Maelstrom is an online strategy role-playing video game based on the famous Maelstrom TV show of the 1970s. This game is based on the TV show featuring Frank Sands and featuring John Hodgman as the hero, John Maelstrom. For those who don’t know, Maelstrom is an alternate future version of our current political scene in which the United States invades Mars to get a hold of the Orbiting planets that were stolen by an interplanetary warlord named Kang. The US troops arrive at the Mars Station “orbiting” the Earth too late and the invaders are there before they even have a chance to build a sizable force.
Maelstrom: The Battle for Earth starts out with a single player game that focuses on how you can control your entire control group and move them into position to attack enemies. This is similar to controlling multiple units in a multiplayer strategy game like Command and Conquer or Age of War. Some aspects of the gameplay are similar to those games as well. However, it’s also reminiscent of classic Space Invaders games where you need to direct your group of aliens across a map to blast away everything that stands between you and the goal. In this case, the objective is to destroy all the aliens you can see. A good strategy is to group up your units together, so you can move them around as much as possible and attack any space creatures that wander into your area of operation.
Unlike most other games that use a single screen, the game looks pretty large. I guess that’s why it’s modeled after a TV series. I would have liked to have seen more detail when it came to the actual gameplay, but overall it looks pretty good. If you want a highly competitive multiplayer PvP experience, you’re going to love the Maelstrom PvP.
When you start out in the Maelstrom, you’ll be at level 1 and in the command chair, next to the admiral. You can build your research wing as you progress through the levels, unlocking more powerful units as you go. The overall goal of the game is to be the first person to complete all the quests and win the naval combat against all the other players. There are three opposing teams in the game, each one trying to sink your capital ship and take over the map. There are many different types of quests and missions in the Maelstrom, and you’ll find them pretty varied.
Your primary goal is to try and stay afloat long enough to reach the last two survivors in your primary fleet, called the capital ships. You can earn upgrades for your capital ships by winning battles and capturing territories, and then you will be able to assign crew members to them. Some of these crew members can fly during combat, so there are some real tactics involved.
Some of the common combat units in the game include the gargantuan dreadnought, fire saloon, boarding party, and the arbalest. All of these have their own abilities which are used to great effect in combat. As you progress through the levels, you’ll find more of these types of units being used. When you engage in battle, you’ll need to select the right unit types and learn to use them effectively. It’s possible to purchase power ups for your units at certain points in the game, which will give you an advantage during battle.
As you progress through the various islands of the Maelstrom, you’ll meet with three main races. The humans are the ones that initially set foot on the Maelstrom. They were drawn there by the promise of a wealth of gold. The Sailsmen were from the far east, looking to spread their civilization. And lastly, the Bahmi, who was locked away deep underground many centuries before. All three of these factions fight for supremacy in the game, as they each have different benefits, weaknesses, and advantages over the other.
The Sailsmen are well suited to large battles, while the Bahmi are well suited to short, intense combat. This detail really helps make the game looks real, as the colors are vibrant and realistic. Also, the music and sounds are excellent. The overall Maelstrom iPad game experience is great.