I was sent a free copy of Dungeons & Kingdoms 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!
Table of Contents
What is Dungeons & Kingdoms
Dungeons & Kingdoms is a survival game with village management and dungeon delving mechanics. The game is currently currently on Steam Early access. I will try to be a bit more lenient with my review because the game is not finished, but these are still my honest opinions.
The Hook
You have landed on the shores of the new world with only the shirt on your back. With the help of the few who have traveled with you, you must reform the world around you into the kingdom that will be your home. Gather resources, build your city, command its citizens, and go an adventure you will never forget. Can you forge to greatness from humble beginnings, or will the harsh environment consume you?
Gameplay
Dungeons & Kingdoms is an RPG where you build a kingdom, manage citizens, and delve dungeons. If this sounds like a lot, it is.
Survival Game
Players start their run with only the clothes on their backs. They must explore the world and gather its resources in order to discover the recipes they need to build a mighty empire. What sets Dungeons & Kingdoms apart is that players can command NPCs to help in the building effort.
Kingdom Builder/Management
One of the goals of Dungeons & Kingdomsis to build a mighty empire from scratch. Players get to command a growing population of NPCs to gather, build, craft, and send them on adventures. Like other village management games, players will need to be mindful of their citizen’s happiness. It is a very intricate game with many moving parts, but there is also a bit of dungeon delving to keep things fresh and interesting.
Dungeon Delve
Players can delve dungeons in search of treasure to fund the growth of their empire. Combat in this game is pretty simple, but requires a bit of fines to get the kills. Whatever flavor of the game you like, Dungeons & Kingdoms does a lot for its player, but is it any good?
Review
The game does a little too much, and none of it works well at this stage of development. While I like the game’s concept, you really need to be okay with the janky state the game is in. As far as Early Access games, you can do worse, but you can definitely do better. I like Core Keeper is my favorite survival game, and Pathless Woods if you want something a little more cozy.
Aesthetic
I am not a big fan of the visuals for Dungeons & Kingdoms. The world is boring, and feels a little too empty. The character and visual design is a little too pixelated and ugly. It feels like they are mashing too many styles for their assets together when they should try to go for something consistent and simple. The game is doing way too much and I can’t expect it to be realistic and perform well enough to be fun, not that it already is. They need to find a theme for their world and stick to it whether it be the weird 3D pixel art or something more realistic. I prefer a little weirdness personally.
Gameplay
I like that the game has a lot to do. The blending of genres is a very interesting idea with a good amount of potential, but all these moving parts can be overwhelming. If the game can successfully onboard players through those awkward early stages of the game, it can have its growing fandom. Unfortunately, the tutorial is boring and not very good. It doesn’t help that the performance isn’t great. While I like the idea of a survival game with all of these elements, the execution isn’t good enough to make a positive impression. If you have the patience to fight through the bugs and performance issues, your time is still better spent elsewhere. I really liked Enshrouded.
Performance
I usually give Early Access games a bit of a pass because they aren’t finished yet, but the performance issues make the game more work than its worth. There is a general wonkiness that carries over to every task. The game has bad UI that makes navigating through the many menus a chore. It got to the point where I was working too hard and wasn’t having fun. The problem is that the game is trying way too much at once. There are so many moving parts and while some may be working fine, I didn’t have it in me to get to that point. Most gamers won’t either. I am willing to try the game in a couple of updates if the performance improves, but I can’t recommend it in its current state.
Conclusion
Dungeons & Kingdoms has some cool ideas, it doesn’t do any of its parts good enough to earn a recommendation. For every genre this game mashes together, you simply have better options. Even if you want to help test a game that will most likely have a long early access, you can do so much better. I am willing to try a better version of what I got to test out, but I can’t ask people to spend their hard earned money on something that is this rough. Go play anything else and wait for a few more updates.
I was sent a free copy of Diety 2to 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!
Table of Contents
What is Diety 2
Diety 2is top-down turn-based strategy game out now on Steam. Think Fire Emblem, but with a few unique mechanics to set it apart.
Story
The Eternal Order exists to protect Verroa from all threats. The fragile, fragmented country struggles to find in the world political stage. The neighboring Asverellian empire chooses to take advantage of Verroa’s instability and expand its reach. The order’s strength will be put to the test as 25 powerful warriors push back against the Asverellian siege. Can and Riodian navigate the complicate political landscape of Verroa and keep the country free of Asverellian rule, or will their efforts be in vain?
What allegiances will you make? How ill your choices shape the future of Verroa?
Gameplay
Take control of a your group of heroes in a series of campaigns that will shape the future of nation. This is a game where your decisions in between missions shape the outcome of the story, so choose carefully.
Players will take control of their army as they fight in different battles. Each battle has its unique objective, with a few side objectives available to help players earn more loot. Some games will have players survive a certain number of rounds but push players to complete risky objectives for extra gold or upgrade materials. The difficulty for these campaigns can be adjusted from a very casual play through for those who just want to experience the story, to something more hard core with turn limits to test a players strategic prowess. I went with something in the middle and thought it was challenging enough to keep me engaged without much of the stress.
Players take turns moving their characters across the maps in grid based combat, and use the terrain to gain an advantage. What makes the game unique is the bond system that the characters have with one another. Characters who fight near one another gain a bond over the course of the campaign that unlocks bonuses like money or upgrade materials per each level. What I love most about Diety 2 is that players can save mid battle if you ever need to step away suddenly.
