Slide To Play Q & A: Trenches 2

As big fans of the World War I-based game Trenches and its zombie-themed follow-up Stenches, we've been looking forward to Trenches 2 ever since it was announced. So we hit up Thunder Works Games producer Kris Jones to chat about the game, which comes out in December. Read on for the scoop.

Can you tell us a bit about the world of Trenches? How does it fit into real-life history, and how does the Stenches zombie spin-off fit into the storyline?

Trenches takes place during the Great War, also known World War I, but with a humorous and character-driven twist with our two iconic main characters, Tommy and Jerry. While the weapons and locations are based in the real world, the game takes on a light-hearted appeal.

Every great game needs zombies, so we added a Zombie Horde mode. Much to our surprise, this mode was the most popular and we got a lot of requests for more of it. Stenches, a play on the word Trenches, was our response for more zombie stuff.

What were some of the improvements fans were asking for after Trenches 1? Were you able to include their suggestions in the sequel?

Hands down, the two biggest requests were new units and more nations. There were also a lot more minor requests and we are happy to say that we've added just about everything, within reason, to Trenches 2. We've tripled the number of units, quadrupled the types of artillery, added unlockable perks, a world map for the campaign, fog of war, and more local and online multiplayer modes. Also, we are launching with three nations: Britain, Germany, and France-- each with their own perks and benefits.

What are the biggest, best new features in the sequel?

The most exciting features for us are definitely the new units and artillery, which players customize and choose before each battle, as it adds a higher level of dynamic gameplay.

How did online multiplayer change the Trenches experience when it was first introduced? Will multiplayer be a part of the sequel as well?

Players were very excited to take the battle online. The biggest indicator of this was how quickly we went from out of the Top 100 in the AppStore to number 3 immediately following the multiplayer update. Given that, we've put a significant amount of effort into the multiplayer aspects, such as new game modes, unlockables through continuous, and more.

How do you avoid making a familiar genre feel stale? What sets Trenches apart from similar defense games?

There is a saying in the games industry "There are no new ideas, just better execution." Whether or not that's true, we did focus on better execution of a game in our genre. Not only did we improve on the fun of the gameplay, but we put a considerable amount of effort into the artistic style, the vocals, the music, and the overall atmosphere to make Trenches 2 a great experience.

Are there any planned updates or additional features after the game launches?

Absolutely! We updated Trenches frequently for over a year and we hope to do the same with Trenches 2. One of the first updates will be more nations, such as American and Russian forces.