Tag Archives: fantasy

video game reviews

Mika and The Witch’s Mountain was a Delightful Change of Pace

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I was sent a free copy of Mika and the Witch’s Mountain to review for my blog. While I am very grateful, I won’t let it sway my opinions. 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. If you enjoy my content and want to help me with my hosting fees, consider buying me coffee or donating to my Patreon.

What is Mika and the Witch’s Mountain?

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a fantasy adventure game out now on Steam and the Nintendo Switch.

Mika is starting her journey to becoming a powerful witch. She ventures to the Witch’s mountain where a wise and powerful witch will teach her what she needs to learn. But before she can begin her studies as a witch, she must pass a test. She must be able to fly expertly on her broom. With a sudden push, Mika is sent off the mountain and into the town below. The fall breaks her broom and now she has no way of getting back.

Fortunately, the local artisan promises to fix up her broom and even make her a better one for a bit of coin. How can a little witch away from home afford these services? Luckily, she can make her money as the island’s delivery girl. Can she fly across the island, master its elements, and keep those packages safe? Can she make enough money to make it back to the top of the mountain?

Gameplay

Players fly around the island on a magical flying broom making deliveries. Each package Mika picks up has unique requirements. Packages can’t be damaged, wet, or a combination of the two. Some deliveries need to be made within a specific time period. Intimate knowledge of the island and its wind currents is extremely important for Mika’s success. Mika only gets paid on jobs where she has perfect feedback.

As Mika gets paid, she can use that money to buy better brooms. These brooms will let Mika have better control when flying or carrying more packages. There are also hidden items around the map for players to collect to unlock charms for the broom or outfits for Mika, or side quests to keep players busy.

Review

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is the cutest fantasy adventure game you’ll ever play. The protagonist is cute, the world is fun and whimsical, and the game is fun. Flying feels like you’re moving over ice, but this is thematic by design. Mika is learning magic for the first time and it makes sense that she isn’t the strongest flyer. The wonky flying makes the game more exciting. It was always a nerve-wracking experience to maneuver through currents because there was always the real chance of crashing into the rocks and ruining a delivery. It isn’t the most difficult game you will play, but it will keep things engaging.

The story is a bit childish, but I appreciate the silly wholesome tone. Not all games have to be serious. My only real complaint is that the quests can start to feel a bit repetitive, but there seems to be enough exploration and treasure-hunting mixed in to keep things interesting. You’ll at the very least get your money’s worth of gameplay.   

Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is the comfort food you need in your life. It is a fun silly good time with fun gameplay and an adorable world to explore. If you’re looking for a game to relax to, this is the title to do it with.

You can pick up Mika and the Witch’s Mountain on Steam and Nintendo eShop for $19.99. There is a demo you demo for both versions you should at least try.

Other TCGs

Paragon: Monster & Mayhem Kickstarter Relaunches Oct. 1st!

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After a very successful Kickstarter campaign and a bit of community feedback, the people behind Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem have decided to relaunch a bigger and better campaign on October 1st. Mark your calendars. If you have backed the initial project, you should have gotten an email explaining the change. Original backers will also get 6 packs and a serialized Alt Art Flameskull card. If you’re looking for a new fantasy-themed TCG with creative gameplay, you’re going to want to check out Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem. Make sure you follow the Kickstarter to be notified when it goes live.

What is Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem

Paragon is a tactical TCG coming to Kickstarter on October first. Players face off against each other in a battle arena where they take control of a Paragon and their allies in an epic battle to the death. The game features creative movement, mana, and health mechanics making for interesting and creative interactions. if you want to play the game or help play test, make sure you join the official Discord server. It is pretty active and there are always people willing to play. Just make sure you have access to Tabletop Simulator and the official Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem module. Make sure you start with the Starter Deck Sample Module first though to see where you stand.

There will be an official Paragon Monsters & Mayhem Draft on Staturday August 31st at 6PM PST. This is a great chance to get together with the community and try out the game. Prizes:

  • 1st Place – 1 Golden Paragon Monsters & Mayhem Booster
  • 2nd Place – 2 Paragon Monsters & Mayhem Boosters
  • 3rd Place – 1 Paragon Monsters & Mayhem Booster

Gameplay

Rulebook

There isn’t an official rulebook yet, the game is still in production, but there is a quickstart guide available to get you started. The book is pinned on the official discord, but I’ll leave it below for your convenience.