Between missions players can upgrade their heroes. They can buy better gear at the shop with gold they earn in the campaign, upgrade existing weapons with magical runes, craft magic rings for heroes to wear, upgrade a heroes abilities, or upgrade a heroes class. Each hero has a wide selection of upgrade paths for a truly unique army.
Choices Matter
Verroa has a few factions that make up its landscape. Players will often have to choose who to help as they defend against invaders. These choices shape the outcome of the story. Players can either choose the story they like the best, and help out whatever faction they think is right, or choose whatever faction gives them the best loot. Each choice has a different set of rewards, and sometimes the “right” choice isn’t the one that pays the best. What factors will shape your campaign?
Review
Deity 2is a fantastic turn-based strategy game with a solid story and very engaging gameplay. If you like strategy games or want to take your first step into the genre, this is one of the titles that should be in your library.
Story
I did not play the first Deity, but I didn’t feel like I needed to. I might have missed some refrences here and there, but never felt lost by the events in two. The story of Deity 2 is very self contained.
The story may not be the epic campaign of some of the more popular titles like the Fire Emblem series, but it’s good enough to earn a playthrough. The characters are fun and memorable, but they can be a bit too quirky at times. Nothing that ruins the story, but there are a few cringe moments that come to mind. The voice acing is solid and I liked that I didn’t have to sit there and read. This game has long cut scenes, so be prepared to sit back and listen.
I really like that the game offers choices that shape the outcome of the story. It was hard choosing a path because the more lucrative paths weren’t always the most moral. I want to go back and experience what the other options had to offer.
Gameplay Loop
I played a more casual version of the game because I didn’t want to have turn limits. While it was a more casual run, it still provided enough of a challenge to keep me paying attention, especially in runs where I had to keep an NPC alive.
The upgrade system needs a bit of work. The UI is a little clunky and I don’t like the fact that I can’t tell what my upgrades do. I don’t like that I couldn’t compare weapons in the shop to see if it was an upgrade for what I have, and guessing with limited resources is frustrating. I never wasted money, but it was a bit of added work that shouldn’t exist.
Aside from that, the leveling adds some interesting depth to the game. Upgrades you get from runes, elixers, and rings felt impactful, and how you level up a heroes ability becomes important. The limited resources become less of a problem the more you play, and especially if you’re making riskier choices. Not all risks are created equal.
Conclusion
As a casual in the strategy rpg genre, Diety 2 is definitely a favorite. I think the story is good, the world building is solid, the art is fantastic, the music is epic, and the gameplay is good. If you are looking for a game that fills that Fire Emblem itch, Diety 2 is worth it at full price. Just be aware that you have to sit through a lot of dialogue.
You can pick up Diety 2 on steam. If you’re looking for some more turn-based strategy action, make sure you check out Arco.
I was sent a free copy of the Anima Gate of Memories: I&II 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.
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!
This remaster cleans up a bit of the roughness that came with the first run and allows players to enjoy the world of anime like they’ve never before. Explore the Tower of Arcane as either the Bearer of Calamaties or the imortal Nameless in an action packed adventure. The Tower of Arcane is a world built from memories as they try to stop the Messengers of the End and prevent the end of the world. Your choices will shape the course of this narrative. What will your story look like?
What Makes the Remaster so Special?
The remaster works to fix the issues that came with the first run. The visuals have been updated, and textures have been added to create a fuller more unique world. The performance and mechanics have been upgrades to provide players a smoother experience. Most importantly, it combines the complete Gate of Memories story in one convenient place.
Gameplay
Players get to explore the world of Anima in a fast-paced game with a bit of classic feel. Gates of Memories is a 3rd person action adventure where players take control of a character, explore the Tower of Arcane. What makes these games unique is its combat system.
While it may follow the traditional action RPG combo system you would see in something like Devil May Cry or Beyoneta, it uses interesting fixed camera angles to create deep and dynamic combat sequences. For example, the camera will sometimes switch to top-down view during a fight. This shift in perspective changes the strategy of combat because it shifts the controls. It is a mechanic that keeps combat fresh and exciting.
Like other RPGs, players will grind through encounters for XP to spend on a characters skill tree. Players have a good amount of choice on how they want to build their character, with room for varying play styles. I am sure there is a solved path to minmax each character, but I liked building what I thought was fun without much issue on the Normal difficulty. The diffuclty can be adjusted for those who want a harder journey or who are only in it for the story.
Review
If you are a fan of classic 3rd-person action rpgs, Anima Gate of Memories: I&II Remaster should be in your collection. While there is some roughness, the overall experience is something you have to play through once.
Visuals
The game is a little dark in places, but the overall aesthetic is fantastic. Both games have some terrific textures that often help create the beautiful fantasy you play through. The character and monster design are all very cool, flavorful, and memorable. Combat animation looks good without being overly flashy and distracting. I was actually able to follow what was going on instead of being bombarded with lights and explosions which is always a plus. There are no animated cut scenes, but the moving stills do a fantastic job at telling the story.
Story
Gate of Memories is a fantastic story full of action, adventure, and intrigue. The games do a good job at introduction the world of Anima with properly paced stories that hooked me out of the game. I don’t want to reveal too much and risk spoilers, but it was hard to put them down because I want to know what happens next. What is cool about the bundle is that the stories can be played in any order, but playing them in order will avoid spoilers and close up a few confusing references that may arise. If you play rpgs for their story, Gate of Memories is a fantastic addition to your collection.
