Tag Archives: blogger

Tech Reviews

Epomaker TH85 Review: The Budget Mechanical Keyboard

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

Epomaker sent me the TH85 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. Make sure you check out my other reviews for the TH68 Mag and the TH99 Mechanical Keyboard if you’re looking to upgrade your setup.

What’s in the box?

  • Epomaker TH85
  • USB-C to USB-A Braided Charging Cable
  • 2 Additional Switches
  • Key/Switch Puller
  • Plastic Dust Shield
  • Instruction Manual

Sound Test

Features

The Epomaker TH85 is a stylish 80% mechanical keyboard. It comes in three variants: Black and White, White, and Black.

I got mine in white, but all schemes look great. The keyboard also features the traditional southfacing RGB that is soft enough to not be distracting, but bright enough to make the keyboard pop. You can always turn off the RGB if you only wish to enjoy the keyboard. What makes the keyboard unique is the RGB strip that wraps around the back of the keyboard. The strip is customizable, and gives the keyboard its futuristic design. As far as comfort goes, the switches are soft, and the typing angle is adjustable.

Most importantly, the TH85 comes with a few features gamers aren’t going to want to overlook. The keyboard boasts low latency on its wired and wireless connections. The keyboard boasts 2ms of latency on a wired connection, 5ms on the 2.4Ghz dongle, and 11ms on Bluetooth.

With its 4000 mAh battery and anti-ghosting technology, you are looking at a very capable budget keyboard.

Review

If you’re looking for a budget mechanical keyboard that doesn’t sacrifice or performance, the TH85 is a solid option. The TH85 was able to handle any task I threw at it at an connection type without any noticeable latency. Gaming and typing work well and the keyboard sounds amazing without being too loud.

The battery life was a little disappointing. I was getting about 6 hours of battery. This is manageable, and more than enough for most cases, but it is lower than other Epomaker keyboards. I suspect the three RGB points (the keys, the back face, and the logo) have something to do with it. I could turned off the RBG to achieve a longer session, but the lighting effects are so pretty. The back face strip feels like overkill. It looks nice, but you aren’t going to see it unless its going on camera. One thing I did note was that the lighting effects were a little bugged at first. A hard reset seemed to fix the issue, but I hit a weird bug where the lights would continuously flash through all the colors until it completely drained the battery. I couldn’t swap through the profiles or turn off the effects until the hard reset.

I was also a little disappointed by the comfort. This isn’t the worst keyboard I’ve tried, but it did trigger a bit of my repetitive stress injury. It wasn’t enough to make the keyboard unusable, but it was enough for me to take notice. If you’re looking for an ergonomic keyboard, this might not be the one for you. Now this could be a personal issue. I require a specific amount of ergonomics because of how much I use the computer, so a more casual use case shouldn’t have this issue. This critique is geared for the other old gamers looking to extend the life of their hands another few years.

Of you are looking for a solid budget gaming keyboard, the TH85 is a fantastic place to start. Looking back at the terrible keyboards that got me through my early years of gaming I can confidently attest that you can do a lot worse. Aside from the odd glitch that went away, the keyboard is responsive, it looks good on my desk, and it has a satisfying typing sound.

You can pick up the TH85 on the official Epomaker site for only $79.99.

The Last Apprentice

The Last Apprentice: Chapter 4 – A Stranger in a Strange City

Leave a comment

Mila looks up at the man from her place on the floor. Her vision is blurred from the tears, her ears thump with each heartbeat. A mysterious liquid begins to soak through her jeans. Sad Boy looks down at the Mila with a sly smile. The city continues to move around them as they stand still for what seems like hours.

The cold liquid breaks her trans. The shock slowly begins to fade. She pushes his hand out of the way. “I’m fine.”

Sad Boy crouches so their eyes are at level with each other. She can see his bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils, even in this low light. “This ain’t like whatever nice ass apartment you came from. You won’t last a fucking day on your own. Those two runts aren’t even close to what worst this city has to offer. But if you stick with me, I can get you where you need to go. If you got the money.” He looks her up and down. His smile fades. “You got money right?”

