I was asked to cover the Northwind Steam demo on my blog. The game isn’t finished yet, so I’ll try not to review it too harshly.
Northwind is just another roguelike deck builder coming to PC this year. The demo doesn’t really do much to divert from the traditional gameplay loop. Players start with a basic deck that they improve throughout a run with new cards and abilities. The player restarts the run after losing, and the grind continues.
The game may feature a fantastic art style and a solid soundtrack, but the gameplay in this demo is lacking. It does very little to inspire any further curiosity. It’s hard to recommend the demo because it doesn’t feel finished, especially when there are better games in the genre you could be playing instead. Unless you like the flavor and style, I would wait for a couple more updates. I might come back for an update because I love the art work, but there wasn’t enough to the demo to have me rushing back.
This weekend was SEA Nationals at Agora Hobby, and we got to see some familiar faces. Zander and Toni seem to have carved their place into the meta, but Diana came out on top! I love to see how different regions of the world interact with the same card pool, so lets get into it! I’ll be leaving links to the singles for anyone who needs them. I try to pick the cheapest most available versions for each card.
I’ve only been tracking the top three because this is a bit of work, but I’ll suck it up if there is interest in a top five. Just let me know!
If you need any Grand Archive product, like the latest Alchemical Revolution set, get it over at TCG Player using my affiliate links. If you need accessories for your cards like decks, dice, or bags, get them over at Gem Tech. Use discount code churapereviews10 at checkout for 10% off your order.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials:
Material Deck 1 Spirit of Serene Fire 1 Zander, Prepared Scout 1 Zander, Deft Executor 1 Zander, Blinding Steel 1 Chalice of Blood 1 Grand Crusader’s Ring 1 Nullifying Lantern 1 Orb of Choking Fumes 1 Safeguard Amulet 1 Tariff Ring 1 Insignia of the Corhazi 1 Luxera’s Map
Main Deck 4 Dungeon Guide 4 Exorcise Curses 4 Fast Cure 2 Gawain, Chivalrous Thief 4 Juggle Knives 3 Resolute Stand 4 Scry the Skies 2 Serum of Wisdom 2 Stalwart Shieldmate 4 Thieving Cut 3 Vanish from Sight 4 Creative Shock 4 Excalibur, Cleansing Light 4 Gleaming Cut 4 Lightweaver’s Assault 4 Luxem Sight 4 Uncover the Plot
Temporal Forces releases on March 22nd, so let’s get excited and look through the Steel Type cards it is bringing to the format. This set has some very cool art, and some cards you’re going to want in your collection. I do have the full list available for anyone interested. If you haven’t done so, make sure you go down to your LGS and get your preorders in. If you can’t find Temporal Forces, you can still preorder product on TCG Player using my affiliate link. And if you need accessories like sleeves or deck boxes, get them over at Gem Tech. Use discount churapereviews10 for 10% off your purchase. It really helps me out.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials
[F][C] Primeval Battering: 30x damage. This attack does 30 damage for each of your Ancient Pokémon in play.
[F][F][C] Shred: 130 damage. This attack’s damage isn’t affected by any effects on your opponent’s Active Pokémon.
Koraidon ex
[C][C] Vengeful Hammer: 20+ damage. This attack does 10 more damage for each damage counter on this Pokémon.
[R][F][F] Kaiser Tackle: 280 damage. This Pokémon does 60 damage to itself.
Miraidon
[C] Accelerating Peak: 40 damage. Search your deck for up to 2 Basic Energy cards and attach them to your Future Pokémon in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck.
[L][L][P] Sparking Strike: 160 damage.
Miraidon ex
[L][P] Repulsion Bolt: 60+ damage. If your opponent’s Active Pokémon already has any damage counters on it, this attack does 100 more damage.
[L][P][C] Cyber Drive: 220 damage. During your next turn, this Pokémon can’t use Cyber Drive.
Raging Bolt ex
[C] Bursting Roar: Discard your hand and draw 6 cards.
[L][F] Climactic Descent: 70x damage. You may discard any amount of Basic Energy from your Pokémon. This attack does 70 damage for each card you discarded in this way.
Temporal Forces hits PTCGL this week on March 22nd, which means we’re getting a new battle pass and two new decks. Get ready for the ladder to be flooded with Raging Bolt and Iron Crown decks.
The ladder is also getting a major revamp, which is fantastic news for those of us who like to climb. A post on the official Pokemon Reddit this week highlighted features from the upcoming update on the 19th. The post reads:
The current system sucks. I don’t even try to do the climb anymore because it isn’t worth it. If you’ve attempted to climb the ladder, you understand my frustration. Currently, you lose and gain 10 points per match depending on the results. Having a decent win rate helps you climb, but sometimes you do everything right but never pull the cards you need. It becomes a soul-crushing grind and I can’t wait to see what comes with the revamp.