Paragon_Quickplay_Instructions_8-16-2023Download

Changes in the Kickstarter

The new kickstarter is launching with 251 unique cards and alt arts to pad it out to 560. There will also be box topers, case topers, and some extra goodies. I’ll leave the graphic below for the full details.

Conclusion

I am interested because the art looks cool. Check out the cards revealed so far! I love the deep fantasy vibes and the flavor of the cards. I need to see more, but I am impressed with the art I’ve seen so far. I am also impressed by the developers. They seem to be incredibly involved with the community, and obviously listening to their listening to suggestions. If you’re looking for a new fantasy TCG, you might be looking for Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem. There is always risk in backing a Kickstarter, so make sure you do your own due diligence.

The campaign launches on October 1st. Make sure you’re following the campaign to be alerted when it goes live. The game was already fully funded once, I have no doubt they can do it again.

video game reviews

Skelethrone: The Chronicles of Ericona is Hard, but is it Fun?

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I was sent a free copy of Skelethrone: The Chronicles of Ericona 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 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. If you enjoy my content and want to help me with my hosting fees, consider buying me coffee or donating to my Patreon.

What is Skelethrone: The Chronicles of Ericona?

Skelethrone is a difficult by design 2D metroidvania soulslike for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam, GoG, and Itch.io.

You wake up in a strange place full of death, despair, and monsters. Armed with only your fists, you must travel through this nightmare and stay alive. But your journey won’t be easy. Powerful monsters hunt you down relentlessly, and although you will find weapons to help you on your journey, you will die. Luckily, death isn’t permanent, and your flame continues to burn. Will this newly found immortality be a blessing or your curse?

Gameplay

This game is difficult by design, but there is an easier setting players can choose from the start. Players start with nothing and collect gear as they progress through the adventure. Players are meant to die a lot and do better with each subsequent life as they gain levels. Players level by buying upgrades from a diverse skill tree. You should probably look up a guide if you’re not playing on easy. You are essentially grinding out XP until you’re strong enough to beat the boss so that you can move onto the next one.

Review

I have trouble recommending Skelethrone: The Chronicles of Ericona because of its controls. A game this difficult needs to have fluid and responsive controls, but the game feels clunky. Sometimes the inputs don’t register, and sometimes you’ll die because of the coding. Better players will probably be able to excuse the game’s clunkiness, but they also have better options in the genre.

Aside from feeling clunky, combat is boring. While you can find different weapons, it seems the right answer is two-handed weapons. The shield felt useless, one-handed weapons didn’t do anything, and I couldn’t get the bow to work properly. Even if you get the perfect weapon and build, the game is unbalanced. I get that the game is meant to be difficult, but there are rooms where there are too many enemies and traps. A skilled player might not have issues, but the controls and coding make these rooms extremely frustrating.  

The art style is fine, but some areas are too dark. There is a story, but it isn’t good enough to earn a recommendation. The only real reason to buy Skelethrone is because you want a challenging Metroidvania game and enjoy the flavor, and even then, you have better options. If you can get past the game’s issues, the game is still rather boring.

Skelethrone: The Chronicles of Ericona is difficult to recommend because of how niche the game is. There are better metroidvanias. But if you don’t mind the roughness and want to play something that is hard by design, there are worse ways to spend $14.99.

You can pick up Skelethrone: The Chronicles of Ericona Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via Steam, GoG, and Itch.io, but I would wait for a sale.

Other TCGs

Looking for a new TCG? Check out Genesis: Battle of Champions!

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Edge of Exile sent me a bunch of products to review for my blog. Edge of Exile is the new company behind the strategy TCG Genesis: Battle of Champions. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game and the product.

What is Genesis Battle of Champions?

In the simplest of terms, Genesis: Battle of Champions is a tabletop wargame trading card game. The game is played on a 5×6 map where players take control of a champion and use their influence to command an army of monsters and magic to defeat their opponent. The goal of the game is to be the last champion standing. What makes Genesis unique are its movement, combat, and resource system.

While movement in a TCG isn’t unique to Genesis, it does give the game its tactical feel. The movement mechanics are easy to learn, but moving tactically on a 30-square space while navigating the randomness of a TCG is where this game gets complicated.

The Genesis combat system is truly unique. Each character and ability has a range of where they can do damage. This information is clearly marked on each card. This means that position and orientation matter when trying to deal with damage. The rest will resolve like your typical TCG after the stack resolves.

