All posts by josechurape

Board Games and TCGs

Star Realms Frontiers is a Great Deck Building Experience

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I was sent a free copy of Star Realms: Frontier to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

If you want to pick up Star Realms or any other board games at fantastic prices, get them over at Game Nerdz through my affiliate link.  

What is Star Realms: Frontier?

Star Realms: Frontiers is a 1-4 player deck-building card game. Gather your resources and build the best fleet in the galaxy. Loyalty to certain factions may help a player cement their place in the galaxy, but only those with the fastest, ships and abundant resources can rule it. Do you have what it takes?

What’s in the box?

Star Realms: Frontiers comes with 152 cards, including an 80-card trade deck and 8 oversized challenge cards for solo and cooperative play.

Quality

The quality is fantastic. This is a beautifully printed game with high-quality pieces. I am very happy with the weight and thickness of the cards, and they feel durable enough to survive a few years of consistent use. I sleeved them like a crazy person, but the sleeved deck fits snugly in the compact box for easy storage. I like to sleeve card games where I have to shuffle a lot to keep the cards in good condition and because it makes shuffling the decks easier.

Gameplay

Players will take turns spending and generating resources, and attacking their enemies. Each player and NPC starts with a set amount of Authority and the same basic deck. Authority is lost through combat. A player or NPC loses the game when Authority drops to zero. During a turn, players can cast cards that generate resources to buy ships, stations, or bases. Players can also summon units to attack.

As the game progresses, players will upgrade their decks. Building towards a certain faction can give players access to more power, but they are always at the mercy of RNG, especially in bigger games. While going in with a strategy is important, being flexible and adapting to the changes in the trade deck is what wins games.

For those who want to play alone or the group that needs a challenge, Star Realms: Frontiers comes with 8 challenge cards that successfully adjust the difficulty. Players have the freedom to adjust the game to their skill level, but also have access to the added flavor of each imaginative scenario.

How to Play

The instructions were a bit confusing, so I recommend looking up a guide. Whose Turn? does a decent job explaining the rules. I’ll leave his video bellow:

Review

I love deck builders and Star Realms: Frontiers does not disappoint. The art and flavor did a lot to attract me at first, but the gameplay kept me playing. I love that no two games were ever alike, nor did I ever use the same strategy twice. What I found impressive was that the game never felt solvable. I am sure this opinion will change with more play-throughs, but the game feels fairly balanced.

I don’t always have people to play with, so I appreciate the inclusion of a solo mode. Solo mode has players solve different scenarios. Players are given NPCs and rules on how to run them. If the encounter is too easy, the game provides additional challenges to help adjust the difficulty. Each scenario feels unique, and the challenges add enough depth to keep the game fun and interesting. You can run scenarios with your friends, but I don’t have to friend group to test this properly.

If you enjoy deck-building games, this is a fantastic and compact one to keep on your shelves. Setup is easy and the games go fast, but the onboarding can be a little tricky. Even for the experienced gamer, there is going to be some initial confusion. The game isn’t impossible to learn, but it does require a bit of extra effort. Once players can overcome this hurdle, Star Realms: Frontiers is a very good time. I recommend it to everyone.

You can pick up your copy of Star Realms: Frontiers on Game Nerdz (17.47) or Amazon ($29.99) through my affiliate links.

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive TCG: Mortal Ambition – Jin Starter Deck List

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If you’re trying to pick up the Kongming deck, make sure you always support your LGS. If that isn’t an option, you can find it over on TCG Player through my affiliate link.

If you’re looking for unique sleeves or deck boxes to keep your cards safe, get them over at Gem Accessories. Use discount code churapereviews10 at checkout for 10% off your order.

Material Deck

  • Spirit of Wind
  • Jin, Fate Defiant
  • Jin, Zealous Maverick
  • Bauble of Abundance
  • Life Essence Amulet
  • Safeguard Amulet
  • Executioner’s Spear
  • Steel Halberd
  • Slate Whetstone
  • Shuang Ji of Sacrifice
  • Berserker Plate

Main Deck

  • Safeguard Paladin x 4
  • Veteran Soldier x 3
  • Trusty Steed x 3
  • Banner Knight x 2
  • Swift Recruit x 4
  • Eminent Commander x 4
  • Savage Swing x 4
  • Pierce the Heavens x 4
  • Wind Cutter x 3
  • Idle Thoughts x 4
  • Regenerate x 3
  • Favorable Winds x 4
  • Materialize Polearm x 3
  • Reclaim x 2
  • Enrage x 4
  • Hemorrhaging Rend x 2
  • Exia Sight x 2
  • Bloodbond Bladesworn x 2
  • Mend Flesh x 2
  • Relentless Outburst x 1
Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive TCG: Kongming Starter Deck List

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If you’re trying to pick up the Kongming deck, make sure you always support your LGS. If that isn’t an option, you can find it over on TCG Player through my affiliate link.

