Gemcraft Chapter 0 Walkthrough

A sequel of sorts, Gemcraft Chapter 0 follows the same basic premise as Gemcraft, with a few changes to the way the game is laid out and a new story to kick off the game. The way the game is played, however, remains mostly the same so if you were a fan of the first, you're probably going to be a fan of this one as well. This game is what tower defense games are all about. It's engrossing, entertaining and addictive. once you start playing, you don't want to stop. That said, this game as made several improvements over the last one making it even more appealing to a broader range of tower defense game fans. At the start of the game, you're told you're on the hunt for the 'Gem of Eternity' - a hunt you've been on for a decade. This is quite a gemstone. It offers eternal life, opens gates to other worlds and even gives you the power of commanding creatures. Not hard to imagine why you'd want it and especially why you'd want to keep it out of the wrong hands. Your challenge is to use your magical powers to fight your way through the wilderness to find the 'Gem of Eternity' and make it yours. As you might expect, that isn't exactly an easy challenge to overcome. Take a few moments to read the into to the game. It isn't very long, but it's interesting and gives you a little more background to the game which gives it an added level of intrigue.

The basic premise of Gemcraft Chapter 0 is the same as not only the original Gemcraft game but also the same as the premise most other map based tower defense games are based on. You are shown a map with a starting point and an end point. You'll build towers along the path on that map to take out the enemies that are attacking from the starting point. Your goal is simple - take out all of the enemies before they reach the end point. If you allow too many bad guys to pass, your game will end. No one wants that. To prevent that from happening, you need to not only build towers but create gems for those towers. You'll create gems using mana. You only have a limited amount of mana, though, so if you want to win, you need to have a strategy. The good news is that you earn mana for every enemy you take out. This game involves a lot of logical thinking and that's really what makes it so much fun. It's not a mindless shoot 'em up game. Instead, you really have to use your head. Because you earn mana for every enemy you kill, logic dictates that you should take out those enemies as quickly as possible. Place a higher level gem in the first tower even if it costs you more mana. As that tower takes out enemies, you'll be able to create new gems and equip the other towers. If you time everything well, you'll be able to made the additional towers just as strong as the first, but do so over time. This gives you the best shot at taking out all of the enemies in the level.

The differences between Gemcraft Chapter 0 and the original Gemcraft game are evident as soon as you begin playing. The map is more clearly laid out in the game with the buttons you'll use to access your stats, amulets, skills, save slots, menu and other games all shown on the right side of the screen instead of hidden at the top of the screen. In addition, instead of scrolling from left to right to view more of the game screen in this game, you scroll from top to bottom. Even the icons that mark the levels are slightly different. They're still just as easy to read and hovering over the icon still brings up the same stats about the level (number of waves, available gems, and level Id) but more differences become obvious one you click to begin a level. First, you're asked to select a 'battle mode'. Not only is this an option you won't encounter in the first game, but it's also one that it missing from most of the tower defense games online; an absence, that until now, I was sadly not acquainted with. However, by adding this one feature to the game, the creators have made the game much more appealing. You must first beat the level in normal mode to unlock additional options, but that shouldn't be difficult for most experienced players to do. The hard part will be leveling up your wizard enough to be able to play those additional modes. This is still a great option though. It gives you something to strive for once you're beaten the game allowing you to enjoy the game much longer. This is something many newcomers will have a hard time with, but beating all of the battle modes is not necessary to win the game.

Another key difference between Gemcraft Chapter 0 and the original Gemcraft game is the number of skill points you earn each time you level up. Instead of earning just four skill points, you earn five. This allows you to buy new skills more quickly. In addition, it is also slightly easier to get amulets (which give you additional points). There are far more amulets in this game than in the first, so take a little time to see what you can earn. Trying to amulets will help you level up faster allowing you to also accumulate points more quickly. As you progress, new skills will be unlocked. You can redistribute skill points as well which is yet another feature that sets this game apart from most of the other tower defense games online, but this is also a feature that was available in the first game. Carrying this feature from one game to the next was definitely a good idea as skill points can be difficult to get. If you're having a hard time getting through a battle, you can go into the 'skills' tab from the main map and readjust your skills to focus more on what you need to get through a battle. Definitely a big advantage.

