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video game reviews

Mary Skelter Finale: Is it the Best RPG for Old School Fans?

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Mary Skeleter Finale 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.

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Table of Contents

What is May Skelter Finale?

Mary Skelter Finale is a dungeon crawling RPG out now on Steam, PS4 and the Nintendo Switch. If you like anime and dark fantasy, this might be the game for you.

Hook

Deep within an ancient prison, a group of fairy tale heroes make their daring escape. Surrounded by monsters known as Marchen and madness-inducing monsters, they must fight their way through to freedom. But this will not be easy, and their latest obsticale seems almost impossible. The group finds themselves surrounded by pools of blood and piles of dead bodies. Even more powerful monsters fight back the blood maidens, forcing a retreat that leaves them scattered throughout the tower. They must use their special abilities and any loot they find along the way to get out of this prison. Will they ever know freedom, or are they doomed to become part of the piles of dead bodies?

Gameplay

This game plays like an old school dungeon crawler. The game is split into two parts, exploration and combat. Players will explore the dungeon in a unique first person view, in search of loot and a way out. Random encounters will keep players on their toes as they are forced into traditional turn based combat. Each character and team has unique skills and abilities that they can use to keep enemies at bay, with options for further customization through a unique skill crafting system. You can essentially buy the skills you want each character to have.

What makes this game truly unique is its swapping mechanic. All of the characters have been scattered throughout the tower in teams. Players must switch between each team to progress through the story. This shift in perspective helps give the narrative its complexity, but it also makes the grind feel a bit more tedious. Either way, if you like these old school feeling dungeon crawlers, it might be worth checking out the Mary Skelter series.

Review

I have mixed feelings about this title. On one hand, this game has fantastic art and solid story, but starting at the end left me a little confused. I wish I would have started from the start. The gameplay loop is fine, but it does suffer from being a port of a game from a grindier generation. There are a few noticeable bugs, but I didn’t encounter anything game braking, and the combat feels a bit repetitive. The game is also hard if you try to play it mindlessly. This game demands respect for its mechanics, and the mechanics aren’t always clear. (This might be a skill issue). All in all, I think the game is fine, but start at the beginning.

Aesthetic

What drew me, and I am sure a lot of people, to this game is the art. The character design in this game is peak, especially if you are fan of anime. The world feels a little bare, but I’ll chalk that up to resource restrictions. The game does have a fantastic sound track and even better voice actors to bring this story to life. If you like anime, you’ll enjoy the dark and gritty world and cool anime characters that fill it.

Gameplay

Here is where I can see there being a split. If you like old school dungeon crawlers, the game has enough of a modern flare to be appealing to the modern gamer, but the game feels dated and the grind is a little steep. You really get sense of how grindy this game is when you switch between teams and it feels like you are starting over. I love these kinds of games and found the repetition soothing, but as a busy dad, it felt like I never accomplished enough.

The problem I have with this title is that you can only save at certain points. This is well in good for building tension, but not good when you have to step away for dadly duties. This game was clearly made to be played on a handheld where you can put the device to sleep, and not lose any progress. I had to start my save over a few times (often losing hours of progress) because I never got to the save point in time. I am so glad this game works on the Steam Deck, or else I would still be playing through the prologue.

Does it work on the Steam Deck?

This game is great on the Steam Deck, at least during my testing. The words are a little small, but that could just be a simptom of these old eyes. Otherwise, I was able to perform the core gameplay loop and most importantly, progress through enough of the story to write this review.

Story

The story is fine, but I felt a little lost. The game does a good enough job at being a stand alone adventure, but I felt like I was missing key plot points that would help me care more about the story. Moreover, I didn’t feel as attached as I should be to the characters because I didn’t get to spend enough time with them. While I like the story for the dark and gory fantasy that it is, I am not getting enough of the story to care. Without having read any of the other installments, I can kind of tell that this might be the weakest of the trilogy. That said, I liked the story enough, and will try to go back to the beginning to learn more. If you like dark fantasy anime, this is a solid tittle, but start at the beginning.