Mila’s arm was still read around where the bruit grabbed her. Her skin still stung. The man in front of her smelled of stale cigars. She tries to swallow some of the shock and almost chokes. In her bravest, toughest voice she replies, “How do I know you won’t try to rob me.”

Sad Boy smiles. “You don’t.” He hands her the gun he had been stashing in his jeans. “But you can shoot me if I try.” The gun shines, even in this dim light. She reaches for the gun, but he pulls it away. “You have to answer my question first.”

“I have money.” Sad Boy hands her the gun. It feels heavy in her hand. She wraps her hand around the handle and is surprised at how well it fits. The danger of the power she holds excites and scares her.

Sad Boy stands. “So you coming or what,” again extending his hand at a distracted Mila.

Mila puts the gun in her bag. She picks up her item and stands on her own. “Where are we goin.”

“You hungry? We can go grab a bite and talk terms. I know a safe bar down the street.”

Mila wasn’t hungry, but a place where she could properly sit was better than this. “Fine. Lead the way.”

Sad Boy smiles. “Come on then!” Sad Boy makes his trek out of the alley, maneuvering expertly around the trash. They exit into a busy street, but no one seems to take notice. She follows him through crowds of people. “They call me Sad Boy,” he shouts over the crowd.

“Mila”

“What brings you to our delightful piece of paradise Mila?”

“I’m looking for someone,” she replies without thinking.

“We’ll you’re in luck. There is nothing in this city I can’t find. Who are you looking for.”

“Let’s just get to your bar first.”

“Well, it’s a hell of a place to be looking for someone. Especially for someone of you pedigre.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re clothes, your look, you scream privilege.”

Mila looks down at her outfit. Her clothes were dirtier than usual. The strange-colored liquid left reaches up her leg. Her hair was messier than usual, matted with dried sweat and possibly more of the mysterious liquid. She smelled like rotten garbage and while some people actively avoided it, most people didn’t seem to notice.

“Well not now,” Sad Boy corrects himself. “But you clothes aren’t made from the same synthetic garbage they use down here and your teeth are clean.”

Mila’s hand moves to her mouth. When was the last time she brushed her teeth? “How much farther?”

Sad Boy stops at the entrance of another alley. “Just through here!” He disappears through the alley.

Mila looks after him. There is a bright neon glow at the other end. She stops at the mouth of the alley. “I’m not doing any more fucking alleys.”

Sad Boy stops with a jolt and turns to Mila. “But it’s right fucking there!” He points at the other end in a feeble attempt to prove his point.

Mila shakes her head. “I’m not going through another alley. I’ll find someone else if you don’t agree to my terms.

“But it..you haven..” Sad Boy notices the tinge of fright that lingers beneath Mila’s stare. He growls in frustration. “FUCK! Fine! Follow me. But this costs extra.” He exits the alley and continues walking down the street.

The smoke starts to get deeper the farther they walk. Small camps and fires have been built between each entrance. They walk over dirty people who smoke at metal pipes, oblivious to the world that walks around them. They walk past a group in a heated argument that ends in blows. Half-naked men and women call from windows and doorways, soliciting clients. A woman walks up and locks her arm with Mila. “You looking for some company sweetheart?” She was a slender woman. Smaller than Mila with raven black hair. She wore an old revealing swimsuit. Her breasts heaved as she followed closely. She smelled of stale cigarettes and cheap liquor.

“Fuck off Minxie, she’s my client.”

“No reason we can’t share Sad Boy. Greed aint a good look for you.”

Sad Boy turns around. “I said fuck off Minx. I’m conducting busy.”

“Well look at who thinks they all important and shit.” Minxie moves closer to Mila till her lips almost touch her ear. She whispers, “I’ll be here for you if you ever change your mind baby. I’ll show you a better time than this fool.” She lets go and walks to the other stranger. He doesn’t take long to accept her offer.

They continue their trek through the redlight district. “It’s not my business what you do, and if that’s what you’re looking for, I won’t stop you, but we need to discuss our business first.”

“How much farther?”

“We’ll we would have already been there already, but you wanted to go the long way.”

“But how much longer?” Mila asks, nervously looking for an escape.

“Well…it depends.”

