I was sent a free copy of NanoApostle 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.
NanoApostle is an adorable 2D sprite boss rush game out now on Steam and Switch.
Deep in a secret underground lab, Anita is born from a series of experiments. Implanted with an advanced weapon system and a sentient nanomechanical entity known as the Apostle, she must fight against a series of powerful bioweapons. Anita needs to find a way out of her prison or risk becoming a weapon herself. Is she strong enough, or will she end up another failed experiment?
Gameplay
NanoApostleis split into two modes. The first is a challenge mode where players must complete certain tasks to earn skill points and upgrade modules. Upgrade modules give Anita passive upgrades to her move set. Players find modules as drops for completing certain tasks and can unlock them as equipment by spending skill points. Each level offers three challenges that scale in difficulty. Players only need to complete the level once for the pass, but completing the higher difficulties grants more skill points to spend. This can be a long grind, but a rewarding one for those who can master the game’s mechanics.
The second mode is the boss rush. Players can queue up for the boss fight at any time. Boss fights are unique, and creative, and challenge a player’s knowledge of the mechanics. Complete mastery of the game’s mechanics, or at least an advanced understanding, is almost a prerequisite. Do not be fooled by the NanoApostle’s cute aesthetic, this game is meant to be hard but rewarding if you stick with it.
Combat is simple. Players have access to a normal, heavy, and ranged attack. It also has a pery and dodge mechanic that keeps things fast and engaging. All monsters and bosses telegraph their attacks clearly, the trick to this game is understanding the timing and reacting efficiently. Players who can parry all attacks, set off proper combos, and utilize the heal mechanic effectively will have a good time. Getting to that point, however, is going to take practice. A lot more than $20 worth.
Review
I love NanoApostle, and recommend it to anyone looking for a new game. This game has an adorable aesthetic that hooked me, and a gameplay loop that made it impossible to put down. This game is hard, and I enjoyed the challenge. I liked how every time I reloaded a level, I got a little farther and got a little better. I’ve come to terms that I’ll never be a pro at this game, but I’ll still be playing it regardless.
The story is a little predictable, but it doesn’t matter because it got my attention. The story is what kept me trying each level again because I needed to know what happened next.
The only complaint I have for this game is that it can get a little repetitive if you aren’t good at it. You’ll have to grind through a lot of the same monsters and bosses until you master the mechanics enough to move forward. It didn’t feel like much of a grind because I could see the progress I was making with each consecutive run. I assume this will be less of an issue for better gamers.
If you’re in the market for a fun, rewarding, and challenging game, you need to get your hands on NanoApostle. This will be the best boss rush game you’ll play all year, and it will possibly end up being a household favorite. It did for me.
You can pick up NanoApostle on Steam and Switch for $19.99.
The Mortal Ambition stream was extremely juicy, and I am so excited for this set. It has fantastic flavor, beautiful art, and some new mechanics. If you missed the stream, I’ve collected all the spoilers in one convenient spot. Make sure you check out the full video for lore and the full details. Mortal Ambitions releases on October 11th, so make sure you have your set preorder. I know I have mine ready at my LGS. You can pick up Mortal Ambition on TCG Player if that isn’t an option, but I’d wait till after launch unless you don’t mind paying scalper prices.
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.
I’ll leave a table of contents so you can skip to whatever is relevant to you
New Cards
Story Art Cards
Ignite Fate
Ignite Fate Action – Mage Spell Deal 2 Damage to Each Champion Floating Memory
Cure the Flesh Action – Cleric Skill (Fast) Remove all temporary damage from target ally Draw a card into your memory
Heated Vengeance
Heated Vengeance Attack – Warrior Polearm As long as your champion has taken damage this turn, Heated Vengeance gets +3 attack (Class Bonus) On Attack: You may have Heated Vengeance deal 3 damage to your champion
Reprints!
In an effort to make Mortal Ambition a better onboarding product, we are getting some valuable reprints in this set with brand new art.
Making Unique Allies Great Again
Equestrian
Empower!