Gameplay Loop
While I do love the Gate of Memories story, the combat system is the reason you buy this game. I love the fluid combo system and how good it feels to fight through the many waves of enemies. Every very skill I learned further tailored the combat to a style I found very enjoyable. The game offers a good amount of choice in your build, with enough time to and space to explore what you like. Most importantly, the difficulty ramps at a very good pace. I felt like I had time to learn the game and explore its story without being unfairly shutdown by a random encounter.
Exploration
The game has some exploration, but the zones aren’t a huge open world to explore. Depending on your device, there is a bit of a load time between zones. Nothing unbearably long, but it does break a bit of the immersion. The zones are otherwise look very good, and I had fun trying to get into every crevice in search of juicy secrets. The game does a good job incentivizing explorations with loot and other bread crumbs. Some of the areas are a little too dark and I kept getting lost, but that might be a personal problem.
Performance
I never played the original Gate of Memories games, and can’t compare the performance. I will say, aside for a little clunkiness in the movement, the game runs well. Combat feels fast and fluid, and I didn’t encounter any game breaking crashes. I like that it feels like an older rpg but with enough of a modern pacing to help keep my constantly dwindling attention.
Conclusion
Anima Gate of Memories: I&II Remaster is shaping to be my favorite game of the year without question. I loved flavor and story, and the combat system is fantastic. It really does remind me of the playstation days trying to get through the Devil May Cry games, and that sense of nostalgia is unmatched in my heart. The game plays very good and looks great. It is full of fun encounters and interesting boss fights. Gate of Memories is one of those games that needs to be in every collection for its unique world and solid gameplay. I for one am ready to dive more deeply into the world of Anima.
You can pick up your copy of Anima Gate of Memories: I&II Remaster on Steam or pick up physical copy for the PS5 Amazon Affiliate link.
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!
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.
Free League Publishing sent me a free copy of the Mutant: Year Zerocore rulebook to review for my blog. While I am very happy for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. Make sure you also check out my reviews for Dragonbane and The One Ring.
Table of Contents
What is Mutant: Year Zero?
Mutant is a tabletop roleplaying game about mutants at the end of the world. The game runs on the award winning Year Zero system which is a D6 system where things happen on 6s and 1s. Six is good and one is bad. There are no modifiers. Instead, stats and gear tell players how many dice they need to roll. More dice generally means better odds. Finally, Mutant is a survival game where the world is harsh, people have powers, and starvation is always a bad roll away.
Hook
Before the fall of civilization, Earth existed in a constant state of conflict. War broke out across the globe, quickly turning nuclear. Those smart and rich enough quickly found shelter in secure underground bunkers while others fled into the safety of space. Everyone else either died in the first wave, or had to rot away in the fallout. As the Earth became toxic, many began to mutate and develop powers.This was the next stage of evolution of man, but one that also marked its end. Mutants are sterile, and while there are tales of powerful folk that roam the wasteland, the population is aging towards is final days.
Some survivors band together and form flourishing communities known as arcs in an attempt to recapture what they lost, others turned to the harsh wasteland and let it transform. You were fortunate enough to grow in one of these arcs, and spend your days working towards a common goal. As the years go by, resources start to dwindle and the world becomes a harder place to live. Eventually, you and a promising group are tasked with going out farther than the usual patrol in search of anything that will extend your time on this planet. What secrets will you uncover beyond those walls? What will you bring back? Can humanity ever be saved, or are you merely surviving till your final days?
Gameplay
Mutant is a very easy game to pick up, but has enough depth to keep players engaged. The survival mechanics give players agency, without ever feeling like a chore. The mutation mechanic adds fun flavor that players can explore through their character, and it makes for some fun and interersting interactions. If you’ve ever wanted to be Xmen at the end of the world, pick up Mutant Year Zero.
Resources
Resources at the end of the world are limited. Players will need to spend their time constantly hunting for food, water, and other materials to survive the harsh dying world around them. Resources like food and water are expended every day for survival, but they are also used for healing. Rationing this precious resource keeps a high level of tension for the players. Players can choose to be at full health for the next encounter at the risk of starving to death. The system is streamlined so the bulk of the game is focused on the game rather than resource management, but you can make it more hard core if that is fun for you.
In Mutant, bullets are the most valuable resource after food and water. While players don’t need bullets to survive the wasteland, they are useful currency when it comes time to trade for better gear or materials. Bullets are also used for guns, and no one wants to be short a bullet in an important gunfight. Players will constantly need to weigh the benefits of trading away their bullets, and that will make for some difficult decisions.
Rot
The world rots away under the effects of the lingering radiation. While there are a few clean and hospitable areas left on this planet, there are pockets of deadly radiation spread in between. These areas give players rot points that slowly kill them. The only way to get rid of rot is to rest in a clean area, but those may be far in between during an adventure. The best bet is to avoid rot all together, or find some rot protection over time. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way forward is through a puddle of rot, and sometimes the only drinkable water is contaminated. The problem then becomes finding ways to mitigate the rot, and live with it.
Mutations
You can’t have a Mutant’s game without cool mutant powers, and this book has a very good selection of them. The DM can allow players to choose their mutation or roll for them at a table. I prefer rolling because that randomness gives the game its flavor. Survivors in this world wouldn’t have been able to choose their powers, neither should your players. That said, I’ll let a player choose their mutation if they have a fun idea that won’t kill the fun for anyone else.
As you would expect, mutations give players abilities they can use in and out of combat. Every player gets a mutation point per mutation at the start of each session that rolls over to the next if not used. Mutation points are the resource used to power the mutation. Because mutations are so powerful, this limit is used to balance the game. If the player could use their mutation as much as they wanted, things could get out of hand. Mutations can also backfire. They can explode or work as intended. They can also further mutate the user, leaving them weaker but with a cool new power to use.
