E3 2014: Defense Grid 2 Hands On

I haven't really given much attention to tower defense styled games since I gave up playing Fantasica on my mobile devices. But I'm always interested in seeing what the genre is capable of, and seeing the sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed titles, Defense Grid: The Awakening, seemed like a promising prospect, and 505 Games was more than willing to show off what Hidden Path Entertainment has been up to in making Defense Grid 2.

Coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC this fall, Defense Grid 2 is all about each individual player's strategy. In the short hands-on time I had with the game I saw how the game is literally shaped to how you want to play, from the layout of objects to funnel the aliens, to the upgradeable defensive turrets that set aliens ablaze, or slow them down, or simply gun them down, the variety was immediately noticeable. The new two-player co-op multiplayer also offered an interesting take on traditional tower defense, each player gets their own sections of the map to build on, so it's imperative that you both have a solid game plan going in to each fight. There's also competitive multiplayer that will allow you to change your opponents gameplay experience mid-match, through the use of special field mechanics and defensive units.

PC players will also be able to design their own levels and share them online, which Hidden Path Entertainment will be keeping a close eye on and vetting some of the better maps that people create. For the purpose of the demo, I was able to try the game on the PS4, and found that the game play holds up perfectly well, and the visuals were nice and crisp. We'll see more of Defense Grid 2 when it launches this fall.