Kongming
Kongming will feature the new shifting current mechanic where cards gain a boon depending on the direction the wind is shifting. This looks like a very fun mechanic, but one that will potentially be difficult to master. I need it!
Shifting Current Boons
Some boons will be simple and strait forward
Advanced Current Booms
Some boons require the current to shift between certain diractions
Direction Matters
Terra!
Jin
Jin is a little more straight forward and a lot more beginner friendly. Jin will be introducing a new advanced class, and it is a good one!
Pole Arms
New Element: Exia
Main Deck
Material Deck
Erupting Rhapsody Ban Announcement
Erupting Rhapsody will be banned starting AMB release because it will just break the new enhance mechanics.
Beautiful Collector Rares
Ascent Events
Ascent Santa Clara has been announced for people in North Call itching for those sweet promos. There will also be a couple of exclusive shirts only available at Ascent Singapore. Make sure you get your tickets.
Mortal Ambition Launch Kit
Mortal Ambition Regional Rewards
Entry to any regionals for the Mortal Ambition season gets you a sweet binder, and top participants get some beautiful playmats
Store Champ Rewards
Revelfest Announcement!
Revelfest will take place October 4th to the 11th. This is an event where players earn double veterancy on Omnidex and enter for a chance to win a beautiful Tariff Ring art card. You only need to play once during this period. Playing multiple times won’t increase your chances.
There have been some big changes to this month’s ban and restricted list, and we even got a new Proxia card! Most of it has been expected. It seems like they are trying to rebalance the format so that we don’t get the same three decks in the top spots, we’ll have to see if it works. If you’re playing in any official event, make sure you are up to date. Check out the official announcement. If you need to pick up any Grand Archive singles, get them over at TCG Player using my affiliate link.
Proxia Vault Update
Arisanna gets her first update this season with Polaris, Twinkling Cauldron. but will it be enough to break it into the competitive scene? With potentially decent board wipe and Cosmic Bolt generation, will it be enough to break Arisanna into the competitive scene? I sure hope so. As a reminder, printed proxia cards are legal in official events, so make sure you go to take advantage of the official PnP feature to get your copy of Polaris, Twinkling Cauldron.
Arisanna Bonus: You may activate this card from your material deck. If you do, Polaris enters the field rested.
Whenever you sacrifice an Herb, put an age counter on Polaris.
Class Bonus, Banish Polaris: Deal X damage to all allies. Then generate up to X Cosmic Bolt cards and shuffle them into your deck. X is the amount of age counters that were on Polaris.
Ruling Notes:
To generate means to add cards from outside of the game. Those cards must be legitimate Grand Archive TCG cards, and cannot be represented by anything else. A player will fail to generate if they cannot find the cards to add to the game in a reasonable amount of time.
Generated cards are removed from each game zone (including the main deck) after each game, before side-boarding.
Tip: Using an altered card can help you differentiate between generated copies and copies that are in your decklist! Generated card alterations must still follow our guidelines that apply to any other Grand Archive TCG card if they would be used in a competitive event.
Thoughts: The biggest problem with Arisanna is that getting to her win condition is too slow to be competitive. By the time you get cooking, it is often too late. Being able to cast Polaris outside of the materialize step is a nice boost, but can she generate herbs fast enough to make a dent? MRC has some cool new herb generation like Cultivate and Nurture Crops, so there might be a chance. We’re going to have to wait and see.
Ban List
Corhazi Outlook has been banned, which is a huge hit to Wind Assasin decks where she is essentially an auto-include. Hopefully, this ban means we see less Tristan in the meta. If you’re planning to play in an official event, make sure you don’t have any of the following cards in your deck:
Catagory 2 Watch List
These cards are on the cusp of being banded. You can still use them in your decks, but there are plans of taking them out of the format at some point.
Category 1 Watch List
These cards are safe to use, but Weebs of the Shore is keeping an eye on these for potential bans sometime down the line. It looks like the Silvie decks are on the block, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play Silivie.
UniVersus just announced its 2025 product roadmap, and there are a couple of IPs that stand out. I am excited for Ninja Turtles and Solo Leveling personally. The new Attack on Titan: Battle for Humanity just came out, and it’s a pretty cool-looking set if you’re a fan of the anime. You can pick up the product at your LGS or TCG player. Make sure you check out my review.