If you’re looking for unique sleeves or deck boxes to keep your cards safe, get them over at Gem Accessories. Use discount code churapereviews10 at checkout for 10% off your order.

Material Deck

  • Spirit of Water
  • Kongming, Wayward Maven
  • Kongming, Ascetic Vice
  • Kongming, Fel Eidolon
  • Bauble of Abundance
  • Fan of Seven Debts
  • Life Essence Amulet
  • Shard of Empowerment
  • Tariff Ring
  • Sweet Ambrosia
  • Coronal of Rejuvenation
  • Entrancing Filigree

Main Deck

  • Ardent Cloudstriker x 4
  • Formidable Youxia x 4
  • Harmonious Mantra x 4
  • Heighten Spellcraft x 4
  • Idle Thoughts x 2
  • Spirited Neophyte x4
  • Wisdom’s Reprise x 3
  • Cone of Frost x 3
  • Coriolis Ward x 4
  • Hydroguard Retainer x 3
  • Rising Tides x 3
  • Taiji of Crystal Strategems x 4
  • Tsunami of Nanyue x 3
  • Water Barrier x 2
  • Devoted Bloomweaver x 4
  • Leeching Bolt x 3
  • Planar Abyss x 1
  • Ruinous Pillars of Qidao x 2
  • Tera Sight x 3

video game reviews

Potion Tycoon is a Mediocre Management Sim. It Wasn’t for me

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I was sent a free copy of Potion Tycoon to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the Epomaker P75 Mechanical Keyboard and the Uhuru Gaming mouse for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you’re thinking of hosting your own blog on WordPress, make sure you sign up using my Affiliate link!

What is Potion Tycoon?

Potion Tycoon is a management simulator out now on steam.

The world is full of adventure, intrigue, and danger. Adventures are always in need of a good potion shop, and it is up to you to fill that void.
Build your shop, hire your employees, and create the best shop in the land. Do you have what it takes to fill the realm’s need for potions and tonics, or will you go bankrupt trying?

Gameplay

Players can play through a tutorial to get their shop started. While the tutorial does show the players some of the game’s mechanics, it isn’t very helpful. You are going to have to look things up.

Players will have the opportunity to build and expand their potion shop with a good amount of freedom. The player can choose when to upgrade, what to upgrade, who to hire, and what to build. The only real limit is money and a player’s level. Players can only hire low-level employees, but will eventually gain access to better more efficient units.

Once the store is built, players will need to manage the operations. Workers need to be happy and paid to complete their assignments. Potions need a steady supply of ingredients, and a good alchemist to brew and bottle them. There needs to be a steady supply of the exact potion a customer needs or they won’t enter the store. Running a successful potion shop hinges on the ability to manage each part of the operation efficiently.

Does it work on the Steam Deck?

No, but the Steam Deck lets you know it isn’t a good port. It isn’t unplayable and with a bit more tweaking it might work, but it isn’t worth the trouble. This game looks and feels awful on the Steam Deck.

Review

People who enjoy the different bits of management might have a better time with Potion Tycoon, but I thought it was boring. The first issue I have with this game is that the mechanics aren’t explained properly in the tutorial. You can find a solution to any issue online, but I shouldn’t have to. I don’t want the game to handhold, but some proper direction, especially for crucial mechanics, would be nice. I got stuck on my first run because no one wanted to work and I didn’t understand. This lack of direction is going to turn off a lot of casual players because the difficulty comes from a lack of proper communication rather than a skill-based challenge.

My biggest issue with this game is that it feels like work. Clicking through each chore to get the shop up and running isn’t fun, especially when you compare it to other games in the genre. This isn’t the worst management game out there, but it seems to be made for a specific type of gamer, and it isn’t going to be the casual one.