Conclusion

If you like visual novels and don’t mind the old school drungeon-crawl grind, Mary Skelter is an interesting series that is worth looking into. You get a world with cool art, solid lore, and interesting gameplay. The biggest determining factor seems to be the grind. If you don’t mind this era of rpg grind, start at the beginning. $40 seems a little too steep for this title because of how dated it feels, but if you’ve been enjoying the story, you get a solid conclusion. Check it out, but start from the beginning. You can pick up your copy on Steam, PS4 and the Nintendo Switch.

If you enjoy these types of old school Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society

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Is Class of Heroes 3 Worth the Grind? Find Out!

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Class of Heroes 3: Remaster 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 Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my reviews for the Epomaker QK108, the Redragon Antonium K745 Pro, and the adorable KiiBOOM Meow Pudding keycaps. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. The Huanuo Nitroglide dual monitor arm is also pretty cool.

Make sure you check out the free ways you can support me, like using my Amazon affiliate link before you buy anything. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee! Don’t forget to share this review with your friends!

Table of Contents

What is Class of Heroes 3?

The classic dungeon crawler, Class of Heroes 3 has been remastered for all PC players. The game now supports upgraded graphics, bigger dungeons, and a few quality of life changes to help bring a new generation to the old school RPG.

Hook

Enroll in one of the three district schools as you make friends, delve dungeons, and kill anything that stands in your way. Each school has its unique story, difficulty and most importantly, uniform. With 46 classes to choose from, a large amount of weapons to equip, races to be, and lots of friends to make, you can mix and match for a truly unique gaming experience. When you get tired of school life and dungeon crawling, you can do some alchemy to make the powerful items that will take you through your adventure. What secrets will you uncover? What friends will you take along?

Gameplay

Class of Heroes 3 has 3 gameplay loops: school, dungeon crawling, and alchemy. The game offers a deep, classic RPG experience with a few updates to make the game a bit more palatable for the modern audience, but is it enough?

School

Players will need to attend school where they can have social events, make new friends, rest, and buy or create new items. The schools acts as a home base for players to make crucial improvements before setting off their new adventure. This is where players can recruit new heroes and arrange their parties. Each character has a unique skill set based on their class and race that give players a decent amount of customization. I am sure the game is solvable, but I always appreciate when a game lets me choose what I think is cool.

Dungeon Crawl

Setting off on adventure means crawling through the game’s many dungeons. The crawl is in first person where players explore the world one square at a time. Throughout a crawl, players can find useful items, meet new friends, and fight enemies through randomized encounters. Combat is your classic turn-based rpg where players take turns performing actions. Players choose an action between each round and RNG switches between enemies and player characters to perform them. During a turn, characters can switch formation, perform an attack, cast a spell of ability, use an item, or flee. An encounter ends when the player or monster group’s health drops to zero. It should go without say that killing monsters gives the players the XP they need to level their party. It is important to keep a party well geared and supplied, especially when the difficulty jumps after the introductory stages of the game.

Alchemy

Alchemy is what makes the game unique. While players can loot and buy useful items and weapons from shops in town or at school, upgrading or crafting is more useful in the long run. The game doesn’t do a very good job at describing the importance of this mechanic. Not understanding how to utilize alchemy properly will result in wasting time in a game that is already very grindy.

Review

I have mixed feelings about Class of Heroes 3. On one hand, I love the art, the old school vibes of the game, and the story. On the other, I think I am too old to play a game with this amount of grind. If you miss that era of gaming where you would have to spend hours grinding through a dungeon just to beat that difficult boss, you’ll appreciate this game and the modern treatment it was given. If you don’t have much time to game or remember this era less fondly, you might want to skip this one.

Aesthetics

Class of Heroes 3 is a beautiful game with very cool character designs and a world that is fun to explore. I love the high anime fantasy flavor of this world. This and Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society have very cool flavor, music, and lore, but I wish the games were a little shorter. At least let me auto-battle through some of the more grindy bits.

The Grind

I grew up around this era of RPG, although I missed out on the original release. I have spent more time mindlessly grinding for digital rewards than I would proudly admit, but I used to find comfort in that level of repetition. Now that I am older and have a lot less time to play games, these types of games feel less appealing.