Mila grows more annoyed with each additional cryptic answer. “Depends on what?” she asks with a stern voice.

“Depends on how fast we can get through that.” Sad Boy points at a large rusting metal gate. Across the top, a sign says “Central Park” in faded letters. But this was no park. Behind the remains of a crumbling stone wall was a sea of tents and makeshift wooden houses. A shanty town that stretches for what seems miles. Sitting across the face of the wall are men, women, and children who star out into the void, lost behind their glazed eyes. There are groups of people who pace slowly around them with a similar glazed stare.

“Zombies?”

Sad Boy shakes his dead. “Drugs.”

“Lovely.”

Board Games and TCGs

Review of Urban Shadows: The Urban Fantasy RPG

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of the Urban Shadows 2E core book 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. I will also be using my amazon affiliate links when possible. Always support your LGS, but using my link helps me out!

What is Urban Shadows?

Urban Shadows is an award winning TTRPG that just received its second edition.

In large metropolitan cities, a supernatural society operates in the shadows. Unbeknownst to the average citizen, there is an ever presence conflict between four warring factions as they try to gain dominion over the city. The balance of power is in a state of constant flux, and the political landscape of the city is forever shifting. Fate, chance, or whatever you want to call it has brought you into the this world, and it is up to you to find your place within it. Make deals, earn and pay off your social debts, and climb your way up the ladder. Who will you become? How will you shape the cities narrative? How will you let the city shape you?

The Gist of It

This is a massive book, but the gist is this:

In Urban Shandows, players navigate the complex social network of the supernatural society of a major city. They must broker deals, climb the social ladder, and most importantly, operate in the shadows.

Whatever the city, there are four factions that fight over its dominion: Mortalis, Night, Power, and Wild.

Mortalis are the humans that find themselves in the world, either by chance or by choice. Some hunt the monsters that roam the night. Others smuggle supernatural items to sell for a profit. Others play with the idea of giving up their humanity to join this world permanently.

Power is full of the people who can wield the magic of this world. It is full of the wizards, oracles, and immortals who seek to gain more power from this world.

Night is the faction of people who have been transformed into a supernatural creature of the night, and must wrestle with this new found identity. These are the vampires, werewolves, and ghosts of the city and the smaller sects that form within them.

Wild is the faction that lives on the fringes of society that wield powerful ancient magics that rival the other factions. These are the faeries, demons, and constructs that roam the city’s shadows.

The important thing is that these factions have an established hierarchy, and the players must find their place within it. The faction a player starts with, doesn’t have to be the one they end in. They don’t even have to be the same character, there is a mechanic that allows players to retire. Climbing is not easy, and it isn’t black and white. While players can fight their way through the city for territory, there are more diplomatic approaches that might prove more efficient. Trying to change an outcome with emotion or persuasion instead of fists is just as viable, if not more. The city is always moving and changing, and players need to adapt to keep up. Whether they can shake up the foundation of the city is up to a few actions and a couple dice roles. Within those four factions are 12 unique classes for players to choose from. Each class feels unique and gives players abilities to help them navigate their social mobility. There is a lot of flavor in this game, and while you can adjust your narrative to fit your vision, the book has a lot of valuable helpful examples to get a newer Master of Ceremony (game master) started.

What sets the game apart is the focus on urban fiction, which takes players to the streets of their favorite cities at any time in history. Want to start in the present and time skip to a time of calamity? Go for it! The landscape may be in constant flux, but the narrative belongs to the city.

The Book

Review

Urban Shadows is a very good resource for any new game master, even if you don’t plan on running the game itself. The amount of resource, examples, and detail that make this book the hefty beast that it is can easily be translated into other systems. The book spells out every mechanic and feature in a way that is easy to read and understand, and is filled some very cool art to break up the information.

The game is powered by the apocalypse system, and the system is easy to learn and teach. This is important, especially for newer players who just want to hop into the game and not worry about intricate nuances. The game has its complexity, but I feel like there was less time spent arguing about rules, and more time enjoying the world and story for what it is.