If you like management games, you have better options. If you are interested in the game, I would wait for a sale. You can pick up Potion Tycoon on Steam for $19.99.

video game reviews

Royal Revolt Warriors was Okay, but it Still Needs Work

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I was sent the Royal Revolt Warriors demo to review for my blog. I understand the game isn’t finished yet, so I will be a bit more lenient with my impressions.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the Epomaker P75 Mechanical Keyboard and the Uhuru Gaming mouse for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you’re thinking of hosting your own blog on WordPress, make sure you sign up using my Affiliate link!

What is Royal Revolt Warriors?

Royal Revolt Warriors is an action roguelike fantasy bullet hell coming to early access on Steam.

Players take control of powerful warriors and defend against an endless onslaught of powerful monsters. The demo only supports single-player at the moment, but the full version will let you team up with your friends for a quirky good time. Choose the right weapons, buy permanent buffs, and be the hero the realm needs. Do you have what it takes?

Gameplay

Royal Revolt Warriors is a top-down isometric roguelike that fuses bullet hell twin stick mechanics with the arcade hack and slash mechanics. The demo only features three classes (the warrior, hunter, and mage) with more planned for the official release.

Players start each run with a basic attack and can choose a random buff or ability after gaining a level. These buffs and abilities are random, and the RNG isn’t great. All players start with the same limited pool of spells and abilities, but unlock more as they complete challenges. Players can also buy permanent stat increases from gold they earn from a run. This is a game that rewards the player the more time they spend playing the game. A player either clears a level by completing all the objectives, or dying.

Does it Work on the Steam Deck?

The demo works fine on the Steam Deck. The aspect ratio is easy to see, the controls are intuitive without any tweaking, and the gameplay is casual enough for on-the-go gaming. It is not the best twin-stick bullet-hell game you can be playing on the Steam Deck, but it is free. It doesn’t hurt to try.

Impressions

Royal Revolt Warriors feels slow in the beginning, but it starts to pick up when the player starts unlocking new buffs and abilities. The problem with the game is the grind to get to that point feels a bit too steep. I almost gave up on the demo because the grind didn’t feel worth it. The problem with the initial grind is that it makes all the runs feel the same. The limited pool makes it so there are really only a few valid answers when leveling. As a result, bad RNG ruins runs and makes the game feel repetitive. A larger pool of choices initially will make the grind feel less repetitive, even if it only offers an illusion of choice.

The class system feels a bit underwhelming. While I do like the attempt at giving players an option to customize their experience, there really isn’t a reason to choose anything but the mage. The other classes might get better after unlocking stats, but most players won’t make it that far.

The biggest issue with the demo is that it takes too long to get interesting. There still seem to be updates coming, but I will have to wait to see if it makes a difference. It isn’t the worst game you can play in the genre, but it needs a bit more work before it is worth buying. I will be following the game and seeing if it gets any better.

You can check out the demo on Steam.

video game reviews

Into the Emberlands is an Adorable Village Management Game

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I was sent a free copy of Into the Emberlands to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the Epomaker P75 Mechanical Keyboard and the Uhuru Gaming mouse for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you’re thinking of hosting your own blog on WordPress, make sure you sign up using my Affiliate link!

What is Into the Emberlands?

Into the Emberlands is an adorable village management survival game out now on Steam.

A deadly miasma spreads across the Emberlands, consuming all who dare step into its mist. Luckily, the light from the magical lantern at the center of town has the power to repel the mist. Fill your lantern with its magical embers and venture into the mist in search of materials, loot, and new members for your village. Can you find the means to thrive within the encroaching miasma, or will you be lost in its poisonous clouds?

Gameplay

Players will begin their game with a basic village and a few quests to begin their expansion into the miasma. Players then travel through the forest in search of materials, loot, and new villagers. Players can only travel into the forest if they have magical light to guide them. Each step a player takes within the miasma consumes fuel. Players only have a limited amount of fuel for this light, and running out of fuel means death.

Fuel can be replenished by returning to the base, collecting random nodes of embers, or saving a stranded villager. The amount of fuel a player can carry can be upgraded through quests, increasing the number of steps a player can make in the mist, but these upgrades are lost upon death. Make sure you always move carefully, and you are always questing efficiently.