Now if you don’t care about rank, but do want to play some pokemon, now is a great time to start. The start of the season will net you two new decks, and historically, these decks are solid, with some even becoming meta. The battlepass also has some nice treats to bling up your decks.
Raging Bolt ex
Pokemon
2 Raging Bolt ex TEF 123
2 Garganacl PAR 104
1 Naclstack PAL 122
3 Nacli PAR 102
1 Radiant Greninja ASR 046
Trainer
4 Arven SVI 166
2 Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 172
2 Iono PAL 185
2 PokéStop PGO 068
4 Earthen Vessel PAR 163
4 Energy Sticker MEW 159
4 Gutsy Pickaxe ASR 145
4 Nest Ball SVI 181
4 Trekking Shoes ASR 156
3 Rare Candy SVI 191
3 Ultra Ball SVI 196
2 Switch SVI 194
1 Super Rod PAL 188
2 Ancient Booster Energy Capsule PAR 159
Energy
7 Basic Fighting Energy SVE 006
3 Basic Lightning Energy SVE 004
Iron Crown ex
Pokemon
2 Iron Crown ex TEF 081
4 Iron Thorns TEF 062
4 Iron Valiant TEF 079
3 Miraidon TEF 121
Trainers
4 Ciphermaniac’s Codebreaking TEF 145
4 Professor’s Research (Professor Turo) SVI 190
2 Boss’s Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 172
2 Iono PAL 185
4 Electric Generator SVI 170
4 Switch Cart ASR 154
4 Techno Radar PAR 180
2 Nest Ball SVI 181
2 Super Rod PAL 188
4 Future Booster Energy Capsule PAR 164
Energy
11 Basic Lightning Energy SVE 004
4 Basic Psychic Energy SVE 005
Reaching Level 50
Reaching level 50 on the Premium Battle Pass gets some very pretty alt arts
Conclusion
If you haven’t done so, start grinding for the Premium Pass because that is worth the grind. If you haven’t preorderd your Temporal Forces product, check with your LGS to see if they have any left. But if that isn’t an option, you can preorder Temporal Forces on TCG Player through my affiliate link!
IF you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
I want to give a huge shoutout to Fanny2pac for buying me coffee! Your support means so much to me. I need my caffeine to function and every little bit counts. I hope you continue to enjoy my content, and I’ll do my best to make sure is good! Thank you so much!
I was sent Highwater for free 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 enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Make sure you follow the socials, and you can always buy me coffee!
A great flood has changed the course of human history. Society now exists on the few remaining high rises that peak over its endless oceans. For a time, survivors adjusted to this new normal. A new society birthed from the old, and those who fill it do what they can to survive.
But with each passing day, the situation grows dire. Hostility between the fragmented factions grows as the food and resources grow scarce. There are rumors of a rocket to Mars. Rumors of an elite controlling the narrative. Travel as Nikos and his companions over flooded terrain and uncover the truth. Can you find a better life behind the fortified walls that surround Alphaville, or is this endless suffering the hopeless conclusion of Highwater?
Gameplay
Maps will have items or special terrain that a player can interact with to gain a tactical advantage. For example, a player can pick up a rock to throw, knock an enemy into a hole, or run into them with a shopping cart. This gives players the unique freedom to solve a combat in creative and fun ways.
Highwater also has an exploration mechanic where players move through the flooded world to collect items and lore. Exploration is built on a railroad, but that doesn’t make exploration any less fun.
Thoughts
I loved Highwater. I am a huge fan of the art style, the tone was the perfect kind of quirky, and the gameplay is phenomenal. Most importatly, Highwater has one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard all year. If you enjoy Indie music, you need to play this game. I’ll leave you with a taste to get you hyped for this title.
I enjoyed the story and collecting all the bits of lore around the world. Some of the social commentary is a bit on the nose, but it is solid satire. Keep in mind that the story is short, but you’ll get $20 worth of fun.
Gameplay is simple when you compare it to other games in the genre. This could be because they needed to dumb it down so it could be played on mobile devices, or because they wanted to focus on the narrative. Either way, combat and exploration make for a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
If you’re looking for a game that isn’t a huge commitment and fun, check out Highwater. It’s a solid and unique experience that you should check out at least once, even if you have to wait for a sale.
The Goiânia Pokémon regionals were this weekend, and we got to see some surprising archetypes show up. While I enjoy playing Lost Box, it is nice to see a list where most of the top decks aren’t running the engine. I know there will be some disappointment in seeing Snorlax Stall on top, but I love seeing how diverse the meta is heading to worlds.
