Looking for a New Tower Defense Obsession? ‘Operation Octo’ Took Me by Surprise, and I Promise It Ain’t Fishy (Demo Impressions)

Sometimes, all it takes to enjoy a genre is a little bit of a shakeup. As much as the concept of Plants Versus Zombies intrigued me, I always found the game incredibly boring to play. The lack of control over anything on the board was my biggest gripe. To be fair, I was roughly 17 years old when the original game came out. I may like it more now. But, I don’t need to revisit the past when the future is right here in front of my face. Operation Octo takes the standard Tower Defense gameplay and drags it under the sea. Charming, easy to learn gameplay makes this one that fans of PvZ and even Bloons TD6 should be keeping their eyes on.

Imagine if ‘Plants Versus Zombies’ Met ‘Splatoon’. ‘Operation Octo’ Is a Unique Take on the Tower Defense Genre, for Sure

Operation Octo gives me complete control over my main character, something that I immediately appreciate about it. Graphically charming, it’s a game that is easy to understand but difficult to master. As all good Tower Defense games should be, right? As I zoom around the board, gathering up energy to start placing down Pistol Shrimp, hordes of skeletons begin to emerge from the depths. While I have no way to defend myself, my blue bomber buddies are putting in overtime to ensure that the clams, as well as I, stay safe. Unfortunately, I started to get a little too cocky as the demo progressed, and started learning lessons the hard way. Skeletons in Operation Octo hit hard, but there are plenty of tricks I could use to get them into the line of fire.

Operation Octo is an ambitious take on tower defense from a solo developer. They’ve done an impressive job converting me into a fan of the TD genre. There are a few things I’d like to see in the final build, including the option to remove and replace my units. But for a game in a genre I typically don’t enjoy? I’ve been having the time of my life with Operation Octo. The speed that matches unfold at is great, and the quirky units and enemies make this one a joy to experience firsthand. The ocean isn’t the only thing that’s deep here, as the gameplay has plenty of depth to it, as well. It’s quirky, cute, and a very impressive solo project that I can’t wait to dive further into.