Eventually, the village will become more complex with different helpful buildings, resources, and villagers. The distance that can be traveled will also increase, making the game feel less repetitive.

Does it work on the Steam Deck?

Yes, and it is a solid port. I preferred playing Into the Emberlands on the Steam Deck despite the slight awkwardness. The game runs great, but sometimes the cursor would disappear and other times the camera would be annoying to control. None of these issues made the game unplayable, but they did pop up enough times to be mentioned. Regardless, Into the Emberlands is fun and casual enough to make it the ideal couch or travel game.

Review

Into the Eberlands is a fun new twist to the village management genre. The game runs great, is super adorable, and has a fun yet challenging gameplay loop. Gathering in this game is simple and repetitive, but the ember mechanics make the loop exciting. It is easy to find that you have ventured too far from the village without enough resources to get back. It is also exhilarating to barely make it back to the village after making a series of risky gambles.

It could easily lose days to this game because of how fun, cute, and exciting the loop is. I recommend everyone try at least once.

You can pick up Into the Emberlands on Steam for only $6.59. The game is still in Early Access, but I feel comfortable enough to recommend it. You’ll at the very least get your money’s worth.

Grand Archive TCG

The Mortal Ambition CSRs are Going to Move Packs!

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The Mortal Ambition collector rares have been revealed, and you will want to chase these. I hope my preorder unearths one, but I am never so lucky. The set releases on October 11th. It is a little too late for preorders, but you can probably pick product up from your LGS at launch. You can also pick up Mortal Ambition on TCG Player, but I would wait til after launch for the prices to stabilize a bit. I’m hoping there is enough demand for a second printing because this set is going to be fantastic for folks trying to pick up the game for the first time.

If you’re looking for unique sleeves or deck boxes to keep your cards safe, get them over at Gem Accessories. Use discount code churapereviews10 at checkout for 10% off your order.

video game reviews

Realm of Ink is a Fantastic and Beautiful Roguelike

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I was sent a free copy of Realm of Ink to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the Epomaker P75 Mechanical Keyboard and the Uhuru Gaming mouse for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you’re thinking of hosting your own blog on WordPress, make sure you sign up using my Affiliate link!

What is Realm of Ink?

Red is a talented swords woman who finds herself traversing through the pages of books in her search for the elusive Fox Demon. Her path is not an easy one. Creatures hunt her relentlessly, and although she has help from powerful spirits, it might not always be enough. Make your way through the worlds, collect new abilities, weapons, and characters, and unveil the truth about your existence. Do you have what it takes?

Gameplay

Red must fight her way through the different stages of a world to clear it. Players start each run with a random ink. Inks give Red special abilities to help her on her run. There are 22 inks that can be enhanced or swapped at random intervals of a run. In typical roguelike fashion, players will unlock random passive buffs. Runs in Realm of Ink are very RNG-reliant, but it seemed pretty fair for the most part.

Eventually, players will unlock new forms and weapons to swap between future runs. These forms and weapons are selected before a run, and each has a unique playstyle. These forms combined with the game’s RNG ensure that no two runs are ever the same, and give the game its replayability.

Does it work on the Steam Deck?

Realm of Ink has a fantastic Steam Deck port. I actually preferred the Steam Deck experience because of how good it felt to play on the couch. It doesn’t need any tinkering to get it to work, the game looks great at the aspect ratio, the words are easy to read, and the game is responsive. While playing Realm of Ink gives players a deeper appreciation for the art, they aren’t losing much playing on the Steam Deck. If you’re looking for a solid game to play on the go with good mechanics, a decent story, and fantastic flavor, check out Realm of Ink!

Review

I’ve been excited for Realm of Ink since I played the initial demo. I had my issues the first time around, but the developers have been hard at work to make it all better. The game has been so much fun, and I can tell there is work being put into it for future updates.

I was first drawn to this game because the art is phenomenal. The art only got better the deeper I got into the game. I love the game’s flavor and style. When it comes to the mechanics, the game is solid. The game is easy to learn, but there are enough nuances to keep things technical and interesting. While there were a few runs where the RNG wasn’t in my favor, it was relatively fair. What I liked most about Realm of Ink is that the grind doesn’t feel so bad. Most games in the genre have a grind that starts to feel repetitive and stale. Progression in those games feels slowed by a soul-crushing level grind. The progression in Realm of Ink felt like it was limited by my skill. The better I got at the combat mechanics, even with the less ideal inks, the less the grind became. Even when there was a grind, it didn’t feel bad because I was having fun.