Character creation is easy with the class system, and every class feels balanced and unique. More testing is required of course, but it all felt fine for the bit that was done. I like that the game doesn’t have to revolve around combat (it can), and how creative solutions to problems can be. The death and retirement system is interesting. The on death abilities each class has makes death sting a little less, and I like that players can retire a character if they just want to try something new.

What is important to note about the system is that it is going to be a bit more roleplay heavy. Yes dice rolls will sway the narrative, but you are going to have to ask for favors, or gather clues, or broker deals in a way that is limited by your social standing. For people who are more interested in the political side of roleplay, this is a great choice with lots of room for good story telling.

If you enjoy physical media, the book is a fantastic addition to any collection. Its a good quality book with some great illustrations. As far as resource books go, you’ll have everything you need to run a good campaign. There are helpful examples, tables, and a couple cities. There is an appendix with a bunch of charts and tables for the GM that needs to create an meaningful encounter on the fly.

I’ve read a few different resource books and nothing comes close to how detailed this book is. For veteran game masters, it is a little over kill. But for those just starting out in the space, it doesn’t get any better. When I started my journey, I did hours of research. A lot of what I’ve learned is packaged neatly in this book, and while there is lot a GM will learn through practice, its a great place to start.

Urban Shadows is a little too RP heavy for my table, but we had fun running it. We enjoyed how easy everything was to pick up, and the flavor is sound. I ran my games in San Francisco because that is the city I know best, but the borrowed a couple of the examples in the books to fill its underworld. I really enjoyed the shift to Urban Fantasy. We play a lot of high fantasy with the occasional scifi story, and it was nice to explore a modern city with modern problems and a supernatural element. I’d absolutely come back to the system if prompted because there is a lot of room for good story telling, and some very epic moments.

Urban Shadows is a solid TTRPG. If you like werewolves and vampires and mitigating the intricacies of social advancement, I don’t think you can find anything better than Urban Shadows.

You can pick up Urban Shadows and related products on the official Magpie store, and on DriveThru RPG if you don’t care about physical media.

Uncategorized, video game reviews

Rosewater Review: A Western Visual Novel Experience

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I received a free copy of Rosewater to review for my blog. While I appreciate the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotions

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out the new Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System. I’ve also started a web novel that I update every two weeks.

What is Rosewater?

Rosewater is a point-and-click visual novel available now on PC via Steam and GOG.

Harley Lager heads west, trying to make her name as a free lance writer. Her pursuit takes her to the sleepy boarder town of Rosewater, but her stay is anything but sleepy. Her first assignment leads her on a tail end of a mystery and possibly, the story that defines her career. Her and her posse must now go on a journey full of gunfights, friends, foes, and hopefully all the fame and riches they need. What will Harley uncover along the way? You are going to have to read to find out.

Review

Rosewater is a fantastic western full of colorful characters, meaningful choices, and challenging puzzles. The game also features a fantastic cast of voice actors that help bring this story to life, and the perfect soundtrack to set the mood. I was a bit uneasy about the graphics and art choice, but it fits the aesthetic perfectly. It gives the game a rustic feel, while still being able to make the game feel cinematic.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the gameplay, but if you like puzzles, this has some good ones. Not all of the puzzles are obvious at first, but they make sense once you figure it out. You might need a guide to get through some of the trickier ones. The gameplay isn’t bad, you just need to be really in the mood to solve puzzles.

What I enjoyed most about the game is that your choices matter and affect the story. Players shape the story, and encounters are determined by previous choices. Players also have control over Harley’s personality. This made it fun to talk to everyone, and it also made me curious about her backstory. Harley is a fantastic protagonist, and the only reason why I stuck around as long as I did.

Rosewater is a solid narrative with fantastic flavor and amazing voice acting. If you enjoy westerns and don’t mind all the puzzles, this game should be in your library. If you’re not a fan of the aesthetic or puzzle games, I would skip it.

You can pick up Rosewater on Steam and GOG for $19.99. There is also a Demo availble.

Board Games and TCGs

I ran Session Zero of my Mutant: Year Zero Campaign

1 Comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Mutant: Year Zero core rulebook to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. These will be my honest impressions of the game.

