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Board Games and TCGs

Mutant: Year Zero – Ad Astra – Take the Apocalypse into Space

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I was sent the Mutant Year Zero: Ad Astra Campaign for free to cover for my blog. I haven’t had a chance to play the game because I am still finishing up my Dragonbane campaign, but I’ve read through the book. This will be my impressions of the book.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. 

What is Ad Astra

Ad Astra is the latest campaign book for Free League Publishing‘s TTRPG, Mutant: Year Zero releasing onf Febuary 13th. Ad Astra picks up after The Path to Eden campaign. It is recommended you own the Mutant: Genlab Alpha and Mutant: Mechatron expansions for additional rules and stats. I don’t see why you couldn’t just make up rules on the spot, but it is always nice to have balanced stat blocks at the ready. You’ll also need a copy of the core rule book, although you might get away with just using the starter booklet. 

If you’re interested in running a game of Mutant: Year Zero, I recommend you pick up the starter booklet. The booklet provides a streamlined and condensed sample of the game, and it comes with a sample campaign and character sheets to get you started. I recommend you run through the starter booklet before you invest in the system. You can grab your free copy of the PDF on Drivethru RPG, but I’ll leave a copy here for your convenience. 

MYZ_starter_bookletDownload

Story

Society has fallen. The planet has become a wasteland. Those who survive on its surface have mutated, and are now unrecognizable to their ancestors. With the resources dwindling, survivors must fight to stay alive. This time, the call to adventure takes our heroes into space. What mysteries lie beyond the stars? What adventures await? Explore the solar system and fight new monsters in this new epic adventure.

Impressions

I love the comic book style of this system, and Ad Astra is no exception. I absolutely love the flavor of this game, and space campaigns are always fun. I am never big on following prewritten adventures, but I am coming around. It is nice to have something already prepared with lore, encounters, and loot. I usually use these as a jumping-off point, but will eventually end up off-book. When that happens, it is nice to have something to fall back on when the story needs a little nudge.

I like how this book feels like a history book. It goes into a good amount of detail about factions, history, and everything you need for World Building. How much I would use it would depend on my players, but I appreciate the book for the resource that it is. 

As gameplay goes, I’ll have to run a campaign first. I’ve been having a lot of fun with the Year Zero system, so if this game plays anything like Dragonbane, I am here for it. 

If you are interested in a campaign of Mutant, I recommend you run the booklet first to get a sense if it’s the right game for your table. After your table has become invested, move through the rest of the resources until you’re ready to take things into space. 

If you’re already playing Mutant and want to take things into space, you should consider Ad Astra. The artwork is fantastic, the flavor is great, and it introduces unique monsters, items, and mechanics you’re going to want to borrow for your campaign. 

You can preorder your copy of the Ad Astra campaign on the official site for $41.80 (not including shipping), or from Amazon for $39.99 (free shipping with Prime). 

video game reviews

KONOSUBA:Love For These Clothes Of Desire! is for the Fans

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UPDATE: So I watched the Anime immediately after playing this game and I have to say, this game does a fantastic job at adapting the characters to this new adventure. If you’re a fan of the anime, you’re going to enjoy the game.

I was sent KONOSUBA – God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave me a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

What is it?

KONOSUBA – God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! is a visual novel based on the anime of the same name available now on Steam, PlayStation and Switch. . I haven’t had a chance to see the anime yet, but it is on the list/ Kazuma and the gang have found a mysterious black slab that curses them with desires contrary to their personality. They must now use it to create outfits to fulfill those desires and break the curse. What quirky adventure awaits our heroes?

Gameplay

This is a visual novel where you’ll read a non-cannon quirky story about characters from the anime. There is some job management mechanic in between used for gathering materials, but you’re mostly reading a story. This means you either like the anime and want more stories in the universe or don’t like the anime, and the game isn’t for you.

Thoughts

KONOSUBA – God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! is a well-produced game with fantastic voice acting and terrific artwork. The art and tone are a bit on the fan service side, but they are pandering to a specific audience. This means that this game is niche and unless you’re a fan of the anime, I wouldn’t touch it until you are. 

I haven’t seen the anime and couldn’t get engaged. I didn’t catch any of the nuances or references. The production value makes me assume that the characters are truly represented in this quirky adventure, but there is no way of knowing without watching the anime first. There is nothing essentially wrong with the game, but its not for everyone. This is for the fans of the series who want to see their favorite characters go on another adventure and don’t mind the fan service. 

If you’re looking for a web novel and love the series, you can pick up KONOSUBA – God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Love For These Clothes Of Desire! on steam for $49.99 on Steam, PlayStation and Switch.

video game reviews

Eresys: The Spooky Lovecraft Horror Game that just wasn’t fun

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I was sent Eresys for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Eresys

Eresys is a Lovecraftian horror survival game out now on PC. Team up with friends, or brave it alone as you collect clues while a horror hunts you. Do you have what it takes?

Gameplay

There are three different hunts currently available in this game, but one hunt is basically unplayable. The game does very little hand-holding and throws the players into the fray without much guidance, or a tutorial. It is up to the player to read through the comprehensive guide made available from the start. Players spend the hunt sneaking around, looking for magical pages, and avoiding the horror. If the horror catches you, it’s game over unless you have friends to revive you. I never did, so it meant I needed to restart a lot. The game runs great, but I felt like the AI was a bit unfair. It always knew where I was, no matter what I did.

Thoughts

This game looks so good. I love the aesthetic, the environment is spooky, and I like the art style. Eresys has the bones of a solid horror game, but the game isn’t fun. I felt like no matter what I did, I couldn’t win. The AI felt unfairly omnipotent, and the few times I was able to survive for longer, it felt like I was wandering aimlessly. The game has seen some improvement, and it looks like it will continue to get more, but I don’t have it in me to wait for a better version. 