If you don’t like Attack on Titan, there is no shame in waiting for something you do like. UniVersus is a fun and unique TCG that deserves more attention. Attack on Titan is where I started because they sent me product. I like it so far, but I am sure it is fun at any set.
2025 Roadmap
Solo Leveling Challenger Series (January 10)
Critical Role: Heroes of Exandria (March 10)
Attack on Titan: Apocalypse (May 16)
Street Fighter 6 Challenger Series (July 2025)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (August 2025)
Guilty Gear – Strive- (November 2025)
And a few secrets along the way
Season 3 Regional Promos Announced
The season 3 regionals promos have also been announced. The top 50% of any Universus regionals event will receive copies of cool and exclusive Godzilla cards. I am almost tempted to starting my grind, but I don’t have the time or money to do so. I’d at least try to go for that Godzilla mat. Good luck to everyone who is. Make sure you check the official page to find events near you.
I was sent a couple of starter decks and a booster box of UniVersus‘ new Attack on Titan: Battle for Humanity set 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.
UniVersus is a unique trading card game that has been around since 2006. The game uses art from a collection of different intellectual properties. Whether it is the My Hero Academia sets or something from Godzilla, there is bound to be something for every type of player. Grab your favorite champion and face off against your friends in what promises to be an epic battle of skill, strategy, and just a little bit of luck. Do you have what it takes to come out on top?
What Makes UniVersus Unique?
I am going to simplify things a bit because there are videos below that will show you the following in better detail.
UniVersus is like a fighting game. Players take turns setting up their combos to attack and defend, and turns in between to power them up. Attacks and defense cards have a direction (top, middle, low) for added complexity. A successful defense that matches the attack negates it, while an adjacent direction only halves it doesn’t.
UniVersus also eliminates the hand size issue because you are always drawing cards in this game. At the start of your turn, you can throw away up to two cards you don’t need and always draw up to your starting hand size. This varies based on the champion you choose. This means you never start your turns with only one card and zero options after an explosive turn, and you never have dead cards clogging up your hand. You still can run out of resources after an explosive turn, so make sure you use your cards wisely.
I particularly love the mana system. Each card in a player’s deck can be exchanged for a random amount of mana (3-5). This amount is printed on the bottom right. To cast an ability, players flip the top card of their deck. If the number on the card matches or beats the cost of the card, the player gets to cast their ability. If the number doesn’t match or beat, the ability fails and the player’s turn ends. Each additional action costs one more to cast than the action before. This means the more you do in a round, the more expensive actions get.
My favorite mechanic is the mana system. Each card in a player’s deck can be exchanged for a random amount of mana (3-5). This amount is printed on the bottom right of a card. To cast an ability, players flip the top card of their deck. If the number on the card matches or beats the cost of the card, the player gets to cast their ability. If the number doesn’t match or beat, the ability fails and the player’s turn ends. Each additional action costs one more to cast than the action before. This means the more you do in a round, the more expensive things get.
You can also use your mana to put foundations into your reserve. You can use foundations in your reserve to help pay for your actions or buff them. Finding the perfect balance between acting, defending, and building your
How to Play
There are several how to play videos you should watch before you start playing, but here are the two that were helpful when I started learning.
Quality
The card quality is fine. The cuts are clean, the colors are vibrant, and the layout is easy to understand. The cards do feel a bit on the lighter and thinner side, but this isn’t a deal breaker. The foiling is subtle, but it does make the cards pop. I did notice a track line on my full art, but it was the only one in the batch so I don’t think it is a huge concern.
My only real issue with the cards is the text legibility. I can read most of the text boxes, but I have trouble with some of the wordier attack cards. The combination of that gradient orange and font makes things hard to read. It isn’t illegible, but it is an issue. This might be more on my dyslexia than an actual design issue though. Everything else is clean and clear.