What is Mutant: Year Zero

Mutant: Year Zero is an RPG about surviving the end of the world. After humanity has been descimated by plague and war. Those left on this dying planet have developed strange mutations and must fight to survive. Factions have formed, some creating new life on the ruins of the old cities, others roam the Zone in search of survival. You are one of the lucky few to venture into this rotting landscape in search of a new way to survive. What secrets will you uncover? What stories will create?

Why Session Zero?

After taking a short break for life events, our play group got back together for a new campaign, and a new system. We were all excited to be back together, and even more excited to start our new adventure. I’ve learned the importance of hosting a Session Zero before the start of a new campaign over my short life as a game master. Session Zero is the space where the group can talk about rules and expectations (because we all have the right to a safe space to roleplay), and create our characters.

I like to have my players create their characters together because we’re a play group of busy dads, and I don’t want to give them homework. Since I am always jumping between systems and platforms, my players always have questions, and it is nice to have a space where we can learn things together. It also helps break the ice as they start planning their characters. Some players come with ideas and building takes seconds, others will take their time to do it during the session. We have fun talking about different mechanics and characteristics.

After we create our characters, I like to slowly introduce mechanics. I give them a space to Roleplay to help them get into the space, I through some checks and a bit of combat to give them a taste of what is to come. Depending on how long the planning session takes, I try not overwhelm my players with too much content on the first day.

I used to skip session zero and go strait into the first game. I’ve learned that having that space where we can jokes around, answer questions, and build our characters gets us ready for the upcoming adventure and gets us started on a strong note.

Impressions

Setting up for our Mutant campaign was easy. The book lays the character creation process clearly, and using the official Alchemy RPG module made things even easier. Most of my players created their character from scratch, but one of my players edited one of the premade characters. How balanced each method is yet to be seen. The most exciting part of character creation is rolling for the mutation. Mutations are random and permanent in this game, and that first gamble of the game shapes a players identity. At least it did at my table.

I very much appreciate how each player focused on a different part of the book. One was more interested in the lore, another the mechanics, and together we were able to answer most questions. I found the more we talked about the game, the more excited we grew. My players are itching to use their mutations and explore this new world, and I can’t wait to run it for them.

I am running the included Path to Eden adventure, and so far, I’m hooked. The lore is interesting, and I like that it gives me the freedom to create the adventure I want between the meta narrative its left for me. I will need to do a bit more digging, but so far, we are happy with the system. Stay tuned to see if that changes.

You can pick up the Mutant: Year Zero Core Rulebook on the official Free League Publishing website.

Uncategorized, video game reviews

Nobody Nowhere is a Fantastic Visual Novel

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Nobody Nowhere 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.

Shameless Self-Promotions

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out the new Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System. I’ve also started a web novel that I update every two weeks.

What is Nobody Nowhere?

Nobody Nowhere is a scifi visual novel out now on Steam.

The year is 2019 and the Human Science Research Corp is working on a way to transfer conciseness into empty vessels known as replicates. Julian is a replicant who unfortunately developed self-awareness. His days are numbered as the corporation plans to whip his consciousness from his body. The secret organization, the White Dove, consider Julian human and plan to set him free. But their rescue efforts fail, and what they uncover will shake their foundation. What secrets will they uncover? Can Julian ever be truly human? You will need to read to find out.

Review

I went out of my way to get a copy of Nobody Nowhere because the synopsis got me interested, and I liked the art. I was not disappointed. Nobody Nowhere is the best visual novel I have read, and I recomend it to people who aren’t even looking into the genre. The writing is solid, the story is great, the characters are memorable, and the pacing is perfect. The game also has a very good art style and aesthetic. I like that the gameplay didn’t feel like busy work. The small moments of exploration helped with world building, the minigames were fun and engaging, and they helped break up into more manageable segments.

One complaint I do have is that there are a lot of silent moments. I would have liked there to be a bit more ambience sound here and there, but nothing that can’t be fixed with a YouTube video in the background. This is just a personal preference and nowhere near a deal breaker, especially since the music that does exist is pretty good.

My hat goes off to the solo developer who was able to create such a fantastic narrative. Its is incredibly obvious that a lot of passion went into this game when you look at all the details that went into bringing this story to life. If you’re looking for a new game, you need to get Nobody Nowhere. It is a fantastic read, and it deserves a lot more attention.