I’ll leave links for the singles, but please be mindful of the upcoming rotation if you’re building decks to compete in official events. After April 5th (March 21st on PTCGL) all regulation “E” cards will be rotating out of the format. That means things like Celebrations Mew, Shinning Arcana Gardavior, and Radiant Greninja will be leaving the format. I’ve left the decks as is for historical purposes.
Always support your LGS, but you can always pick up Pokemon Products like the upcoming Temporal Forces set from TCG Player using my affiliate links. It really helps me out if you do. If you need any accessories like deck boxes or sleeves, pick them up at Gem Tech. Use my discount code churapereviews10 for 10% off your purchase.
Don’t forget to like, comment, and share this with your friends!
Temporal Forces releases on March 22nd, so let’s get excited and look through the Electric Type cards it is bringing to the format. This set has some very cool art, and some cards you’re going to want in your collection. I do have the full list available for anyone interested. If you haven’t done so, make sure you go down to your LGS and get your preorders in. If you can’t find Temporal Forces, you can still preorder product on TCG Player using my affiliate link. And if you need accessories like sleeves or deck boxes, get them over at Gem Tech. Use discount churapereviews10 for 10% off your purchase. It really helps me out.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials
[L] Random Spark: This attack does 10 damage to 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)
Raichu
[L][C] Entangling Bolt: This attack does 50 damage to each other Pokémon in play with any damage counters on it. (Both yours and your opponent’s. Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)
[L][C][C] Electric Ball: 120 damage.
Electabuzz
[L] Chop: 20 damage.
[L][C][C] Electric Punch: 50 damage.
Electivire
[C][C] Short Circuit Knuckle: 40+ damage. If your opponent has any [W] Pokémon in play, this attack does 120 more damage.
[L][L][C][C] Electroslug: 140 damage.
Charjabug
[L][L] Static Shock: 60 damage.
Vikavolt
[L] Mach Bolt: 50 damage.
[L][L] Serial Cannon: 120+ damage. This attack does 80 more damage for each of your Benched Charjabug.
Zeraora
[C] Shocking Knuckle: 20 damage. Flip a coin. If heads, your opponent’s Active Pokémon is now Paralyzed.
[L][L][C] Strong Volt: 120 damage. Discard an Energy from this Pokémon.
Yamper
[C] Whimsy Tackle: 20 damage. Flip a coin. If tails, this attack does nothing.
Boltund
[C] Electrifying Dash: 50 damage. Search your deck for up to 2 Basic [L] Energy cards and attach them to your Benched Pokémon in any way you like. Then, shuffle your deck.
Wugtrio ex
[W] Triple Pump: Discard up to 3 Energy cards from your hand. This attack does 60 damage to 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon for each Energy card you discarded in this way. (Don’t apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)
[W][W] Stun Hold: 120 damage. During your opponent’s next turn, the Defending Pokémon can’t retreat
Iron Hands
[L][C] Volt Wave: 30 damage. Flip a coin. If heads, your opponent’s Active Pokémon is now Paralyzed.
[L][L][C] Super Alloy Hands: 80+ damage. If your opponent’s Active Pokémon is a Pokémon ex or Pokémon V, this attack does 80 more damage.
Iron Thorns
[L][C] Destropressor: 70x damage. Reveal the top 5 cards of your deck. This attack does 70 damage times for each Future card you find there. Then, discard the revealed Future cards and shuffle the other cards back into your deck.
I was sent a copy of Myth of Empires for free 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 enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
Myth of Empires is a beautiful open-world survivor sandbox game out on Steam. It gives players the absolute freedom of a sandbox with the promise of epic PvP battles. Gather your resources, build your base, work together to defend against enemy players, and build the Empire that will dominate them all.
Gameplay
Myth of Empires features massive maps filled with content. Players start the game with a blank character. Slowly, they’ll gather resources, level their character, and build their empire. The game does have a hunger mechanic, but it isn’t as punishing as something like Don’t Starve. The game gives players the freedom to enjoy the content they want by creating PvE and PvP-specific servers. I don’t really like PvP in these kinds of games, and I appreciate it when I have the option to enjoy a chill survival game.
The game offers beginner friendly settings and a tutorial to help ease new players into the game and its mechanics. Unfortunately, there is a bit of griefing that occurs, but that is to be expected with games of this genre. There are options for solo play, but you’ll need to have your own server.
Thoughts
Myth of Empires is a beautiful game. I love all the detail that went into making this game look so good from the way the wind moves the plants to the way the sun creeps over the mountains. I dig the aesthetic of the world from the weapons and armor to the structures. The character creation has a decent amount of options, and the character design is pretty cool. This game is going to make your computer hot, but it’s going to look amazing if it can render everything.