One of the additions to Gemcraft Chapter 0 that will pose the most challenge for players of any skill or experience level is the addition of 'monster beacons'. While you can destroy these beacons, you will need a grade three gem at the very least and you will need decent aim. If you miss, the beacon will remain unaffected. There are four different types of beacons - each of which offers the monsters something different. Some will prevent you from building towers or traps in the areas surrounding them. Others will heal the monsters or bless them with temporary invulnerability. You need to take this beacons into account when you are planning your battle strategy. Take out those beacons as quickly as you can without sacrificing gems for your towers. You need gems in your towers to shoot the monsters. Focus on that first and then focus on taking out the beacons. Along with monster beacons, shrines are a new addition to this game, but unlike beacons, they work in your favor. You'll find shrines throughout the game. You can activate new spells with these shrines by dragging a gem onto them the same way you would to drag a gem to destroy a beacon. The type of spell you will depend on the gem you use. These shrines have only a limited charge so be smart about using them. Don't waste all of their power just playing around with them to see what they'll do. Wait to use them until you really need them. That way, you'll get the most benefit possible from them.

Probably the best addition to Gemcraft Chapter 0 is the addition of more traps. Traps will be a bit tricky to get used to, even for experienced tower defense game players, because they're fairly uncommon in this genre. Basically, you can place traps directly in the path of your enemy. Your gems don't deal as much direct damage when placed in traps as they would when place in a tower, but the special abilities of the gem is greatly increased. If you place traps well and choose the right gems to put in them, they can be a huge benefit. The key to using traps to their full advantage is to figure out where on the path they will be of most use and what kind of gem would offer the biggest advantage in the trap. The best place to put your traps is on a curve in the path with a tower close by. You'll be able to deliver damage from two sources and to a wider range of enemies that way. In addition, this game also allows you to swap gems between towers. For example, if you have a grade three red gem and a grade one red gem both placed on a tower, but you need more power to take out enemies where you grade one red gem is placed, you can swap the positions of the gems. This allows you to have the most power where you need it the most. This is especially useful if you placed the gems expecting enemies to attack from one direction only to find that they're attacking from another direction. It happens quite often in this game, so use the ability to swap to its full advantage.

The best way to do well in Gemcraft Chapter 0 is to focus on the gems and the strengths of each type of gem. Because you are able to combine gems, look at the most beneficial combinations to make and always make sure you have all possible entrance points covered. Taking out complete waves of enemies early not only earns you bonus points, but it also reduces the strain on your other towers. Put your strongest gems at the towers at the entrances to the map, use the towers in the middle for lower strength gems and cover your castle with another strong gem. It doesn't have to be the strongest gem possible, but it should at be at least grade two or three. This will cover any enemies that get past your other towers. Traps are best used on curves in the path, at the entrances and at the exits. Remember, though, you get extra points if you don't use any traps at all or build any additional towers. In some levels you will need to build new towers - especially later in the game - but traps aren't entirely necessary if you use your towers well.

Overall, Gemcraft Chapter 0 is one of the most engrossing and addictive tower defense games online simply because it really challenges you to think. It will take a little while for newcomers to the tower defense genre to get used to this one and even more experienced players will need a little time to adjust to all the additional features the game offers, but if you take your time and think about your moves, you will be able to get the hang of this one. If you're feeling like a particular battle is hopeless and you want to start over, click the options button in the top right of the screen and restart the battle. This gives you the chance to start over fresh. Although this one can feel a little overwhelming at times, stick with it. You'll be able to get the hang of it eventually and with enough time and practice, will even be able to beat the game. If you're a fan of tower defense games, this is one you absolutely can't afford to miss.