Finally, is the game’s resource system. In Genesis, players get a pool of mana based on their chosen champion. Players use this resource to cast their cards. A player can also cast cards by paying life or milling cards from their hand or deck if the ability calls for it. Having a diverse pool of resources means players can’t get locked out of a game for drawing poorly. These resources are finite, so the goal is to be efficient. This is my favorite aspect of the game and I will die on that hill.

The game is a little more complicated than my simple explanation, so I’ll leave an official tutorial to get you started down the Genesis rabbit hole.

How to Play Genesis

Here’s a great tutorial by DMArmada to help get you started.

New Vs. Old Cards


If you’re coming back to the hobby, you’ll notice that Genesis cards will be different from what you remember. Edge of Exile has decided to change the design of the card to better represent what they want for the game, and I think it’s for the better.

The most noticeable change will be on the back of the cards. They’ve removed the logo of the old company (RIP Haunted Castle Gaming) and changed the black background to a prettier purple and green gradient. I prefer the colorful back and new logo.

The front of the card has some major formatting changes that make the card cleaner. Abilities are easier to read, costs and line of sight are easier to understand, and the art looks better. There was nothing wrong with the old design, I quite like the retro vibe, but the new design makes the cards look modern. I’ll leave examples of champion cards from the newest Invasion set and the older Genesis set. Invasion is the first set with the redesign, and fingers crossed we get the upcoming metamorphosis.

Gamilla from Invasion
Iblis from Genesis

Quality

The quality of the cards is fantastic out of the box. The cards are a good thickness with a solid weight to them. They feel great to shuffle and hold, but I would advise you to sleeve them first. The art is clean and vibrant, and the text is easy to read. I did find one holographic card with visible track lines. It is the only misprint I’ve found so far, so it isn’t a huge deal.

Review

I was sent a booster box of Invasion and Genesis, all the Invasion starter decks, and a playmat. After learning how to play, opening a few packs, and testing a couple of the decks, my honest opinion is that this game is a lot of fun. I am not good at it, but I enjoyed every minute I sucked at it.

Genesis has beautiful art. I prefer the new style, but there is nothing wrong with the retro vibe of older sets. My favorite card has to be Harlequin. I love the twisting trees that disappear into the fog behind her. I love the purple glow of the fire from her eyes and heart. It’s a cool-looking demon, and I had a lot of fun with her deck. The rest of the set has been a lot of fun to collect because of how good the art is, and how much flavor went into it.

More important than the art is the gameplay. Genesis is a lot of fun. The movement system is great, there are no mana issues, and combat doesn’t feel slow. I am not huge on strategy games like this, but Genesis was a blast. It is definitely something I am going to keep in my rotation, especially since I have other decks I need to try. If you enjoy TCGs and wargaming, you’re going to want to look into Genesis. If you have the friend group, I recommend you get a few starter decks and at least give the game a try. Once you get hooked, you can buy a few booster boxes and never look back. The only other way to buy Genesis is through your LGS if they carry it. If they don’t, they can contact Edge of Exile directly and I am sure they’ll get hooked up with samples.

I know there is going to be some resistance because of how the game ended the first time. There are fans of the game that will never come back and others that will be hard to convince. The biggest hurdle Edge of Exile faces is earning back the goodwill that was lost. The company is making impressive strides to revitalize the game. They have a good relationship with distributors, they are growing the community by the day, and they are working on a new expansion that looks amazing. There is an active YouTube channel you need to follow to stay up-to-date on all the news.

Will their efforts be enough to save the game? It is hard to say at this point. The new set needs to come out, there needs to be an easy way to buy products, and there needs to be an accessible community. They are currently working on fixing this issue, and I hope that they do because this game is fun.

Other TCGs

All the Paragon: Monsters and Mayhem Cards Revealed So Far

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If you haven’t backed Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem yet on Kickstarter, you still have time. It is a great way to help support an indie TCG in getting on its feet and earning some exclusive products. Be aware that there is always risk when backing a Kickstarter. I’ve done a more detailed post about the gameplay already, make sure you check that out first.

If you want to try out Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem, there is a free TTS module available with a few starter decks to get you started. There is also a pretty active Discord you can join.

The creators have revealed a few of the cards for their inaugural set, and they look amazing. I am a huge fan of the dark and gritty fantasy feel. This is such a good looking game.