Unfortunately, I found the gameplay disappointing. While I did enjoy the survival aspect of the game like gathering, hunting, and crafting, the combat system in this game needs some work. The swings feel wild and clunky, and the hitboxes are weird. Fights are decided by who can land the first hit, and it is frustrating. I didn’t even try PvP because the system frustrated me so much. Maybe it isn’t so bad in more experienced hands, but Enshrouded does it better.
Another issue I had with the game was the gathering. While it starts as a relaxing experience, the busy environment made it difficult to see what I was gathering. Eventually, I would just run around the map spamming the gather button in the hopes I was picking up materials I needed.
The biggest issue people have with this game is the griefing. I didn’t experience any when I played, but I also tried to pick empty servers to get a feel for the rest of the mechanics. If you do get into this game, bring some friends.
Another issue people will have with this game is the grind. Myth of Empires feels slower and more grindy than other sandbox games I’ve played. I enjoyed it for the first hour, but it started to feel repetitive. Joining a more populated server might remedy this, but I rather be playing Enshrouded.
It’s difficult to recommend this game because while it looks pretty, there are games that do this better. The only reason to get Myth of Empires is for the massive PvP battles it promises, but that doesn’t seem possible at the moment. Maybe it will get there with enough support, but I don’t have the time to wait for that future. If you like the aesthetic, have the friends to back you up, and don’t mind the grind, go for it. Otherwise, you have better options.
You can pick up Myth of Empires on Steam for $49.99.
Digimon Con 2024 aired last night, and while there were a few announcements to be excited about, most fans will find it disappointing. Unless you like the toys, music, and pageantry of the event, there isn’t a real reason to sit through the three hours. I like listening to the voice actors about their experiences, watching the concerts, and enjoying the jokes and energy the presenters bring. I’m still sad that I can’t play Digimon on my phone, but there is a bit of news that I am excited for.
I’ll be breaking up the event into the announcements I think are the most exciting, but the VOD is still up on the official YouTube if you want to watch. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials.
I am most excited about the Digimon Liberator news. Serialization for the comic begins on April 25th in English, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese. I hope the English translation is better than what we got for Seekers.
In celebration of the announcement, we got a new trailer that will leave you hyped. I know it did for me. The song is fantastic, and the art is amazing. I just hope there is enough interest in the comic for an anime. I am not alone when I say an anime series about the Digimon card game would be amazing.
We did get a prologue to set up the series, but the site seems to be down as of writing this. I’ll leave the link in case it gets fixed. I recommend you check it out, it’s got a great style.
Synopsis
The Digimon Card Game has become engraved in the world’s shared cultural zeitgeist. People from around the world tune in to watch the behemoths of the game duke it out on the tabletop. But the world of Digimon TCG as we know it is about to change forever
After a year-long beta, Lucana has been released to the public, taking the Digimon Card game into the metaverse. In celebration of its release, the next World Championship will be held on the platform. Players from around the world can now log into Lucana and compete for a spot at the top. But Lucana has a dark secret that will bring the world into chaos. Who will come out on top? What secrets will be uncovered? You’re going to have to read to find out.
New Characters
We got more character art and digivolutions, and I am a huge fan of the design. I am a huge fan of the Chaperomon and Cendrillmon. I love the design, but the flavor is just so good!
New Product
The comic was created to sell Digimon cards, and to no one’s surprise, we’re getting Digimon Liberator product! We are getting:
2 New starter Decks (ST-18 & ST-19) with unique full art alt cards
A Theme Booster Set – Digimon Liberator (EX07)
Official Sleeves
I am a huge fan of the alt arts and can’t wait to see what the set will bring to the hobby.
Chronicles of Arcane is officially going on sale to the public on March 11. The drops will happen on the official site, so make sure you make an account and join the Discord to be ready for the announcement. They plan on releasing the set in batches to give people multiple chances to score product. The limited run means that this will be your only chance outside the Kickstarter to score some cards early. Don’t worry if you don’t get any this time around, I’m sure there will be reprints if the sale goes well. Don’t pay scalper prices!
If lore is important to you, the first bits of the backstory have been posted on the Chronicles of Arcane website. This goes over some of the tribes, and there are plans for expansion in the coming weeks. Make sure you check with them regularly or join the official Chronicles of Arcane Discord to stay on top of all the news.
Chronicles of Arcane will also be at Los Angeles Collect-A-Con this weekend. If you’re going to be there, make sure you stop by the booth, ask your questions, and score yourself some exclusive promos. Here are a few art cards that will be for sale:
From the Discord
As a collector, I think the art is really cool. There are some cards that would look great in a binder. I haven’t had a chance to play the game yet, but I thought I’d share it with those of you looking to get into a new trading card game.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you need accessories for your trading cards like deck boxes or sleeves, get them over at Gem Tech. Use discount code churapereviews10 for 10% off your order. It really helps me out.