I have noticed the shift in gaming where people want easier games that hold your hand, but this isn’t my complaint. My complaint is that after you get past the early stage of the game, the grind gets so bad, I felt I played for hours without any reward. There is value in games like this for those who enjoy this genre for what it is, but it is a hard sell because not everyone has time for it anymore. The only reason I don’t like this game is because I just don’t have it in me to go through this grind, especially when I have a little one pining for my attention.

Does it Work on the Steam Deck

The game runs great, especially on my Steam Deck. I would argue that the best way to play this game is through the Steam Deck. The words are a little small, but that may be more an issue with age than the Steam Deck port. I have the fondest memories playing these kinds of rpgs on my gameboy, and reliving this through my Steam Deck gave me some comfort, but not enough to recommend. I will say that the grindy nature makes it the perfect travel/couch game because you don’t have to pay too much attention to it.

Gameplay

The game is fine for what it is, but it doesn’t do a very good job at explaining some of the more important mechanics. Combat is pretty strait forward, but I wasted a few turns figuring out the front and back line mechanics. Combat is fine until it gets repetitive.

I still don’t fully understand how to do alchemy, but I figured out enough to get me through my playthrough. I like that there is school events to break up the grind, but there was too much grind to get through. The story is fine, but I took so long with the dungeon delve that it made it hard to keep the events strait. Again, I am old and there may be some skill issue.

Conclusion

Look, if you like the art and need a new dungeon crawler with a retro yet modern vibe, and have the time for the grind, sure. I haven’t played the original game, but it feels like a proper remaster. My only issue with this game is that I just don’t have time for it. For people who don’t have much time to game, the Class of Heroes 3 is too slow of a burn to be worth it. I really wanted to like this game, and even went out of my way to request it, but I just don’t have it in me for a game like this. Honestly, I would rather be playing Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society, a game that is almost as grindy but with more fun mechanics.

For those of you with the time and who like the art, you can pick up Class of Heroes 3: Remaster on Steam.

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Exploring My Favorite Turn Based Dungeon Crawler: Dark Quest 4

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Dark Quest 4 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 the free ways you can support me, like using my Amazon affiliate link before you buy anything. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee! Don’t forget to share this with your friends!

Shameless Self Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset.

Table of Contents

What is Dark Quest 4?

Dark Quest 4 is a 2.5D turn-based dungeon crawler out now on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation.

Hook

Humanity is under attack. The evil Gulak sends his legions of monsters to terrorize villagers in his conquest to conquer humanity for the sorcerer. It is up to you to put an end to this reign of terror. Gather your team from ten powerful heroes and pit them against endless waves of minions. With an adventure spanning over thirty quests, an lots of treasure to be found, the sorcerer will definitely keep you busy. Do you have what it takes to end this reign of terror?

Gamplay Loop

Dark Quest 4 is a turn-based dungeon crawler. Players start their runs in town where they can choose their three man party of adventurers to send out on quests. Town is also where players can buy upgrades for their party. Then the party is ready, they are sent on a quest where they explore a dungeon, and kill anything that comes their way.

Exploration

Players start with a small portion of a dungeon visable. Exploring the dungeon opens more of the map, but players need to be mindful of traps and enemy encounters. There are certain heroes with stats that make them good at disarming traps, so make sure you keep at least one for each delve. When a hero enters the line of sight of an enemy, the party enters combat phase.

Combat

Once in combat, the computer rolls initiative for all characters. Initiative and health is visible to help players plan their moves strategically. Heroes can only perform one action per turn. They can move, attack, use an ability or item. This makes for fast encounters with a very tight action economy, but enough room for strategy to be engaging. Team composition, rest bonuses, and potions can mean the difference between failing or completing a quest.

Quests

The game is split into 30 unique quests with interesting flavor. It is very reminiscent of table top rpgs, and a very interesting way of handling the genre. From clearing a zombie infestation to a challenging jailbreak, the game offers enough variety to make the grind feel negligible.

RNG

Players will need to roll for actions like receiving loot or disarming traps. Chests can be empty, and disarming a trap can fail. Dark Quest 4 offers a unique gamble through their magic skull mechanic. Occasionally, a hero will have to encounter the magic skull who either gives or takes away health. This can easily end a run, and I have mixed feelings on whether it makes the game exciting.

