InnoGames return to their roots and where it all begins. It was their first browser based MMO Tribal Wars which started their successful journey. Only few friends were needed to decide and create one small game just for them. At first it was just a small “Travian” but when the project got among more people more and more wanted to join making the game grow and turn into a classic called Tribal Wars.

This rocketed InnoGames among the elite and millions of players tried their game. But InnoGames started to grow and publish more and new MMO games, one of the most popular is Forge of Empires. And the last piece? That’s just Tribal Wars 2 and we were able to get into the Closed Beta. Let’s have a look what has changed and how the game looks.

Tribal Wars 2 comes from the good old browser MMO strategy games. You begin with a small base, this time a tribe, to grow, develop and get among the bests. The time period feels like the Middle Ages, it’s not too original but the authors best on the things that work. It can be felt on every step, as you upgrade and improve resources producing building and unlock more infrastructures and as you hire units. Reaching certain level you will being plundering barbarian villages around, there is a lot of them, and farm them as much as possible. They are weak and defenseless at first but in the progressed game they can be tough nuts to crack.

The next phase of the game, when the protection ends, the players start battling among themselves and create alliances or even colonizing more places. Each game round feels that will last few months but I actually haven’t seen any possibility to begin again after you are beaten as many other games offer this possibility. The number and variety of units available in this game is a bit lower but it doesn’t hurt at all. Each has its own role, pros and cons and doesn’t feel overcomplicated, they are just fine and can be kept for the final version. Trade, spying and diplomacy keep the old rules but the graphics has changed a lot and they keep the tempo of the world around. It feels old-school as well but it doesn’t lack anything from the most modern competition.

The game is still in Closed Beta so it cannot be rated because changes may and probably will happen. But it’s clear that InnoGames keeps the classic without overextending content and offer what every browser-based MMORTS needs – easy and fast start, fine user interface, still growing world, big players base and long lasting fun. We only hope that the final version will stay true to what we have seen now and when it’s out we surely will write a review.

You will find the game here.