Combat
Combat does not get any simpler than in Mutants. Attacks succeed on 6s and fail on 1s. Additional 6s give the user extra boons like bonus damage or the ability to disarm. Additional 1s can mean the weapon breaks, leaving its user defenseless. Weapon and gear do break in this game, and players will need a skilled craftsman for repairs, or enough bullets to buy the replacement.
What makes combat deep is the health and cover system. The way health works means that players will need to think carefully before rushing in. They may not have the resources to heal back, or they can get an injury that affects their performance. Learning how to effectively use the environment in combat is extremely important. Effectively finding cover in a gun fight or exploding a barrel can easily mean the difference between life and death.
Leveling
I love the leveling system in Mutant because it is streamlined and accessible. Players will need to answer the following questions:
Did you participate in the session? (You get 1 XP just for being present.)
Did you perform a Day’s Work for a project in the Ark?
Did you explore at least one new sector in the Zone?
Did you sacrifice or risk something for your PC buddy?
Did you sacrifice or risk something for the NPC you want to keep safe?
Did you sacrifice or risk something to mess with the NPC you hate?
Did you sacrifice or risk something to reach your big dream?
Players get 1xp point per yes, and they level up when they earn a total of five. Leveling means players will get put a point into a skill of their choice or pick up a new talent. This system not only eliminates the guess work you would see in something like D&D, and it allows players to customize their character. Personally, it forced my players to act in ways they wouldn’t normally because they wanted an XP point. Where in a D&D campaign they wouldn’t care if the NPC died, they went out of their way to keep them alive and get to know them. I was not ready to RP as much as I have in Mutant, but I am not complaining.
Other Mechanics
There are other very cool mechanics that make this game unique and fun to play, but I don’t want this post to get too long. I pulled out the most notable that set it apart from other systems I’ve played, but also the systems I’ve liked the most. While I do not currently run a hardcore survival campaign, its nice to play something more bleak and I’ve been enjoying the story that has come from it.
Review
Mutant Year Zero is easily one of my favorite TTRPGs. I love how accessible the game is. It is easy to learn, and this is important for table of busy dads. Mutant also has some fantastic flavor with the mechanics that make for a good story.
Quality
I did get a copy of the physical book, and it is beautiful. The printing is high quality with vibrant colors, and the book is very high quality. I love the comic book style art. It gives the game its distinct personality and the book looks fantastic on my table.
The cover is phenomenal. I love how it draws the attention to the survivors combing a burning crumbling city for danger and supplies. Their nonchalant expressions suggest that they’ve grown used to the wreckage, and remain unfazed by the apocalypse. The worn mismatched outfits fit the flavor of the world, and the colors tie it all together. I love that each character has a hint of their ability showing. It is just enough to make a statement about their power, while still evoking curiosity. Are these good guys? Bad guys? You’re going to have to play and decide.
Story
The corebook has a prewritten adventure, and it is a very good place to start if you’re a beginner or just need a little help. The adventure offers a solid mystery with an interesting hook to get things rolling.
The players start at the arc, with an aging leader and dwindling supplies. They are sent out in search of more, but find hints to the fabled Eden. Eden is a place of abundance, populated by the most brilliant minds to find a cure for mutation. Some say the cure exists somewhere within its walls, the trouble is finding it. Others say its all a cruel joke told by those too dumb to realize it is all over. As fate has it, your players find themselves chasing a legend, and what they find isn’t what they expected.
Adventure
What I like most about how the adventure is written is that it gives players to tell their own story around the main goal. The adventure outlines a meta story, fills it with important NPCs and location, and sprinkles enough clues to create agency. The gamemaster players have the freedom to do what they want. I’ve never had my players more invested in the world building, because we were building our world. We had a session where we just talked about the fake mutant animals that existed in the one zone and creating bits of random lore that carried throughout the campaign. I love that I was not tied down by a dungeon crawl because it allowed us to tell some very cool stories.
Most importantly, I love that my players liked the meta story enough to keep playing through it. I’ve ran modules where I stopped using the source material because my players wanted to do something different within that world. I wasn’t ready for them to start asking questions about Eden and actively working towards it because of how much time we spend messing around in character.
Roleplay
This is one of the games where my players got into unique characters. I think the random mutation forced them to play a character they wouldn’t usually which was very cool to see. It might also help that I ran this game with theater of the mind using Alchemy RPG. The official module for Mutant is fantastic. Maybe the lack of math and battle maps gave players the room to get creative with their roleplay. Whatever the answer, it was a lot of fun.
Theater of the Mind
You can get as fancy as you want with Mutant. You can use maps with intricate terrain and figures, or load up your favorite VTT and do it digitally. Run this game in whatever way is most fun for your table. The system will work no matter what. At my table, we run games through theater of the mind. I’ll use maps here and there, but I like the focus to be the story and the current format works for us.
As a theater of mind game, Mutant is a fantastic system. The year one system makes checks and combat easy to manage, and the mechanics give enough depth without needing much outside aid. If all you have is the rulebook, some dice, and a dream, you are ready to run Mutant Year One.
Survival
Do not be intimidated by the survival aspect of this game. Run this game as hardcore as it needs to be for your table. I run a casual table and would frequently forget to manage resources. There wasn’t enough scarcity, and I didn’t deduct enough resources. I did break weapons and give players rot points, but I wasn’t running the game as intended. That said, the game never felt like it lost any of the survival element. Players were still cautious with their decisions, and scavenging when they could. My campaign, as silly as it was, was still a survival campaign. I like that freedom.