Review

If you like table top RPGs or are a fan of HeroScape, you need to pick up a copy Dark Quest 4. The game has fantastic art work, the story is silly, and the game is a lot of fun.

Art

Dark Quest 4 may not have flashy animations, but it does enough to tell its story. The cartoonist dark style is very cool, and fitting for the tone of the narrative. I love the character design. It is a little silly, but is serious enough to make each adventure feel epic. If you are looking for some proper fantasy in your dungeon crawler, Dark Quest 4 does it very well.

Story

The story is a series of quests that lead up to this big encounter. Each quest has a small setup paragraph to help set the tone of the quest. The blurbs are a fun setup to some pretty excellent delves. I haven’t played any of the previous installments, but I did not feel like I needed to. This game feels pretty self contained, but I would appreciated knowing some of the references. I am going to need to find some time to go back! If you lean to the more sillier side of fantasy but still want that strong fantasy flavor, Dark Quest 4 should be in your library.

Gameplay

If you enjoy board games or ttrpgs, you will enjoy Dark Quest 4. The turn based system is very reminiscent of of playing a board game, but you get the added bonus of not having to clean up afterwards. Combat is interesting. As cute as this game looks, combat can be unforgiving. I had to think hard about the buffs I bought, items I used, and how I built my party. I don’t think it ever gets try-hard rts levels of strategy, but there is enough involved where I needed to pay attention. If you’re looking for a strategy game that is accessible enough to play casually while it still makes you think, go get Dark Quest 4.

Does it work on the Steam Deck?

Dark Quest 4 works fine on the Steam Deck, but some of elements are too small. I am old with old eyes, so your mileage will vary. I had trouble reading a lot of the text, and seeing things like turns, abilities, and movement. It was playable, but I preferred giving my old eyes a break and played on my monitor instead.

Conclusion

I loved every minute of Dark Quest 4. The game has a very cool fantasy world with a fun tone and gameplay. If you are looking for a good dungeon crawler to add to your collection, Dark Quest 4 is a unique title that is worth it at full price.

You can pick up on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStationDark Quest 4. If you want to play another fun board game like dungeon crawler, make sure you check out Demeo.

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Is Once Upon a Dungeon: Infinity Worth Playing?

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I was sent a free copy of Once Upon a Dungeon: Infinity 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.

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What is Once Upon a Dungeon Infinity?

Once Upon a Dungeon: Infinity is a turn based roguelike out now on Steam.

The call of adventure sends its siren song across the land, seducing eager adventurers to the mouth of the dungeon. Crawl through the darkness, fight off monsters, avoid traps, and free it from its treasure. The journey will be perilous, but you as an industrious adventurer have potential. Craft the tools of the trade, conquer this delve, and claim your spot in history. Do you have what it takes?

Gameplay

Players move through procedurally generated dungeons a square at a time. Each action is a turn and every creature in range of the player takes a turn at the same time.

Once Upon a Dungeon: Infinity is a cute hack-and-slash that offers enough of a challenge to keep things interesting. Combat is as simple as clicking an enemy, but players still need to move efficiently and find the right gear. I am sure there is an optimal build, but I built whatever was fun.

Players can craft useful items and upgrade existing ones, provided they have the knowledge and materials. For those seeking a challenge, there is a mode where death is permanent and enemies can attack from any direction.

Review

Once Upon a Dungeon: Infinity is an interesting title with a few issues but a lot of heart. First off, the game is a little too dark. I believe the intent was to emulate the darkness of the dungeon, but I think they overdid it. There are also a few bugs that are hard to ignore. I noticed a few stutters and frame drops, but nothing that made the game unplayable. I almost gave up on the game because of the lack of polish and awkwardness, but I am glad I didn’t.

Once Upon a Dungeon: Infinity has a solid core. The game is a casual dungeon-crawling done right. The procedurally generated maps work fine, and they offer enough of a challenge to keep players engaged. I love that there is a perma-death mode that can be toggled because it makes things more intense, and it is the only way I will play this game moving forward.

Once Upon a Dungeon is a cute and simple roguelike with a neat crafting mechanic and a lot of potential. If you don’t the roughness that comes with an early-access game, make sure you add it to your wishlist and check out the demo!

video game reviews

Galactic Glitch is the Most Fun You’ll Have in Space This Year!