I can see people having issues with the game’s art. Attack on Titan: Battle for Humanity uses colorized stills from the manga. Fans of the manga and anime will appreciate seeing important or iconic moments depicted in their card game, others will want original art. I was a bit disappointed when I opened my first pack, but that disappointment quickly faded as I started to fill the binder. The design works, the images are thematic, and they look cool on the table, but there are other existing IPs if Attack on Titan isn’t your thing.
Review
I enjoyed UniVersus, but it is not going to be for everyone. The biggest issue this game has is its complexity. The new player experience is a bit overwhelming. I had to watch a few tutorials a couple of times before I started to understand what to do. Luckily, there is an active Discord you should join if you have any questions or want a place to hang out and play the game.
Once I started playing and going through the phases, the game wasn’t so bad. Mastering the strategies to become a great UniVersus will take some time, but knowing enough to have fun with the game doesn’t. You just have to get through that initial hurdle.
If you’re looking for a place to start, the Clash decks are a nice product. The decks are a more streamlined version of the game without losing any of the spirit. At the moment, there are two clash decks for Attack on Titan: Battle for Humanity: Mikasa and Levi. It doesn’t matter which you choose. Both felt similar in power level and played the same, it just depends on which champion you like more. Keep in mind that this is a beginner product. You won’t be able to take this to locals and do well, but you will at least learn the fundamentals if enjoy the game.
As far as sets go, I don’t have a reference. As a new player, the set felt fine. I am a huge fan of the blitz mechanic and I like the art. Fans of the anime will enjoy the flavor, and there are some alt-art cards you’re definitely going to want to chase. As someone who never watched the anime or read the manga, I thought it was a valid starting point, but there are other IPs you can also buy into. I know people will have issues with the art choice, but they really do look cool in person.
As far as sets go, I don’t have a reference. As a new player, the set felt fine. I am a huge fan of the blitz mechanic and I like the art. Fans of the anime will enjoy the flavor, and there are some alt-art cards you’re definitely going to want to chase. As someone who never watched the anime or read the manga, I thought it was a valid starting point, but there are other IPs you can also buy into. I know people will have issues with the art choice, but they really do look cool in person. I enjoyed the cards enough to start watching the anime and enjoyed the game enough to look into a local scene.
If you’re looking for a new type of card game with fun and engaging mechanics and don’t mind playing with licensed IPs, UniVersus is a great place to start. The game is a little confusing at first, but it gets fun if you stick with it. There is an active Discord you should join if you have questions or need someone to play with.
The new Grand Archive ban list has been posted, and it is not the huge meta shifting announcement it was made to seem. They got me. The biggest change this time around is the Stonecale Band nerf, and Corhazi outlook being moved categories. I’m okay with the changes, and the explanation makes sense to me. Make sure you check out the official ban announcement if you want to know more.
Stonescale Band Errata
Stonescale Band has new text and made slower. This was done in hopes to re-balance the, and hopefully refresh the Silvie deck list. I think most people are getting tired of seeing her in the format. The new text reads:
The next ally card you activate this turn can be activated as though it had fast activation.
Limiting the amount of allies it can summon one ally per activation and increasing the cost is sure the slow the deck down, but will it be enough to change the format? We will have to wait and see.
There are new new banned cards, but make sure you keep these out of your deck if you’re heading to an official event.
Watch List (Most Likely to be Banned)
Cohazi outlook has been moved to the watch list. While this list isn’t an outright ban, it is a card that is being considered for a future ban. You can still enjoy the playing your wind decks, just don’t be surprised when she gets added to the ban list.
Watch List (Safe to Use)
Creative Shock has been removed from the watch list, and is longer considered for a ban. Although cards on this list are never in any real danger, it is nice to see cards being removed. Stonescale Band is the only new addition to the list. It is still safe to use, but Weebs of the Shore are keeping an eye on how it performs in the meta moving forward. This is an understandable move, especially since the meta seems to be dominated by the same three decks at the moment.
Chicago Ascent just ended and unfortunately, there were no major updates to the format. The Re:collection decks showed up in full force with Tristan taking top spot. Hopefully today’s bans will create enough ripples in the format that we’ll get to see a different grouping at Ascent Singapore. The nerf to Stoneband Scale should help cull some of the Silvie decks. Either way, here are the top three performing decks in the meta right now. I’ll leave affiliate links to singles for those who need them. Check out the official event page for the full lists.
