Hear them out

“WithMonaco, we took an old school genre (Stealth), we simplified the controls, and then we built an incredibly complex game that could be played at high and low skill levels alike. I want to do the same with the RTS genre,” writes Pocketwatch Games’ Andy Schatz. “[ARMADA] is the simplicity ofMonacoinjected into a classic RTS.”

The codenamed project will have the usual base building and army raising, but with an emphasis on making tricky genre elements fun on a dual-analog gamepad, which is no easy feat. “We’re gonna be the first to do it right,” says Schatz. Cue skepticism, I know. But I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt here — they’ve earned that much.

Article image

I’d encourage you to read the full pitch for what Pocketwatch is aiming to accomplish withArmada, linked below. If nothing else, the team’s core philosophies will suffice for now: “[MENTAL] Everything in the game should feel — emotionally and intellectually — like you are playing a traditional RTS like [StarCraft II]. [PHYSICAL] All mechanics must be equally fun on dual analog as they are on keyboard/mouse.” If they can pull it off, more power to them. Godspeed.

John and Molly sitting on the park bench

Close up shot of Marissa Marcel starring in Ambrosio

Kukrushka sitting in a meadow

Lightkeeper pointing his firearm overlapped against the lighthouse background

Overseer looking over the balcony in opening cutscene of Funeralopolis

Edited image of Super Imposter looking through window in No I’m not a Human demo cutscene with thin man and FEMA inside the house

Indie game collage of Blue Prince, KARMA, and The Midnight Walk

Close up shot of Jackie in the Box

Silhouette of a man getting shot as Mick Carter stands behind cover