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I was sent a free copy of Galactic Glitch to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions of the game. 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 SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Galactic Glitch?

Galactic Glitch is a colorful and unique twin-stick roguelike shooter where you can throw your enemies into other enemies. The game has launched on Steam Early Access.

Travel through beautiful 2D maps full of enemies, mystery, and debris. Fight off swarms of enemies in unique space battles and upgrade your ship to be the best in the galaxy. How far into the darkness of space will you be able to reach?

Gameplay

Galactic Glitch starts in the traditional roguelike fashion. Players begin their campaign with a basic ship that they can upgrade along the way. The more you play, the better the ship becomes. You will die a lot, so be prepared for some repetition.

The ship comes with three weapons that can be swapped out and upgraded later in the game. Each weapon swap makes a meaningful change to combat, allowing players the ability to find a loadout that fits their playstyle. Players will also encounter random events that drop stat upgrades when completed. These are harder encounters and a very welcomed change of pace.

Combat feels like your typical twin-stick bullet hell, but the physics give it enough of a unique flare to set it apart from other games in the genre. Maneuvering around rooms and throwing objects into enemies feels so good once you get the hang of things.

Progress in this game is set up like a dungeon crawler. Players crawl through the vastness of space, clearing one room at a time. Rooms feel unique enough that the repetition doesn’t get stale, but to be fair, I do enjoy my repetition.

There is a story to this game, but it isn’t anything deep that you’ll need to follow thoroughly. At least it didn’t do enough to catch my attention. Instead, you’ll be picking up this game for the unique space-crawling goodness that it is.

Review

I loved every minute of Galactic Glitch. The art is great, the soundtrack is amazing, and the gameplay is so much fun. Geometry Wars was my favorite game growing up, and Galactic Glitch feels like that with a bit more purpose. I liked that I could switch my weapons but still pick up some RNG abilities along the way. I love that I could upgrade a home base for more powerups. I am sure I could have been a lot more efficient with my playthrough, but I had a lot of fun figuring things out.

If you’re looking for a fun game that will certainly become an addiction, pick up Galactic Glitch. It is a neat casual game with enough substance to keep players engaged, without it becoming a huge commitment. I love Twin-Stick shooters, and Galactic Glitch is definitely one of my favorites.

You can pick up Galactic Glitch on Steam for $12.99 (currently $9.74 until July 29).

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The Dungeons of Hinterberg Demo was fine, but it’s not for me

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I sat down to try Dungeons of Hinterberg because I liked the art style. The game features a fun and quirky style that I find soothing. I was also impressed by the bit of gameplay that I saw. While I did appreciate a few of the game’s quirks and gimmicks, the demo didn’t leave me wanting more. In its current iteration, you simply have better options. 

What is the Dungeons of Hinterberg?

Dungeons of Hinterberg is a puzzle dungeon crawler coming to PC and Xbox.

Hunterberg is a popular vacation spot. Its beautiful landscape and perilous dungeons attract brave adventurers from around the globe and provide a meaningful escape from their boring 9-5s. Play as Luisa as she makes her pilgrimage. Can she conquer the dungeons before the end of her holiday?

Impressions

Dungeons of Hinterberg isn’t a bad game. The art style is cool, the music is fine, and the game works. The problem I have with the game is that there are simply better options. As a puzzle game, it isn’t very fun. The puzzles are fine, but they felt like busy work for the most part. Combat in this game felt fine until the novelty wore off and it got stale. It feels like a phone game that got ported onto PC, which isn’t a bad thing, but again, you have better options. My biggest issue is that the tutorial took too long. By the time the game built its momentum, I had already lost interest in the game. 

I know it isn’t fair to judge a game by its demo, but the demo should at least make me want to play more. The Demo is up on Steam, but you have better options. 

Dungeons of Hinterberg releases on July 18 on Steam and Xbox. It will come to day one of game pass, I recommend you wait for that instead.

video game reviews

Go Play Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

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I was sent a free copy of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord 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 for a quality budget headset, check out the Fifine H9 Gaming Headset using my Amazon Affiliate link. Make sure you check out my full review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials. 