As a disclaimer, I am not affiliate with the Paragon: Monster & Mayhem. I wasn’t even asked to cover this game. I just thought the game looked cool and I thought I would share.

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Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem Announces Community Day!

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After a very successful Kickstarter campaign, Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem celebrates with some new stretch goals and announces its first round of community days. With fifteen days left on the campaign, it is not too late to get in early on a game that promises to revolutionize the TCG space with its creative gameplay and fantastic flavor. I am a huge fan of the art, and there are a good amount of goodies available to make backing extremely tempting. Make sure you head on over to the Kickstarter and put in your pledge before the pledge ends on August 29 at 1PM PDT. Make sure you tune into the first community day on August 14 at 3PM over on the official Discord.

As always, there is always risk backing projects on Kickstarter. Spend your money responsibly.

What is Paragon: Monsters & Mayhem

Paragon Monsters & Mayhem is a two-player tactical trading card game. It features a grid system with interesting combat, movement, and mana mechanics. As a Paragon, you control the powers monsters, and mayhem as you face off against other equally worthy Paragons thirsting to be the best. Can you harness the powers of your deck to vanquish your foes, or will you be left holding your cardboard?

Gameplay

It’s better to see gameplay than to read about it. The developers of the game have a solid tutorial and some gameplay on their YouTube. Make sure you give them a follow to stay up to date on all the news. I’ll link the videos below for your convenience.

Impressions

The game looks fun. I need to do some testing, but I am interested. The art is great, the flavor is solid, and the gameplay looks interesting. There also seems to be a lot of passion behind the project, but I’ll need to see some product before I can make my judgement. I am excited to join the community night to learn more about the game, cards, and to get to know some of the people behind it. Make sure you tune in at 3PM tomorrow on the official Discord.

If you would like to try the game before you make your commitment, there is an official TTS module on steam with demo decks to get you started. I’m sure you can find people to play with on Discord if you ask nicely. If you’re ready to pull the trigger, you have 15 days as of writing this post to pledge over on the official Kickstarter. Might be your only chance to get some neat exclusive product.

As a reminder, I am not affiliated with the game, nor was I asked to cover this game. I thought it looked cool and thought I would share.

Board Games and TCGs

The Pathfinder Monster Core Book is Invaluable for any GM

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I was sent a free copy of the Pathfinder Monster Core Book 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.

What is the Monster Core Book?

The Monster Core Book is a valuable resource for GMs searching for ways to spice up their next campaign. It features over 300 pages of monsters, creatures, and rules for those tired of the monsters that come with the Game Master’s Core. There is also a handy glossary of skills and abilities for those who want to homebrew their monsters. It’s going to be impossible to own this book and not use it.

Review

Like most TTRPG resource books of this nature, the Monster Core Book is optional. While it is hard to dispute its usefulness, all you need to run a successful Pathfinder campaign is dice, the rules, and an imagination. Some will argue that a real Game Master can create the perfect encounter from thin air at will, but I argue that it is always nice to have access to a concrete set of rules. I like that I can flip through the book, pick a few interesting monsters, and be ready for a session at a moment’s notice.

While having access to a ton of useful stat blocks, the book is full of lore and tips to use in your campaign. Struggling to fill your world? Look through the different races and build off the blurbs so generously provided. I loved flipping through the book and reading about all the creatures that could potentially fill my world, and I even got a few ideas on how to use them. You can always flavor the monsters to fit your campaign, but their lore is always there for when you need it.

What I love most about Pathfinder is how thorough it gets. You can always pick and choose how technical a campaign you want to run is, but the books are pretty thorough in explaining its many mechanics. I don’t use everything that is in these books, but I will be using the rules for making elite monsters.

My absolute favorite part of this book is the art. This is such a pretty book with a fantastic art style. If you like fantasy, Pathfinder is an interesting TTRPG with a lot of fantastic flavor. If you’re already playing Pathfinder, the Monster Core is a great addition to your collection.

For newer GMs, I would start with just the GM Core until you get your grove. While the Monster Manuel is useful, it isn’t necessary for those first couple of sessions. Eventually, you’re going to want to get yourself a copy of the Monster Core because of its undeniable utility. However you want to spend your money, you can’t go wrong with getting yourself a copy of the Monster core.

You can pick up the hardcover version of the Monster Core on Amazon for $59.99 (Currently $46.67) with my affiliate link, or the PDF on the official Paizo website if you don’t care about physical media.