The game is still in early access, and there will be some roughness, but not enough to discourage new players from jumping right in. The developers have been working tirelessly and listening actively to the community, I am sure Realm of Ink will only get better moving forward.

If you enjoy action roguelikes or are looking for a new game to sink some time into, check out Realm of Ink. It is a beautiful game with fun mechanics that is worth every cent at full price.

You can pick up your copy of Realm of Ink on Steam for only $16.99. There is a fantastic demo available if you don’t believe me.

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive: Most of the Mortal Ambition Set List Revealed!

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The Mortal Ambition set list is live, and the art is just as good as I expected. There is a good amount of valuable reprints, new powerful cards I am desperate to try, and some fantastic CSRs to collect. Make sure you always support your LGS, but you can always pick up Mortal Ambition on TCG Player through my affiliate link. I would wait for release for pricing to stabilize though.

Water

Fire

Wind

Norm

Exia

Tera

Luxem

video game reviews

The Nameless: Slay Dragon is My Favorite Fantasy RPG

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I was sent a free copy of The Nameless: Slay Dragon to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.

If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the Epomaker P75 Mechanical Keyboard and the Uhuru Gaming mouse for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals. If you’re thinking of hosting your own blog on WordPress, make sure you sign up using my Affiliate link!

What is The Nameless: Slay Dragon

The Nameless: Slay Dragon is a choose your own adventure style RPG game out now on Steam.

You watched your village burn after a vicious dragon attack when you were too young to defend yourself. You spent the rest of your time training, preparing for the day when you can take your revenge. Now with a few years of training under your belt, you set off to become a royal knight and slay some dragons. This is no easy task. The road is full of bloodthirsty monsters who will tear you down mercilessly if you aren’t prepared. Gather your party, buy the best gear, and set off on an unforgettable adventure. Do you have what it takes to defeat a dragon?

Gameplay

The Nameless: Slay Dragon is a unique choose-your-own adventure game with interesting exploration, combat, and skill check mechanics. Players progress through the story through a series of nodes. Nodes let players mine for resources and progress the story, but they can also trigger skill checks and combat. The player can and should plan how to approach their adventure, but some events will be unavoidable. Players are always a bad skill check away from a total party kill.

The Nameless features an interesting crafting mechanic. Players can farm nodes for materials for potions, weapons, and gear, but farming increases a character’s fatigue. The more fatigued a character is, the higher the chances are they will fail a skill check. This creates an interesting dynamic where players have to balance between crafting and exploring or risk burning out early.

Combat in this game is what you would expect from your typical RPG. Players choose the party actions at the start of each round, but the party always acts together. The initiative is determined by passing skill checks. I liked this system because it made planning my turns easy and it felt less RNG reliant.

Combat can be unforgiving if players aren’t prepared. While the player does have some freedom in how they approach the story, there is always a chance of running into an impossible enemy or scenario. This game will kill its players at early levels for choosing the wrong node or failing a skill check. Choose wisely.

Does it Work on the Steam Deck?

The Nameless: Slay Dragon is my favorite game for the Steam Deck. It not only runs great, but it is also the perfect portable experience. This is a chill game you can play anywhere, especially on the couch when you’re just trying to relax. The text is legible on the aspect ratio, and the gameplay is involved enough to be engaging without requiring too much skill and precision. If you’re looking for a unique and fun RPG for your Steam Deck collection, you can’t got wrong with this one.

Review

I love this unique RPG. It has great art, a good story, and interesting mechanics. I love the choose-your-own-adventure feel of the game and the challenge of the dungeons. Exploring the dungeon was fun because there was always that lingering fear that the next turn would spell the end of the party.

The Nameless: Slay Dragon does have a grind that can get a little repetitive at times. The combat system does a good enough job of keeping things moving, but there will be some times when you will have to repeat encounters to level up skills and abilities mindlessly. I found the grind therapeutic, but it isn’t going to be for everyone.

The Nameless: Slay Dragon is a fantastic addition to any collection. It is a great RPG with a fun twist and some solid replayability. This is easily one of my favorite games of the year, and it can easily become one of yours too.

You can pick up The Nameless: Slay Dragon on Steam for $17.99.