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is remake for the classic dungeon crawler from the Apple II era of gaming out now on on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG for $39.99.

Hire your team of adventurers and dive into the perilous maze. But your trek won’t be an easy one. The Mad Overlord is on your tail, and he is sending everything in his power to put an end to your adventure. Fight monsters, disarm traps, find treasure, and conquer the labyrinth. Do you have what it takes to carve your name into history, or will you be another of the maze’s casualties? 

Gameplay

Players start the game by creating heroes or hiring them from the tavern. Once a six-person adventuring party has been established, players can dive into the maze and conquer all its secrets. 

Players move through the maze one space at a time, with random encounters and traps to keep things interesting. Combat is a turn-based system with some unique mechanics. The adventuring party is split evenly into a front and back row. The front row can attack, the back row parries, and both rows can cast magic. There is a strategy to this combat. I don’t believe a guide is needed, but you do need to be mindful of your party’s composition, character traits and abilities, and your resources. 

The hardest mechanic in Wizardry is navigating through the dungeon. I have a terrible sense of direction and spent a lot of my playthrough running in circles. I eventually did start to remember where I was going and got deeper into the dungeon. I recommend you map out your run so you don’t make the same mistake. 

Wizardry has an unavoidable grind, but one that doesn’t feel so bad. Because I was constantly worried about my party’s health, and resources, and trying to find the way back to town, runs felt intense and scary. This game is very unforgiving if you’re wasteful and aren’t planning properly. 

The game is a solid remake that not only captures the spirit of the classic RPG, the much-needed quality of life changes make the game fun, exciting, and more accessible. 

Review

I’ve always had a soft spot for classic dungeon crawlers, and Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is no exception. The art and soundtrack of this game are fantastic, and I appreciate the nods to the original game. It is cool to see how far things have come since the Apple 2 Days without losing any of the spirit of the original.

The gameplay is fun, and the difficulty is appropriate. The game was hard enough to keep things engaging without ever being frustrating. The hardest part about this game is navigating through the dungeon, but that is all part of the immersion and what makes this game unique and engaging. The game can feel a little repetitive at times, but I found the repetition soothing. The grind is not as bad as other games in the genre. You can play the original mode if you prefer without any of the quality of life changes, which is a great nostalgic trip for anyone who needs it.

If you’re a fan of fantasy and want something that feels retro but with a modern pace, you need to pick up Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord. 

You can pick up Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG for $34.99. 

video game reviews

Dungeon Drafters is a Cute Retro Dungeon Crawling Deck Builder

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I was sent a copy of Dungeon Drafters 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!

What is Dungeon Drafters?

Dungeon Drafters is a retro-style dungeon-crawler deck-building RPG out now on Steam, Epic Games, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch.

Play as an eager adventurer and delve through unique perilous dungeons in search of treasure, fame, and more spell cards. Do you have what it takes to conquer every dungeon?

Gameplay

Players have access to five unique characters: shinobi, monk, mage, explorer, brawler, and bard. Each has access to a unique set of cards, abilities, and playstyle.

Shinobi
Monk
Mage
Brawler
Bard

Players enter the dungeon with a deck they can customize through the adventure. While other games have you build your deck between encounters, Dungeon Drafters lets you build your deck outside of the Dungeon through the shops like you would in a traditional RPG. This is a refreshing take on the genre, and it let me concentrate on each element of the game as it came up. 

Combat is a turn-based system where players can perform only three actions per turn. A player can either move a square, use a melee attack, or cast a spell card. While it is a somewhat limiting system, it does encourage creativity. With the mage, I was often trying to bait my enemies into traps or freeze the ground so I could slide across the map. There is a bit of a grind as you build your deck to progress, but it’s the normal grind you would expect from a game in this genre. 

Players make delve through the dungeon and clear each room of monsters and treasures. Dungeons do have unique bosses that need to be cleared. Combat can get a little repetitive, but the boss fights have unique mechanics to shake things up. Players can switch between dungeons at will to keep things fresh. Each dungeon has its unique aesthetic and feels like a different delve. 

Thoughts

I enjoyed Dungeon Drafters, but it is a bit of a niche game. The three-action point limit will frustrate players, and others won’t enjoy the repetition. I enjoyed the repetition and found it a relaxing experience. Dungeon Drafters is an adorable game with solid flavor and unique gameplay.