Other TCGs

Genesis: Battle of Chapions: Path of Fire Visual Deck List

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With the release of Invasion, Edge of Exile also released five new starter decks. These starter decks feature a sleek and modern new design as well as some reprints. I’ll be posting decklists soon, starting with the Playing with Fire Purple deck. This is probably my favorite deck because of its theme. I am still working on getting the modern versions of the list, but I think it’s cool to see some of the older cards mixed in. Most of the cards feature the same art except for Death’s Companion.

If you want to learn about Genesis: Battle of Champions, head on over to the official website.

Full disclosure: I was sent these decks for free, full review is coming soon.

Champion

Harlequin

Deck

Blood Feast
Blood Speer
Dhuma Ejitr
Fire Break
Flame Jet
Inferno Crawler
Oten
Blood Rakshasa
Deaths Companion
Emergent Worm
Fire Pillar
Inferno Ghoul
Lambs for the Slaughter
Scavange Parts

Subconscious

Pox Spreader

Deck List

Champion
1 x Harlequin

Deck

  • 3 x Blood Feast
  • 4 x Blood Rakshasa
  • 3 x Blood Spear
  • 3 x Death’s Companion
  • 4 x Dhuma Ejitr
  • 4 x Emergent Worm
  • 5 x Fire Break
  • 4 x Fire Pillar
  • 5 x Flame Jet
  • 4 x Inferno Ghoul
  • 2 x Inferno Crawler
  • 4 x lambs for the Slaughter
  • 3 x Oten
  • 2 x Scavenge Parts

Subconscious

3x Pox Spreader

Board Games and TCGs

Vaesen is the Prettiest Mystery TTRPG You Need at Your Table

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I was sent a free copy of the Veasen core rulebook 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.

What is Vaesen?

Long ago, Vaesen and man lived side by side in harmony. Vaesen are powerful creatures with the power to control the world around it. Man would make offerings to the Vaesen in exchange for their powers. The Vaesen would make it rain, fill the forests with game, and anything else supernatural. As the industrial age dawned on Sweden, people began their migration to the big cities. Soon, there was no need for the Vaesen’s power and they slowly faded into fairy tales. Most lost their ability to see Vaesen.

Man may have lost their ability to see Vaesen, but the creatures live on in their separate world alongside man. The Vaesen keep to themselves for the most part. Occasionally, however, man’s impact on the planet goes too far and sends the Vaesen into a terrorizing rage. Stories circulate of castles haunted by terrifying ghosts, of witches that snatch up children in the middle of the night, or of trolls terrorizing villages. The people have learned to cope with the unexplainable, and most have forgotten about the Vaesen.

But not all is lost. The society was formed to keep man safe from rampaging Vaesen. The society is a secret organization made up of the few people left in this world with the ability to see Vaesen. People gain this ability by experiencing some kind of supernatural trauma. While these folks may not be the most stable, they are humanity’s only hope.

Gather your friends as you investigate the supernatural in this dark and edgy tabletop roleplaying game. Can you bring peace to the Vaesen before it is too late?

The book

The Veasen core rulebook is the prettiest RPG book you’re ever going to own. The cover and pages are textured to feel like an old book. The formatting is easy to read and search through. The illustrations in this book are breathtaking. The art style is amazing and the use of color is astounding. I’ve read this book as a PDF, but nothing beats flipping through its pages. This is a very high-quality book and one that elevates the look and feel of any bookcase and table.

Gameplay


Vaesen is a D6 system that is easy to learn. Players will spend their sessions investigating mysteries and trying to bring peace to a raging Vaesen. This doesn’t have to mean combat. Vaesen seems to be a more roleplay-heavy system due to how investigations work, but you can always adjust the rules to fit the needs of your table. If you would like to learn how to play Vaesen before picking up the game, AlchemyRPG has a solid tutorial series. They also have a very good official module for their VTT. If you’re planning to run Vaesen online and don’t mind doing it through theater of the mind, AlchemyRPG might be the solution you’re looking for. I am not affiliated with the company, I just like the module.

Impressions

Veasen is a terrific RPG that deserves some attention. The system is unique and easy to learn, and the book is full of fantastic lore and flavor. The rulebook contains everything Gamemaster’s need to run a successful mystery, and there is even a prewritten module for those who need it. I felt like the system is better when players can get into character, struggle with their flaws, and roleplay through the investigation. While I am sure you can make the adjustments to focus on the needs of your table, the game is meant to be a monster of the week mystery-type game. I do like that there is a combat and skill system because things are better with RNG. Besides, it doesn’t matter what type of game you want to run, you’re players are always going to want to hit things.