Conclusion
If you want to run a survival campaign with cool mutant characters and have a good amount of freedom to tell a cool story, pick up your copy of Mutant Year Zero. This has become our favorite, and it is going to be hard to switch to anything else. You can pick up your copy of the Mutant Year Zero rule book on the official Free League Publishing website, or on DriveThru rpg if you want to go digital.
I was asked to cover the Nezori demo for my blog. I understand the game isn’t finished yet, and will try to be a bit more lenient with my review. That said, these will be my honest first impressions of the game.
Nezori is a cute anime themed action RPG planned for Q1 of 2026. The game is essentially a Ys clone with a bit of waifu bait to set it apart. There is a demo available if that sounds like a good time. Don’t forget to wishlist.
The Hook
Atsuko is a young warrior with a promising future. Atsuko is a prodigy with the sword, but a bit too stubborn for her own good. It is this character flaw that sets off the events in this game. When Atsuko learns about a magical hot spring with magical properties that sits on enemy land, she makes it her mission to find it. The springs magical properties would help heal the people in the town, and might even foster a new relationship with the Sothiens.
While there is no direct conflict with Sothiens, there is enough tension between the two nations to spark one. Against the advice of the village elder, Atsuko sets off into enemy land. With her trusty blade in hand, she will vanquish anyone that stands in her way. But what she finds on Sothien land may be a bit more than she bargained for. What will her journey uncover? What truths will she reveal?
Gampeplay
Nezori is a cute Ys clone, with a bit of a social element to pad out the story. The demo only takes players through the first chapter, and some of the missions can’t be complete.
Social Mechanic
Players can take their time and talk to each of the girls in the village. They can give players quests to complete, or are strictly there for a it of world building. They can even join the roster of fighters that will take on the adventure. Each of the girls has a unique style, story, and motivation along with their unique set of abilities. It is up to the player to unlock them all.
Neori will have a meta story for players to go through, but there are a few optional interactions to pad the world. There are side stories and quests that help players learn about the different charactes which can be skipped. Players will need to read through most of the dialogue. While voice acting is in progress for the game’s full release, the demo only has full Japanese voice acting for Atsuko.
The Adventure
Players will load into an area and complete any missions or objectives through action based combat. During combat, players can attack, dodge, use an ability. Each character has their main melee and strong attacks, with unique activated abilities to spice things up. The basic attack charges up the resource used to perform special attacks and abilities. Learning to efficiently dodge, attack, and use items and abilities will be key to surviving the adventure.
Impressions
Nezori is a promising action RPG, but one that needs a bit more work before it earns a recomendation.
Art
The character art for the game is fantastic. Anime fans will definately enjoy the strong cast of waifus on the roster. Each of the girls is unique, with a style that reflects their personality. There is a bit of fan service, but nothing too vulgar. Unfortunately, the art for the rest of the world is a little lacking and I wish it had a bit more substance.
The Game
The game in its current state feels unfinished, which is natural for demo’s at this stage of development. Combat feels a bit janky. The attacks feel slow, and using abilities feels a little clunky. This might have something to do with the minimal amount of animation. This wouldn’t be a problem if the world didn’t feel so empty. The levels are ugly with very little texture to make them pop. Its not a world I want to explore, not that there is much allowable exploration.
I am not a graphics snob. I’ve played minimilistic games I’ve loved like Worldless and Void Sols. Those games worked because while the world was simple, the gameplay was fun. I have no issue if Nezori wants to spend all their money and energy on making cute wiafus and having a minimilist world to fight in, as long as the perfromance is there and combat is fun. In its current incarnation, combat needs a few more tweeks.
The Story
The story is light-hearted, but a bit too cutesy for my taste. I love games with silly stories, Disgae 7 is one of my favorites, but the dialogue in this game can get a little cringey. Some of this may be translation issues, others may be fan service, but it does get a little awkward. If you’re the type of person who likes watching cute girls doing cute things, then the writing shouldn’t be a problem. It isn’t the worst story I’ve ever played through, but it isn’t the reason I am playing this game.
Conclusion
Nezori is an okay action RPG with a few promising elements. I am definately willing to give it a second chance, but it is kind of hard to recomend when you have something like Star Overdrive on the market. But if you like the art and need something to tide you over til the next Ys game, sure. Check out the Nezori demo on Steam and don’t forget to wishlist.
Enclave is a unique narrative-driven TTRPG that doesn’t use dice. Players play through one-shot style adventures assigned to them by the Enclave, and facilitated by their Conduit. Longer campaigns are possible with this system, but it the design is for one-shots. This gives players and Conduits a freedom to always try something new and different, or grow throughout the myriad of missions that come their way.
Enclave first edition includes six unique classes, with six new classes being introduced in the game’s first expansion. A successful campaign could mean even more classes to explore. With an almost unlimited amount of builds and an expansive world to explore, there is always something to do in the world of Manifold, and you don’t even have to roll to get into it.
The Flavor
You are a mercenary hired by The Enclave to deal with whatever issue, big or small, that arises in the expansive world of Manifold. The Enclave is a massive secret organization that deals with worlds problems, provided there is something to profit. The Enclave does not only seek gold, but information, favors, and anything else there is to gain in this world. This gives them the freedom to set off any type of adventure, and the nearly infinite resources to make them work. The world of Manifold is a massive multiverse of possibilities, only limited the a tables imagination. Whether you are embarking on the one of the books included adventures, joining one on the official discord, or creating your own, a fantastic story awaits. You just have to make it up.
