The fight for resources is heating up to the point where the planet is being destroyed. No, not in reality (well, maybe), in Greed Corp, the latest XBLA title from W! Games. While the other recent game with the name Greed was not cool, in this case, Greed is good.

Greed Corp is a turn-based strategy where you must outwit, outlast and outmaneuver the opposition in the grab for resources. The problem is that in grabbing those resource you also destroy the land, even under your very feet at times. But that’s fine, just so long as you’re the last person with troops standing and land to stand on.

The premise is that Mistbound, the universe in which W! Games will create multiple games, is undergoing a sort of industrial revolution and that means resources are needed. In order to get those resources, a land grab is going on. It’s all out war to say the least. The game has four factions, 24 maps and hour after hour of strategic joy. Along with the single player campaign is also online multiplayer of course where four opponents can battle it out on 36 maps.

It’s hard to describe the game really. It’s sort of like an old RTS like StarCraft or C&C but when resources are depleted, so is the land and it collapses around you and it’s turn-based. Each octagonal piece of land has a specific height (denoted by the number or absence of cracks in it as well as physically). As the land subsides it becomes more and more decimated until it simply crumbles, taking any units or buildings along for the tumble into the mist. Yes, I know it’s turn-based but every action has a direct impact on the rest of the game and so it feels more real-time.

You must build harvesters to get the resources, armories to build walkers (the main unit in the game), cannons and ammo to blast land away from opponents and carriers to transport your walkers over the void between remaining land. That is pretty much all the units you’ve got but it’s more than enough.

In the multiplayer area you can play in ranked or player matches with 2-4 players. The 36 maps are broken up into 12 maps each for 2,3 and 4-player games. If you haven’t got three friends you can create a public game or include some computer players. There are also leaderboards to see the best of the best and get yourself there is that’s what you’re interested in. Finally, there’s XBLA party compatibility as well.

The game is pretty cool all around. The graphics are interesting and help to keep your mind in the game. The soundtrack harkens back to the heady days of the Charleston and the first trans-atlantic crossings by a solo pilot. They weave together a universe that tells a story, a story that you want to see through to the end and the only way to do that is to keep playing. Who will stand on the last piece of land? That’s for you to decide.