My only complaint with the game is that you can accidentally waste your turn on movement. I would often press a direction on the d-pad, wasting my action points. This isn’t a deal breaker, but it is a warning for whoever needs it. You don’t want to waste your turns on a boss fight for accidentally moving towards a big attack.

If you’re looking for a chill game that isn’t a huge commitment, Dungeon Drafters is a solid choice. It has a great soundtrack, a relaxing and intuitive gameplay loop, and a very cool art and aesthetic. It certainly has enough options to refresh gameplay, but I would only pay $20 for it.

Dungeon Drafters is a solid retro-style game you can pick up now for $24.99 on Steam, Epic Games, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch. It is currently on sale for $19.99 until March 28 on Steam, Epic Games, and Switch. Check out the Demo on Steam!

gaming news

Shiren the Wanderer returns to the west in a brand new rogue-like dungeon crawler: Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island

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Shiren returns to the West in an all-new roguelike dungeon crawler for the Nintendo Switch, Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island. After receiving a vision of a mysterious girl held captive by a terrible monster, Shiren and his ferret companion race fight their way to Serpentcoil Island to find her. Do you have what it takes to rescue her?

The game features procedurally generated, promising hours of gameplay and replayability. The art is so cute! I never played any of the Shiren games, so the mechanics seem unique and interesting. I am definitely adding this to the list of games I need to try.

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island releases on February 27 at $59.99 MSRP. First-run copies will include a cute Shinren sticker in the original Japanese art while supplies last. You can preorder your copies from major retailers like Amazon, Target, GameStop, and Best Buy.

Board Games and TCGs, gaming news

Two unique dungeon-crawlers from Fervent Workshop are hitting Kickstarter on October 16

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Fervent Workshop is launching two unique games in their upcoming Kickstarter that you should look at if you like choose-your-own-adventure books, deck builders, dungeon crawlers, or Dungeons & Dragons. The campaign starts on October 16 and will feature the games What Lies Below and Dungeon Maker Deluxe. This will be a short campaign, so go back early. 

I play a lot of One Deck Dungeon, so when I saw the campaign for What Lies Below, I knew I needed to try it. This is a solo game where players dive through an immersive story-driven experience where danger is real, death is permanent, and your decisions matter. All you need to play this game is a pencil, a character sheet, and some luck. The game features unique skill checks, 14-win conditions, and many ways to die. Do you have what it takes to make it through once?

The game comes in two editions: Print-and-Play and bound printed book. The PNP version of What Lies Below includes an interactive PDF and a printable character sheet to get you started. Those who prefer physical media and have shelf space should opt for the book because you get both versions. Early backers will get an exclusive reusable dry-erase character sheet to use on their adventures. Most importantly, the Kickstarter will have a free sample of the game available for download. Make sure you grab your copy and try it out. If you like D&D and dungeon crawlers, you need to look into What Lies Below. I’ve got an early copy of the game and will post my impressions as soon as I get a few runs in. Stay tuned for that.

The second game making its debut is the dry-erase edition of Dungeon Maker Deluxe, which is an update to the existing Print-and-Play edition. Dungeon Maker Deluxe is a dungeon-crawler deck-builder that supports up to six players, with an option for solo play. Players draft from a deck of monsters and use them to fill the rooms and fortify their dungeons to keep out pesky adventurers. With all the possible combinations of dungeons, characters, abilities, and monsters, you are always guaranteed a unique delving experience. Do you have what it takes to stump your friends?

This game looks like a lot of fun, especially in a large group. I don’t have friends to play with, so I appreciate the solo play option. Dungeon Maker Deluxe combines all my favorite formats in one. If you like games like 7 Wonders or Tapestry, then you need to look into this Kickstarter. This update will include 36 unique cards (versus the 18 in the original), streamlined gameplay, new character art, and the dry-erase sheets.

If you want to see how these games are played, Board Games for One made a great video showcasing both. He gives a clear and easy-to-follow explanation of how to play the games and runs through a few scenarios to provide a solid preview of what to expect. Go check it out, and make sure you follow the Kickstarter. The campaign starts on October 16. 

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