You can pick up Nobody Nowhere $9.99 on Steam.

Tech Reviews, Uncategorized

Epomaker HE68 Mag Review: Stylish, Compact & Functional

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

Epomaker sent me the HE68 Mag Keyboard with the Pink Magnetic 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. Make sure you check out my reviews for the TH99 or the Cypher 96 if you’re looking to upgrade your style.

What’s in the box?

  • Epomaker TH68 Mag
  • USB-C to USB-A Braided Cable
  • 2 Extra Switches
  • Key/Switch Puller
  • User Manual

Sound Test

Features

The HE68 Mag is a 65% keyboard which means you get no function bar or number pad, but you do get a compact usable experience if you are trying to minimize your footprint. The keyboard comes in black or white, and both look very stylish.

I chose the white version because of the purple keys. It comes with a fun little removable strap for when you’re on the go, but you probably aren’t going far since this is a wired keyboard.

Do not be discouraged by the wire only connection. The included high quality braided cable provides users a an impressive 8k polling rate, and it can be swapped out for a cable that better fits your aesthetic. The HE68 Mag boasts only 0.125ms latency, supports SOCD (Simultaneous Opposite Key Detection), and adjustable actuation hall effects making it a fantastic gaming keyboard.

All this fuctionality is good, but it wouldn’t be a gaming keyboard with out RGB. The HE68 has subtle south facing rgb with a good amount of customization, but it can be switched off if you don’t want all the lights.

Review

The HE68’s size had me a bit apprehensive. I was afraid that using it would kill my hands, and not having function bar was going to affect my gameplay. To my surprise, I can’t see myself using anything different from gaming. I was able to find the ideal typing position after adjusting the height, and the layout never triggered my repetitive stress injury. While I wouldn’t call the HE68 an ergonomic keyboard, it provides a comfortable enough experience for to get the job done.

Aesthetically, the keyboard is very pleasing. I love the simple and compact layout and use of color. I love the shinning base that peaks between the keys for the perfect accent of color. The RGB is very subtle, and I love the amount of customization that comes with it. Everything on this keyboard can be swapped out and customized, but it provides a fantastic aesthetic upgrade at the stock level. The only thing I would change is the strap. It feels like a random gimmick. Since it is a wired keyboard, I doubt it will see enough travel for the strap to be useful. It is removable and not a deal breaker, but I wish it didn’t have it.

Performance wise, this keyboard is fantastic. The keys felt comfortable, and everything is responsive. I don’t play at a competitive level, but I did notice some difference. My hands would be less fatigued after the more intense moments of game play, and I never had to worry about running out of battery. You can easily adjust the actuation to truly minmax your setup, but I felt like the stock settings were perfect for level of play.

If you’re looking for a stylish gaming keyboard that works well and don’t mind the lack of wireless connectivity, the Epomaker HE68 Mag is a fantastic choice that I wholeheartedly recommend. It has easily become my main keyboard, at least until Epomaker comes out with something better.

You can pick up the HE68 Keyboard for only $59.99 directly from the site.

video game reviews

Discover the Relaxing World of Urban Jungle on Steam

Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of Urban Jungle 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.

Shameless Self-Promotions

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out the new Epomaker HE75 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System. I’ve also started a web novel that I update weekly.

What is Urban Jungle?

Urban Jungle is a cozy puzzle game releasing on Steam March 21st.

Your love for plants started before you moved over seas in search of a better life. It reminds you of your grandmother, and gives you a bit of peace in this hectic new landscape. Now you can’t help but fill every space you with plants, no mater how small it may be. Organize your room as you find the perfect spot for your growing collection of plants. You won’t have to water or do any upkeep, but de-clutter and create the perfect ambiance.

Gameplay

The game follows the life of an immigrant woman, and the love of plants that follows her. The game is split into chapters where players will have time cleaning up and reorganizing spaces to complete objectives. Each map has unique objectives that award players gold that can be spend on rare plants. The main loop of the game is filling each space with plants. The trick is to place the plants in the perfect spot. Each plant has unique requirements that need to be met to award points. The types of plants they get placed near, the humidity, and the amount of light they get all affect the score they award players. A level is completed when the point threshold is met.