Material Deck 1 Spirit of Fire 1 Lorraine, Wandering Warrior 1 Tristan, Underhanded 1 Tariff Ring 1 Channeling Stone 1 Discordia, Harp of Malice 1 Flash Grenade 1 Grand Crusader’s Ring 1 Safeguard Amulet 1 Smoke Bombs 1 Sword of Seeking 1 Wind Resonance Bauble
Ascent Chicago just ended, and while there weren’t too many drastic changes to the meta, there were a few exciting announcements that we will need to go over. We got an update on the judge program and some very cool spoilers. If you’re looking for Grand Archive cards, get them over at TCG Player through my affiliate link. It really helps me out.
Errata to Silvie
There is a promise of some meta-shifting bans coming tomorrow. Meanwhile, there was an errata that is already creating ripples in the format. Effective August 4th, Stonescale Band has been slowed in the hopes of removing a bit of Silvie from the format. The cost to cast has been changed from 0 to 1, and the activation cost has been changed from 1 to 2. The effect now reads:
The next ally card you active this turn can be activated as though it had fast activation
This slows the card as you are no longer allowed to activate as many slimes as you can. It is unclear how much this change will break the deck, but a slower Silvie can’t be good for popularity. We will have to see if any of the other bans affect archetype, but hopefully this shifts the deck list a bit.
Mortal Ambition Spoilers
In the most exciting news, we got spoilers for the upcoming Mortal Ambition set. The set releases on October 11th, so make sure you put in your preorders. The flavor for this set is fantastic, and the art for these spoilers is so pretty. I hope the screenshots do them justice. I’ll post more high-definition images when they become available.
The Collector Rare
We also got a look at a collector rare and this card is so pretty! If this card doesn’t move boxes, I don’t know what will. As a collector, I am all in!
Developer Live Stream Announcement
There will be a developer livestream on September 14. While this news may not be exciting for everyone, this means more spoilers and some cool gameplay insight if you’re into that kind of thing. I’m hoping they run the online store so that I can finally get my hands on some supporter packs!
Reprints in Bound!
One of the biggest frustrations for new players of Grand Archive is the price of singles. Stock is limited, and prices for important staples make the game unfeasible for some. I still kick myself for not buying into the game sooner. In a bit of expected news, Alchemical Revolution Altered Edition has been announced. The set is expected in January 2025, and it is the perfect time to buy into the set if you missed out on it the first time. I need some Arisanna cards for I deck I’m building that I know won’t win me any prizes. The set is coming with some very important changes, so make sure you get those wallets ready!
Academy Teacher Promo
The Academy Teacher promo has been revealed, and it is such a pretty card. The Academy program is a special promotion to help promote the game to new stores. Experienced players who help stores teach new players how to play the game will receive a special copy of Vaporjet Shieldbearer and it has me reaching for my teacher’s hat. The program starts in September, stay tuned for more news.
The Judge Program
With the growing popularity of the game comes the increased demand for judges. The judge program for the MRC season awards judges with an exclusive and beautiful Careful Study card based on their level. The test to become a judge goes live on August 9th, so make sure you sign up when you can. There doesn’t seem to be a limit on how many times you can try the test, but there is a week cooldown for failed tests. Study hard and good luck!
MRC is looking to be a fantastic season for wind. Wind allies continue to make their sweep with Tristan and Lorraine clinging to their spot as the big bad decks of the format. With Ascent Chicago around the corner, it might be a good idea to start teching against wind. Make sure you get your tickets if you haven’t done so.
Here are the top three decks for the IanTCG regionals. I’ll leave TCG Player affiliate links for those who need them.
The new Shadowverse: Evolveset is out, and it’s making me want to get into the hobby. I’ve played the mobile version in passing, but it never really clicked. The release of Omens Eternal made me download the app, and I am ready to give it a chance. The art in this set is so cool, I might just have to start collecting.
