n Drone Tactics, bug-loving kids are magically transported to a bug world and need to fight an evil bug menace with – you guessed it – bugs. While the game’s premise may not seem too sophisticated, fans of turn-based strategic combat will find several satisfying elements in Drone Tactics’ interesting (but not revolutionary) take on the genre.

Let’s get the worst over with: The story in Drone Tactics is absolutely terrible. I’ve seen more compelling tales unfold in cereal commercials. Thankfully, the game knows better than to waste your time with plot; the interludes between battles are mercifully brief, giving you only the barest amount of text necessary to set up the next fight. Then things pick up again.

The basic conventions are all present in battle. You’ll gradually build an army of units, and each one will have certain strengths you try to match up against enemy weaknesses. A couple of cool touches spice up the routine a little, such as the game’s emphasis on terrain. Different land tiles influence your movement decisions, because they have a significant impact on your ability to attack and defend. You can also use cards to augment your actions, which is an idea I like in theory, but the lame touch-screen minigames that accompany every card really throw a wrench in the gears.

Drone Tactics has a few perks off the battlefield, too. The customization options are especially neat, letting you create your own emblem for your army and change the color scheme of specific units. Unfortunately, some minor control over the visuals isn’t enough to overcome the worn path this game walks in terms of gameplay and design. Drone Tactics is functional and occasionally fun, but it never gets exciting.