7 levels so far, and it is pretty dang fun! My only complaint is that the beginning of each level is by far the hardest part, and the rest of it is just a matter of time once you survive the start. Other than that, it is really satisfying to build up a power grid thing and push back the creeper.

It's basically Creeper World 3 + 1 (hence 4). They changed the elements a bit. The 3D part makes it a bit more engaging. Story is fine. Gameplay is still good; a mix of strategy, simulation and search&destroy. If you like CW3 and want more of the same (and a bit better), then you should go for it. If you liked CW3 and are looking for a new experience, perhaps this is not the game for you.

I thought the graphics were terrible and I just couldn't get past that so I refunded it.

Your enemy Purple.

So you shot purple stuff, like a clould. That is your enemy. But your weapons can hold that back. Dont ask me how.

Until you are able to run from it. So you run from that planet.

It is it. Allow yourself to disable your brain and flee from that . Or flee from this game.

While it's ok for the full price i'm going to have to give a no. This is more of an iPad style game and very simplistic.

Decently fun if you like a good campain with clear progression. Had a good hours on it. Well worth the money

Unique gameplay and a community map feature that keeps this game interesting forever even after beating all story missions. The story wasn't good, but it didn't matter to me. Definitely a game to keep installed and pick up frequently.

good tower defense game fighting a liquid enemy. Would recommend.

Creeper World 4 masterfully elevates the series' signature real-time strategy gameplay by introducing a fully 3D environment, offering both longtime fans and newcomers a fresh and engaging experience.​

The transition to 3D enhances the strategic depth, allowing players to exploit terrain elevations for tactical advantages. High ground positions extend weapon ranges and improve visibility, adding layers of complexity to base building and defense strategies. The game's physics-based fluid dynamics bring the relentless Creeper to life, with waves that ebb and flow, creating a palpable sense of urgency and immersion. ​
Steam Store
+1
Steam Community
+1

Visually, Creeper World 4 presents a clean and functional aesthetic. While it may not boast cutting-edge graphics, the design effectively conveys crucial gameplay information, ensuring clarity during intense moments. The interface is intuitive, facilitating smooth navigation and control. However, some players have noted that the tutorial could be more comprehensive, particularly for those new to the series. ​
eXplorminate

The game offers a robust array of content, including a 20-level campaign, daily missions, and a map editor for user-generated content, providing substantial replayability. The inclusion of experimental co-op multiplayer adds another dimension, allowing players to collaborate against the Creeper menace. ​
eXplorminate
Steam Store

While the core gameplay remains engaging, some missions can feel repetitive, and certain levels may appear more linear in their solutions. Despite these minor drawbacks, the overall experience is compelling and rewarding. ​

Final Verdict:
🟢 9/10 – Creeper World 4 successfully revitalizes its classic gameplay with a thoughtful 3D transformation, offering a strategic and immersive experience that stands out in the real-time strategy genre.

I have sunk a few hours in this game and have to say its great. It is a good challenge and the dailies can be some great brain teasers. It is quite the compact experience with a main campaign and another campaign on top of the dailies/community maps/ and the maps you can generate to your liking. If you would like a simple arcade tower defense like game have at it its here for you,

I've been playing knuckle cracker's creeper world since 2008 when it was on shockwave flash, it was awesome back then.. he was explaining how the shortest path formula too.. for the cell pathfinding.. then I got addicted.. lovely game.

very good game if you learn what everything does

very fun games. all the Creeper World games.

Just a chill tower defense game with as simple mechanics. multiplayer is rough around the edges but at least it has multiplayer!

This shit is addictive, my first time playing this series and oh boy.

Great addition to the classics. Fun campaign, lots of custom maps. Addictive.

it's a fun strategy game

Super fun game! I've played all Creeper World games and always liked the varied mechanics. The game allows for relaxed and slow play but also for 'challenge runs' to achieve a good time. Best of all are the community generated maps, it's a super creative community.

My favourite single player game ever, simply. Love the Creeper world series :)

Same great game, new dimension to think in!

It's just so good. The challenge of each level is in building up your infrastructure and defense in the right order to stabilize yourself before you die. Then you can just slowly expand, chipping away at the enemy bit by bit. Very satisfying and chill in a surprising way. One of my all-time favorites.

Pretty much the only RTS game so far that hooked me to the end

Don't play it for the story, it's always "creeper is bac, muss kill". The strategy and tower defense are god-tier. You can either be resourceful and cautious or hold the position, spam buildings and go all-in with 300x towers that will not survive.

Worth a 100% achievements run.

A very fresh and engaging take on TDS and RTS I would definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in the genre.

A worthy addition to the Creeper franchise. While not necessary to play Creeper 1 to 3, it is highly recommended. The story continues but this time in 3D fashion and is equally (if not more) enjoyable than the previous installments. Everything is here including some new mechanics unique to the new 3D environment. A recommend if you liked any of the other games, and a must-buy when on discount.

its a W game

I haven't played anything like it before. An endless onslaught to defend against while trying to expand and capture the map.

10/10

The peak of the saga.

fun but i hate it so times

Very chill and relaxing game that scratches an itch deep in my brain

Wonderful game from a passionate developer. The main selling point is that it is a RTS game where the enemy is a liquid. This gimmick is unique and leads to interesting level design, especially later in the game when you have bridges across gaps in the map. There is a 'flow' to the enemy's advancement making everything feel like a war of attrition. The levels I found last either from 20 to 50 mins. The resource management keeps you engaged, but it does not feel like you are just watching go up and down. You really need to keep track of your resources, incoming waves of enemies, and the movement of your towers towards your mission goals. Get it if you have an interest in RTS or Creeper World in general.

w game

I enjoyed the previous entries to the series. This one, for its price, just feels like a step back for no real gain. The towers felt lack luster, the 19th mission is a shit design, the inability to manually dictate build priority is G A R B A G E design for a strat game, the beacons see little to no use and feel pointless beyond 2-3 missions, Platforms are given far too late, SKIMMERS ARE GODDAMN STUPID, sentinels are beaten by deforming terrain and feel entirely pointless beyond slowing the player for a total of 5 minutes.......

I really did enjoy creeper world 3 and 2, and enjoyed the space game they did. I do NOT recommend this game at full price.

Outstanding! Tower Defence to the extreme! Hold back the waves and slowly push them back. I've FINALLY beaten the Farsite expedition, yet there is still so much more!!! Absolutely love it! A surprisingly addictive must have!

Just get it! It runs just fine on my 11 year old PC. Its cheap and gives you 20H~ of playtime for just the campaign only

its as good as the rest. But in 3D

Easy to learn, addictive and highly satisfying.

great game. 10 out of 10. I love returning to play this every now and them for an hour or two at a time.

It's another good game in the Creeper World series. Not sure the 3D aspect brought much to the table. Not bad, just not the same as playing with 2D. I think this series is about all tapped out. There were a few challenging maps towards very end of the game but otherwise any seasoned player from the older games will easily breeze thru this. Still a welcomed edition that I enjoyed playing.