Lux DLX 3 - Map Conquest Game 9+

Ages ago there was a version of Risk available by EA. It was a nice way to pass the time. I especially enjoyed the medals, and I think I got nearly all of them over time. Recently I tried to download it but there is a new official version that is an ad nightmare, and the only way to get rid of them is to buy gems to unlock. Pure crap.

This game does not suffer from that insanity, it is a straightforward game that I have come to enjoy for short interludes of world conquest. The controls are easy enough to learn though I do sometimes miss the “Fortify” button and end a turn by mistake. Also, when asked about “cashing” in cards for armies, the board is erased of army counts, making it harder to decide if cashing in is necessary or worthwhile to begin a run of capturing all of another color.

Lots of maps, game modes, rulesets, and AI skill levels means you can customize the game pretty much however you could please. No IAP means it’s safe for the kids too, and will help them build strategic mindsets if you teach them to watch and mimic the Reaper AI play style.

My only issue with it is the audio level is permanently bound to the main sound level so if you want to quiet down the explosions you end up doing so for the whole phone, which can lead to issues if you forget (it also mutes itself off the lock switch). You can disable the sound effects outright but the sound design has some useful audio cues for when your thumbs are hiding info. It’d be nice to have a game audio slider option not bound to main volume.

I've played Risk for many years as a board game and on a desktop computer. Many versions in the early 2000s were pretty clunky and slow and browser based ones seemed too slow, spammy, or basic. But this iOS version Lux DLX is speedy, highly configurable, and comes with lots of maps. If you feel like just smashing the opponents, you can make the AIs very easy to beat. But if you set all opponents to reaper mode, it's very difficult. And you can vary up the opponent skills and the number you face. You can run the game at different speeds by limiting the graphics and by automatically rolling dice and moving pieces. It's never the same game twice. I've played this Lux DLX for a year or two now and have rarely encountered glitches. Very well put together game!