Gameplay
The Loop
Players are briefed on their mission in where they are given all the information they need to be successful. They are then teleported to the missions location where they must use their skills and creativity to complete the mission’s objectives. Players will then roleplay and describe what they do to complete the mission, and it is up to the conduit to make things happen. Unlike other systems, there is no random chance to shape the narrative. In Enclave, the story is written by how well the players roleplay their character. This doesn’t mean that the player has to be good at acting or using voices, but those who can create a tangible character and get creative with their actions are rewarded.
While Enclave gives a table the freedom of limitless adventure, there are limits to keep things somewhat grounded. Actions need to be plausible, with the appropriate stats to back them up. A Conduit can always tell players no, if there is reason to. There may not be critical failures baked into this system, but players can fail their actions. Actions have consequences. A player can set off an alert, or get caught in a lie that loses the party a valuable lead. Most importantly, players can die. There is a system in place for players to leave a mission at any time, but the chance of death is always present, and death is permanent.
Whether a mission ends in success or failure, there is always a new adventure for the next session.
Liveplay
Games like these are always better to learn by watching. The Old Warlock have a great video I recommend you watch. It s a good resource if you want to learn how to play the game or run the game. I found it very helpful when I was researching for my first run of the game. Make sure you give them a like and subscribe.
The Review
Enclave is a fantastic RPG that deserves more attention. If you play TTRPGs for the story, there is no better system. The game is easy to learn, easier to teach, and quick to setup. I found it to be a fantastic change of pace that I didn’t know we needed.
The Table
At my table, we are a group of busy dads who try to get together every Wednesday to catch up and play roleplaying games. My party will play anything I ask them to, but I can’t be too complicated. They barely remember what happened last session. The group is made up of three people, exluding myself. There is one person who is always ready to roleplay, one who meta games and plays optimally, and one who casually shows up for the comradery. Each one has their unique take on every game we play, and its been fun to see how they adjust to each new system. I was not ready for what Enclave had in store for us.
What it had in store
This was the fastest onboarding I’ve had of any game. My players usually struggle with the rules at the beginning. The first session is usually spent on looking up rules. We got right into the thick of things with Enclave, and my players enjoyed the freedom. The more we played the game, the more invested they became. I don’t think I’ve had a game where they remembered everything from the previous session, or be as invested in the world building as they were with the system. Your mileage will vary. We have been together five years and have a level of comfort that made the game fun.
The Session
I ran two missions, and each mission took 2 days each. I ran The Tragedy of House Gaulegvok mission included in the book, and I made up heist. The system is open to any genre and setting, with the only limit being the Conduit’s imagination.
From the Book
The prewritten adventure is a fantastic place to start if you are new to the game (after watching the video or joining a game on the official Discord channel). Players are hired by their patron to look into the villige’s mysterious disappearances. The book gives Conduits key points, NPCS, and a few ideas for encounters, but doesn’t railroad. This gave us the freedom to shape our story, and I loved it. Our games tend to be sillier, and the darker setting was a nice change of pace. It was also a perfect way to start October. If you need ideas, running The Tragedy of House Gaulegvok is a great place to start.
From the Dome
Once I got the hang of things, I was ready to create my own mission. The prep was very easy. I came up with the scenario, jotted down some plausible threats and details, and created the NPCs the players would interact with. This was the easiest game to prep for because I didn’t need to spend time balancing encounters or looking for maps, but the freedom the system gives you was a little intimidating. In most systems, I have that crutch of a dice roll, but here it would be all me. This time I couldn’t insert some random stat to buy some time, but it didn’t matter. Either because I’ve been doing this long enough, or i just naturally vibe with the system, I found Enclave easy and enjoyable to run. I was worried for nothing.
The Game
The game does get some getting used to if you’re coming from a system with a table. How do you as a conduit decide what happens? How hard do I need to make things? For me, as long as it was cool and plausible, I let it happen. Is it the right way of doing things? We had fun, so I’d argue yes. But every table is different, and the game does have an advanced ruleset to adjust the gameplay if needed.
I was a little worried going into this game because Enclave needs everyone to participate in the story telling. I was surprised to see my players start getting into character. It was nice to see my players do something because it was what their character would do and not the correct thing to do.
With games like Dungeons and Dragons, I found that my players were always worried about solving the encounter with numbers. Stats become more important than the exploration. While I did enjoy our time with D&D, I did not enjoy being bogged down by all that math. Enclave was the first time I saw my players try something different, but I will definitely need to run more games to get them to be weird.
The Art
The game includes art by the very talented Greg Taylor, and I will be including it throughout the article. I am a huge fan of the unique flavor and style, and find it fitting. I also like the collection of fan art that creator proudly displays throughout the server. If you want to help a game grow and make a tangible impact, make sure you join the Discord.
The classes
Enclave has fun and unique classes. I love the amount of flavor that goes into each class ability, and how they break away from the traditional style of class you see in other systems. For example, the Librarian class has an ability where they can come up with a piece of lore or information by making it up on the spot. They have to say it out loud in character, and if it makes sense, it becomes true. Not only is this an ability you would expect from a Librarian, but it gives players an incentive to get into character and help shape the world. There are a lot of other builds and flavors to choose from, and the one-shot style missions allows players to try them all.