The game has a tremendous amount of flavor. Even if you don’t end up playing a game of Vaesen, it’s going to be hard not to, you’re going to enjoy reading through the monster profiles. The lore is so good, and it reads like a fairy tale. The classes are all unique, but I like that they aren’t restricting. Classes feel like they are suggestions for roleplay because players have the freedom to play the character how they want. I like that the book gives a good amount of ideas for all sorts of creation for those who need it. The book ends with a well-written first mystery, making the core rulebook an invaluable resource for both players and gamemasters looking into running the game.

If you enjoy murder mystery roleplay, dig the 20’s aesthetic, or want something new to run at your table, check out Veasen. It is a beautiful book with some amazing lore that belongs on a lot more tables.

You can pick up the Vaesen rulebook in Hardcover on Amazon for $49.99 (Currently $40.79) through my affiliate link. If you don’t care about physical media, you can grab the PDF over on DriveThruRPG for $24.99.

video game reviews

Terra Alia: A Multilingual Adventure VR Just Got Updated. Is it Better?

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I was sent a free copy of Terra Alia: A Multilingual Adventure VR to review for my blog. You can read the original review here. I was asked to revisit the title and reevaluate my initial review based on recent improvements and a new online multiplayer game mode. As always, while I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will remain unbiased.

If you’re looking for accessories for your VR headset, like magnetic prescription lenses or a high-quality charging cable, get it at ZyberVR. Use discount code CHURAPE for 15% off. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Terra Alia?


Terra Alia is a VR RPG that attempts to teach its players a new language. Magic and technology in Terra Alia are powered by words and phrases in another language, and it is up to the players to explore the world and learn them. The game accomplishes this through its minigames and puzzles. Players must speak the words to learn them and eventually cast them as spells. There are also word-matching puzzles that help players practice and associate the new words and phrases they learn. The power is out there, it’s up to you to find and harness it.

What’s new?

The most important change this time around has to be the performance. While the game ran fine when I first picked it up, there has been a noticeable improvement. Combat and movement feel smoother, and the voice recognition is better. It wasn’t unplayable before, but there were some challenges I couldn’t complete because the game didn’t understand me. It is cool to see that the team is hard at work trying to make their game better.

There are also three new locations to explore, with new quests to complete. The new locations are neat, and they come with some noticeable improvements to visuals and animations.

The biggest change is the inclusion of the online multiplayer game mode. This is a four-player game mode (2v2) where players race to be the first team to fill their vocabulary meter. There are holograms scattered across the field that players must find and correctly name. The mode is available in ten languages, and a creative way to think about multiplayer.

Impressions

I have to commend the team for working so hard to make this game work. You can see the passion behind the project with each update. This time around, the experience was a lot smoother and the game looked better. That said, the game is still hard to recommend.

As a tool to learn a new language, it works fine. Exploring the world to pick up new words to cast magic is a cool idea, and the mini-games make for good practice. It is a very creative approach to learning language, but one that can grow stale. The leveling felt less of a grind, but the grind still feels repetitive. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it makes this one of those games I can’t play for too long without losing interest.

The story is fine. It isn’t anything genre-defining, but it was good enough to hold my attention. The flavor of the world, especially for the new locations is neat and and helped keep my attention longer.

I have no interest in the Multiplayer mode, not that I could find the game. It is a neat concept, but I can see it losing its luster after a couple of games. It could be fun with a good group of friends, but I didn’t like the little I got to play enough to try. This is just personal preference.

So is this game worth it with its new update? It depends. Terra Alia is a very mid-RPG with an interesting gimmick. If you like the gimmick and want to pick up a few words in a new language, you’ll get your

$20 worth of entertainment. If you’re looking for a new game for your kids, this is an inoffensive one that teaches them a new language without being boring. If none of these apply to you, I’d move on. The gimmick isn’t strong enough to make the game a good RPG, but the gimmick is valuable for those who want to learn a new language. This game won’t make you fluent, but you’ll have some fun learning a new way to say hello.

You can pick up Terra Alia: A Multilingual Adventure for the Meta Quest for $19.99 (currently $10.99 until August 23, 2024).