Review

Urban Jungle is a fantastic game that should be in everyone’s library. Even if you aren’t looking for a cozy game at the moment, you’re going to always want to turn to the comforting and relaxing experience that is Urban Jungle.The game a cute and pleasing aesthetic, and the music will put in the best mood. Although the gameplay is simple, you won’t have more fun cleaning and organizing a small space. I don’t normally go for games like this because I am not detailed oriented enough for base building games, but this game made me care more than I ever have.

While the main force of progression comes from placing the plants, the spaces will have other objects you can move around and arrange. Not only do you have to move things around to find the perfect spots for your plants, you’re going to want to. Silly things like color coding books or rearranging furniture to make the room look bigger is such a satisfying feeling. The whole loop is simple, but engaging enough to keep players engaged without becoming work.

I particularly loved the story because of how relatable it was to my experience. As someone who plays a lot of games, I don’t get a chance to see a lot of myself represented in games. It is nice to see that representation in a game I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a very good story, and definitely worth playing through.

If you’re looking for a new game to play, it doesn’t get better than Urban Jungle. This is the adorably cozy game you didn’t know you needed, and I am willing to put that in writing.

You can pick up Urban Jungle on Steam on March 21st. At the very least, add it to your wishlist!

Board Games and TCGs, Uncategorized

Ruins of Sybaroum 5e: Adventure Compendium – Complete Review

Leave a comment

Introduction

I ran the Ruins of Sybaroum 5e recently at my table. It’s been a while since I’ve ran 5e and we wanted to make our return. Ruins of Symbaroum offered a different enough setting and flavor that we made our plunge and start with the Adventure Compendium. I did buy this book with my own money, and ran it using the official Alchemy RPG module (also purchased with my own money). This review will be on both the game and the module. You can pick up a copy of the Adventure Compendium on the official Free League Publishing site or your favorite game store. You can also pick it up through my Amazon Affiliate link. It really helps me out. I’ll be leaving affiliate links where I can.

What is Ruins of Sybaroum 5e: Adventure Compendium?

The adventure compendium is a 5e compatible adventure that takes players from levels 1-8. If you’re planning to run any of the other pre-written adventures in this series, or are a new DM, this is the place to start.

The Adventure Compendium is a collection of adventures that lets players not only explore the world of Symbaroum, but get a taste of the different types of adventures. There are witch hunts, murder mysteries, escort missions, and a few other neat surprises. You will need access to at least the OGL ruleset, but it doesn’t hurt to have a Gamemaster’s Guide. Things like the Ruins of Symbaroum Core Setting Book, Player’s Guide, and Beastiary are nice to have, but you can run this game with just the OGL.

The Module

Alchemy RPG is a VTT that focuses on enhancing Theater of the Mind campaigns. It can be used to run combat and it has tools to run battle maps, but the modules main job is to set the mood with its cool visuals and atmospheric soundscape.

The Adventure Compendium Module is fine, but it is incomplete. Buying other modules will make prep easier, but hombrewing what you need isn’t hard, just time consuming. If this is your first VTT, buying into it isn’t going to be a problem. It is reasonably priced with a clean UI that is simple and easy to use. As far as substance goes, the visuals for the module are cool, but not the real reason you’re buying the game. You can always supplement the module with your own content for free. I found the font too small to read, and I don’t like that you can’t move or resize any of the windows. It be nice to be able to move the notes around to move characters.

Combat in this module works fine. If you like to use maps, the experience feels a bit lacking. Resizing maps feels a bit clunky (but better than Roll20) and the maps included with the module aren’t very optimized. They work well enough if you ever need to run something quick, but Foundry VTT does it better. If you don’t care about maps, it’s great. Setting up the encounter is easy, and every chapter is neatly divided so you only get the stat blocks you need. I don’t think the included visuals and sounds did much to enhance combat, but setting up your own scenes with music and visuals is easy and quick.

Alchemy is a solid VTT for those who want to focus on the story and don’t care much about combat. It is free to try (with a few limitations), but you can start with the module if you want to support the publisher and want the convenience the module provides. You can run the game without the module, but it is a little time consuming.