Type of Game
Enclave doesn’t have an explicit setting or genre. The Conduit has the flexibility to create whatever world and adventure they want, in what ever genre they want. Horror, western, high fantasy, the game can be adjusted for any type of campaign and any kind of adventure you can think of, and that is a very good start to adventure. Best of all, the one-shot style type missions make it so you can always try something new. What makes Enclave unique is that a session doesn’t always need to be a mission and experience doesn’t need to come from a session.
Conduits can run casual events like parties where players come in character to roleplay without any mission objectives. Despite that, players can earn an item, ability, or something unique to help them on their future missions. I didn’t get to run this type of session, but I can see the value it has on world building. Players can also earn useful perks outside of the game by creating art or music, or having private in-character conversations with each other (so long as there is a witness). It is a very cool way to get players to not only get invested in the world, but get to the build it as well.
What I enjoyed most
I loved that there was no dice rolling. As much as I love the massive collection of dice I’ve accumulated over the years, it was nice to not be bogged down with all the rolling. We do a bit of theater of the mind already, and it was nicer to not have to deal with as many technical issues. Instead, we could focus on the story.
Creating the story was a lot of fun. There was a bit of awkwardness in the beginning as we got comfortable with the system, but narrative eventually started flowing. I found it helpful to ask follow-up questions about an action to get players to describe, or throwing a random NPC to spark some roleplay in the beginning. It didn’t take long to get into character. I enjoyed watching my players work through problems in character and getting invested in the world. Enclave is easily my favorite game to run because of the freedom it gave us to sit down and tell a story, even if it was a ridiculous one.
The Problem
The lack of dice can be a problem. Players need to be comfortable with roleplaying and improvisation because without player agency, there is no story. As a Conduit, you will need to do some heavy lifting in the beginning (especially with newer players) to get the table comfortable enough to roleplay. But I would argue this is true in any system you try. I would argue that not having a session bogged down by dice rolls definitely had its benefits.
The Community
If you are curious about the game but don’t have the friends to play with, Enclave has an active growing community on their official Discord. They run regular games, including non-mission ones, and enough knowledgeable people to answer any questions. The Discord is also a great place to keep up with any news or updates about the game.
What do I think?
Enclave is a fantastic system that deserves more attention, but it is not fit for every table. Everyone has their reason for playing ttrpgs, and some players won’t vibe with system. There is nothing wrong with that. Some players just want to roll dice and feel like they are winning encounters and that is a very valid way to play a TTRPG, so long as everyone is enjoying it. For everyone else, Enclave is a fantastic ttrpg experience. Enclave is easy to learn, teach and set up. If you want to sit down with your friends and create a fun story and have a good time, there is no better system than Enclave.
The Kickstarter
If you’ve made it this far, the best place to start is with the Kickstarter. The game will get its 2nd Edition and first expansion. I am sure players wouldn’t mind using the older rules, but the game has had two years to mature, and the updates The Kickstarter for Enclave Advent 2nd Edition and the game’s first expansion Aspirent should be live by the time you read this review. Make sure you go support and follow.
I was sent a free copy of The Fame Game: Welcome to Hollywood 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.
The Fame Game is a dating sim FMV out now on Steam.
You find yourself in a leading role in a hit show. While you do your best to rise into your stardom, you find yourself the center of attention. Seven beautiful woman will compete for your attention, but only one can take the role. You will flirt, go on dates, and get to know each girl as you try as you jump start your acting career. Who will you choose? How far will you go?
Gameplay
The game is essentially a choose your own adventure game made into a movie. Players watch the story unfold and make the choices that will shape the overall story. There are multiple endings, and the game makes it easy to play for them all. The game lets players skip scenes they’ve already seen, and even rewind to a previous choice if they mess up a choice.
The game has two goals:
Become a great actor
Get the girl
Players must earn a certain amount of acting points by the end of the story for the great actor ending. The game offers players scenes with choices that affect how well they do in the series. The choices made during these segments determine if Jonathan’s trip to Hollywood leaves him a star, or sends him back to Ohio.
The main loop of the game is getting the girl. Each girl has a unique personality and affection meter. Players are given the opportunity to get to know each girl, and try to romance them. If players are able to fill the affection meter, they end up with the girl. The choices they make during the story affects the girls and endings they have access to by the end.
Review
The people behind The Fame Game: Welcome to Hollywood did a fantastic job at creating what is easily one of my favorite FMVs. While the game and story is incredibly cheesy, I can’t deny that I loved every minute of it.
The story is fine, but very cheesy. All the girls have an unexplainable affection for Jonathan and will chase him down, even when it feels forced. It reminds me of the cheesy harem anime’s of my youth, with almost as much fan service. If you like cheesy drama’s, this has that vibe.
The girls are each unique and memorable, but there are clearly some that are better actors. Some actors will bring their characters to life in very fun and memorable scenes, while others will leave with awkward yet passable performances. The acting doesn’t take away from the enjoyment, and honestly gives the game its charm.
The one thing to look out for is the fan service. While none it felt inappropriate, I wouldn’t play this in public for fear of being judged. Other than that, the game is a solid FMV. The story is fun, the characters are memorable, and the production is solid. If you like cheesy dramas and FMVs, this is a game you should at least play once. It is short enough to play in a sitting, and the game makes it easy to explore different narratives.
You can pick The Fame Game: Welcome to Hollywood for only $9.99 on Steam.
I was sent a free copy of Trials of Proelium Remastered 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.
The emperor of Proelium will step down, and only one of the lands masters can take his place. Play as Latha as she travels across the realm searching for the other masters and fighting anything that gets in her way. Go on various quests as you and your companions become stronger. What will her journey uncover? Does she have what it takes to become the next emperor of Proelium?
