Forge Of Empires: A strategic way to spend your free time!

Forge of Empires is a strategy game reminiscent to Clash of Clans, with an emphasis on building a strong community and researching new technologies through the ages, such as more effective tools and building up a defense against enemies. The game has had me hooked from the start, when I used to play it many years ago as a young kid. Now that I'm older, my fondness for Forge Of Empires has grown broader, whilst at the same time appreciating the core values of which the game is about. This game has been one of my favourite online games (on mobile and via Facebook on my PC) for at least 2 years and is a testament to a game that is great at being able to suck you in and keep you playing for many, many years. It's a game I am willing to play for years to come. The excitement of learning a new technology or conquering a new land is amazing

The overall look of the game is very medieval-like, which is what the game's aim is to be. There is a strong emphasis on the social aspects of the game, such as being able to attack your allies' civilisations, or to lend them aid wherever needed. This contact with fellow human beings makes you feel less unsociable and, for some who struggle to find friends in real life, can be a way of interacting with other people without meeting them in person (which is what people with anxiety issues or other mental health issues find difficult). These people you meet in the game can very soon become one of your Facebook friends, who you can talk to and discuss important topics. Forge of Empires gives you the opportunity to ask them for help in-game, and vice versa. You can use one another's expertise in the game to help each other get through tough parts in the game (such as being able to build a strong enough army to take over other nearby civilisations).

The Research tree is very rewarding. You know exactly what the next technology to research into will be after the next, and it gives you the sense of accomplishment as you learn through the ages all of the necessary skills that are required to unlock new buildings, defenses, army troops, building materials and whatnot. You get rewarded either with coins from completing said quest lines, or occasionally you will get a land expansion. Use these very sparingly; the expansions are not that big! Personally I'd recommend to move your buildings around in a very economical way, so to minimise the space that is wasted. This means that you can build more houses, earning you more coins (even if the houses don't give you that much coin anyway). The best way to be economical with your space is to plan the town out in your mind - Draw the roads out first, to connect all the houses and buildings to each other, and then build around that.

Whatever way you end up playing Forge of Empires, it's worth every second of time that you spend playing.