The Book

If you’re a new Gamemaster with new players looking for a darker grittier adventure, the Adventure Compendium is a great place to start. The book has solid pacing and a good variety of actives to get things started.

The world of Symbaroum is very unforgiving and will wipe a careless party. GMs can always tweek and change an adventure to fit their table, but the adventure is supposed to be harsh. Monsters are supposed to be strong, resources are supposed to be scarce, and the danger is supposed to be feel real. Games like these seem to have more meaningful moments of epic heroism, but the table needs to be in the mood for it. Changing survival mechanics and re-balancing combat is always fine, but it takes away a bit of the spirit of the campaign. As it turns out, we weren’t really in the mood for a more serious campaign and we couldn’t form that connection. Lowering the difficulty to allow room for shenanigans made it not as good.

But, just because the game didn’t fit the flavor of our campaign, it doesn’t mean it won’t fit yours. The Adventure Compendium does a fantastic job at being an intro product, and with a good amount of difficulty to keep things grim. It does feel like it is geared towards newer GMs and players (it could be a lot harder) and that is perfectly fine. The stories it tells are also fine, but not a real reason to buy this book. If you want to explore the world of Symbaroum and don’t need the crutch, you can try starting with the setting book instead. I’ll be doing a full review at some point so stay tuned.

Board Games and TCGs

Doomlings Game Review: A Fun, Simple, Cute Card Game

Leave a comment

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Doomlings base game 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.

Sponsored plug

If you’re looking to buy a bunch of board games or tcg product all at once, get it over at Game Nerdz. They have unbeatable prices (if you can hit the $75 for free shipping) and they have great service. It really helps me out, and can stock up on the games you need.

What is Doomlings?

Doomlings is a cute and simple card game for 2 to 6 players. Games last about 20-45 mins to play, and learning only takes about five minutes.

Players are on a race against time as they build the strongest Doomling before catastrophe destroys erases everything. Players use their collection of cards, called traits, to build a powerful gene pool before the end of the game. Traits give players abilities, but most importantly, points. There are also ages cards that change the rules of interaction each round. They can do things like change hand sizes or affect certain colors. Events can also be catastrophes, and drawing three catastrophes ends the game. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. Use the official web app to tally scores easily.

What’s in the box?

  • 167 Unique Doomling Cards
  • Rulebook
  • Nice Box for Sleeved Storage

How to play

The official how-to-play video is the best resource to get you started. While the instructions are clear and the game is easy to learn, the video is invaluable.

Card Art

Catastrophe

Ages

Traits

Review

Doomlings is a very cute game that is worth looking into id you need something simple, quick, and a lot of fun.

The game comes in a good-sized quality box that will fit a sleeved deck and a few expansions easily. You are going to want to sleeve these cards. While the card and print quality is durable enough to survive the first few play through, the cards are a difficult to shuffle. The cards are textured, and the texture feels nice, but it prevents a bit of the randomization you can get with sleeves. A noticed a bit of damage after the first few shuffles, but I am also a crazy person who sleeves everything.

The artwork for this game is simple, thematic, and cute. I enjoyed that each color had a unique flavor without being too busy. The focus for a game like this should be the rules and interactions, and the art is good enough to see on the table. It is a really cozy feeling game considering the it deals with the end of the world.

Gameplaywise, the game is solid. I like that it is very easy to learn, and even easier to teach. Set up takes only a few minutes (including teaching), but I recommend you check out the official how-to-play video to fill any holes. The mechanics are sound and there is room for some sneaky strategy. You are going to hate a few of your friends, but you will have fun doing so. I like that no two games were ever the same, and my strategy always changed thanks to the draw and hand mechanic. I just wish I sleeved my cards before hand for a more randomized experience.

Doomlings is a fantastic game to pull out when you have company that doesn’t play many board games. There is enough strategy involved to keep things competitive without alienating the more casual gamer. The is very easy to learn, even if there is no prior board game experience. We had a lot of fun playing the game at our table, and I can guarantee it can find its place on any table.

You can pick up Doomlings on Amazon for $24.99 using my affiliate link.