Review
Trials of Proeliumhas its quirks, but it is the quirks that give the game its charms. I love the awkward artstyle and sloppy map design, and I love the awkwardness of the writing. The game does have a slow start as it sets up its story, but it is well worth the wait. The writing may be awkward, but the story is good. It has interesting characters that I wanted to know more about and an world I wanted to learn more about. There is clearly a lot of passion put into this game, and it pays off greatly.
The game also has a solid loop. I love that it runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck because playing this game as a handheld just feels right. It does run great on the PC as well, but I like that I can take this game anywhere. The gameplay loop is what you would expect from your typical turn-based RPG. Players pick their moves, use up their resources, and try not to die. I like that encounters can be turned off, difficulty can be adjusted, and combat can be automated. There is a grind, but it honestly doesn’t feel bad because there are ways to adjust the experience. I particularly like how each character had multiple jobs and access to different move pools and the versatility that gave me with my strategy.
Most importantly, the world was a lot of fun to explore. The monsters were unique, the regions to explore felt diverse, and the bosses were fun. As flawed and awkward some of the bits of this game may seem at first glance, there is a decent and flavorful fantasy to explore. I recommend anyone play this game once, especially if you enjoy a good RPG.
I was sent some free in-game currency to review Dfiance 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.
Dfiance is a free-to-play pvp tactical cardgame out now on steam.
Choose one of three unique factions as you command a battlefield of powerful allies in your quest for conquest. Dominate your enemies by strategically placing your enemies your enemies in a way that gives you the advantage. What faction will you choose? How far up the ladder can you climb?
Gameplay
Dfiance reminds me of Gwent, with a few extra steps. Players build a deck based on their favorite faction and try to build synergy through their interactions. All players start with the same three starter decks and can use currency they earn by playing the game to buy more cards. There is a ranked and casual mode for pvp and an AI mode for those who want to practice.
The game itself requires some unique strategy. I recommend looking up videos on YouTube after finishing the tutorial because there are some mechanics and nuances that aren’t very intuitive, especially when it comes to the upgrade system. I recommend checking out the game’s official YouTube page. Players essentially take turns placing units on the battlefield. The battlefield is split into four sections, two flanks, a frontline, and a backline. Each card has a cost, and players must navigate the game’s unique mana system efficiently to earn the most points before the end of the game. Some cards have effects that create unique interactions with other cards on the board, (their own or the opponents). Its a unique game that makes more sense the more you play it.
Review
Dfiance game that you need to stick with past the initial slump. The game does not have enough of a player base for consistent fair matchmaking, so new players will have a hard time with all the loses. Others will take issue with how different the gameplay loop is, especially when compared when coming from one of the big three TCGs. It took me a couple of hours before the gameplay was able to click and I was able to enjoy the game. So what do I think? Let me start with the good.
The game will draw players with its flavor and art. The game looks fantastic! The battlefield gave me the impression that I was commanding a powerful army, even though I lacked the skill to do so. The art on the cards is beautiful, especially if you are fan of fantasy. I love how each faction looks and feels different. I enjoyed looking through each card and appreciate the amount of flavor that went into each faction.
The game itself runs great. I never encountered noticeable performance issues. The game is in a good place, but it needs more players. A lot of my matches did feel unfair. There is some skill issue that needs to be factored into this as well, but I was at a clear disadvantage trying to climb the ladder with the starter decks. The starter decks are fine for teaching players the fundamentals, but they’re missing a few key mechanics that will win you games. Again, this could be a skill issue.
Players can upgrade their decks or their existing cards by buying packs., but it does feel like a grind to do so. I don’t know how I feel about game’s monetization. On one hand, it is nice that there seems to be a limit to keep the whales from running away from the game, on the other, the free-to-play grind feels a little steep. Again, this could be a skill issue, but it didn’t feel very casual. This could be because I was always losing.
Another issue I have with the grind is that packs don’t give enough cards. Players can buy into their favorite faction which is nice, but only have two options: a starter pack for 100g and a regular pack for 600g. For 100 gold, players can open 5 card packs without a chance at a legendary. This is a good way to build a collection for a faction, but lacks a bit of key power. For 600g, players get that chance at higher rarities, but that price just seems too high. I got enough currency for two normal packs and feel like I wasted my money and that is bad for the player who spends money, and worse for the player who grinds for it. When everyone feels like they have a better deck on the ladder, not getting enough cards for a proper upgrade is going to turn off some players. Packs should have more cards.
Buying into a faction you like is cool, but finding what that is another story. The starter decks give players a proper preview of each faction’s unique mechanics. Not being able to find a fair match makes it hard to choose a faction. Players can practice against the game’s AI or thug it out in casual PvP to find a solution, but choosing wrong feels bad when the card packs are so expensive. This is an issue that will fix itself with more players, the problem is, will players stick around long enough for that to happen?
Honestly, the game is a unique take on the genre that more players need to try. The game has very cool flavor with very neat interactions. At the moment, the only issue I have with the game is that the new player experience isn’t great, especially if you’ve never played card games before. With a healthier playerbase, a lot of the issues I have with the game won’t be as bad.It just needs more players. If you are a new player, try to stick with it until you get past the hump before deciding to step away. Watch videos to ensure you aren’t wasting valuable resources. I personally don’t like the loop, but it is a game that will carve out its niche.
Go check Dfiance out on Steam. It is free-to-play.