If you love the Lovecraftian aesthetic and don’t mind the roughness of the game, you might have a better time with this title. Otherwise, I can’t recommend this game. It’s not the worst game I’ve ever played, but I just don’t see it being worth the trouble. 

Eresys is available now on Steam for $8.99, but I’d at least wait for a sale. 

video game reviews

Pyrene: A Unique Deck Builder Coming to PC. Try it Today!

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I was sent the Pyrene demo to cover for my blog. It is a little too early to review it completely, but I will be as honest as possible with my impressions. If you enjoy my reviews and content, please leave a like, comment, follow the socials, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Pyrene

Pyryne is a deck building roguelike coming to Steam. Monsters have destroyed your village, and it is up to you to rebuild and save the towns people. Do you have what it takes to restore Pyrene to its former glory, and rid the land of its evil?

Gameplay

Pyrene is a unique deck builder because it involves movement. Each encounter has a board that fills with randomly generated monsters, items, and artifacts. The RNG is relatively fair, but I did have a couple of runs where the odds were stacked against me. The goal is to clear the win condition without dying. The game feels like a puzzle because the game rewards efficiency. 

Like most roguelikes, the more you play Prylene, the stronger your character becomes. You get access to new power-ups, buildings, and cards to help you with your journey. This also means the loop is somewhat repetitive, but it doesn’t feel like a grind. The game is very relaxing but with enough of a challenge to keep things engaging.  

Impressions

This is a good demo that paints a solid picture of what to expect from Pyrene. It looks great, plays well, and most importantly, the demo is fun. I loved that every encounter felt like a puzzle, and each puzzle had enough of a challenge to keep me wanting more. If you are in the market for a new deck builder, I recommend you pick up the Pyrene Demo. I’ll be working on getting the full version for review, but so far, I am impressed.

Altered TCG

Discover the Yzmir Faction for the Upcoming Altered TCG

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The Altered TCG Kickstarter was fully funded in only two minutes. Since then, it has continued to see support, and I can see why. The art is beautiful, the concept is neat, and the gameplay seems fun. I think it can break two million.

I’ve listed the starter deck lists, now let’s move on to the rest of the set. There are a lot of cool and interesting cards in this set, so let’s kick things off with Yzmir:

If you want to try the game, the starter decks are available for print and play in both letter and A4 format. PnP support for the rest of the set is on the way. Looks like I’m going to need to buy a printer.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to back the Kickstarter and join the Discord!

Altered TCG

Discover the Ordis Faction for the Upcoming Altered TCG

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The Altered TCG Kickstarter was fully funded in only two minutes. Since then, it has continued to see support, and I can see why. The art is beautiful, the concept is neat, and the gameplay seems fun. I think it can break two million.

I’ve listed the starter deck lists, now let’s move on to the rest of the set. There are a lot of cool and interesting cards in this set, so let’s kick things off with Ordis:

If you want to try the game, the starter decks are available for print and play in both letter and A4 format. PnP support for the rest of the set is on the way. Looks like I’m going to need to buy a printer.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to back the Kickstarter and join the Discord!

video game reviews

Enshrouded Early Access is a Solid Survival Sandbox Experience

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I was sent Enshrouded to review for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Enshrouded?

Enshrouded is a sandbox survival game out now in Steam early access. The game supports single and multiplayer gameplay, but I like to play my survival games alone. This review will be on the solo experience only, but hosting and joining a game isn’t difficult. I recommend joining the official discord for news, tips, and to find new friends.

I got to play the demo for Steam’s Next Fest earlier this year and enjoyed it. If you are looking for a new survival game to sink some time into, Enshrouded is a solid choice, but know that the game is a little rough because it is still in development.

Players wake up in a world in a depressing state of destitution. The Shroud plagues the land. Bloodthirsty monsters and marauders roam its hills. The only sense of civilization you’ll find is the one you create with your own two hands. How far can your determination take you? Can you rid the world of its blight, or are you merely prolonging complete demise?

Impressions

The game is still in early access, so I’ll try not to review it too harshly. The game runs well, but there is some noticeable roughness. Monsters get stuck, frames drop, and artifacts sometimes don’t render correctly. None of the issues are game-breaking, but they are noticeable. 

The game itself is fun, and a solid title to add to your collection. There is a good amount to do without it ever feeling overwhelming. I like that there is a quest line that guides players through the fundamentals. You will eventually need to reference a guide for farming locations and recipes, but the solo experience is pretty beginner-friendly. I went without a guide and while I do see the benefits of having a guide, it never felt like I was locked out of content for lacking one. 

Aside from a few kinks, combat feels good. There are a good amount of weapons to help players have the adventure they want. I was a huge fan of fighting with magic, but I didn’t mind when I was forced to switch to my secondary. The boss fights in this game was perfect for my skill level, and beating them was satisfying. 

What I liked most about this game is how much there is to do. If I wanted to relax, I could farm or build my base. If I wanted to fight, I could find shrowded zones and kill monsters. If I got stuck, I could follow the quest line. Most importantly, the game is fun. I love that I can sit back and enjoy the game at my own pace.

If you’re thinking of getting Enshrouded, do it. Aside from a bit of early access roughness, it is a solid survival sandbox. It looks good, feels good, and sounds good. I’ll be coming back to it from time to time, and reviewing it again when it comes out of early access. Stay tuned for that. Until then, you can pick it up on Steam for $29.99, or at the very least, add it to your Wishlist. 

Altered TCG

Discover the Muna Faction for the Upcoming Altered TCG

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The Altered TCG Kickstarter was fully funded in only two minutes. Since then, it has continued to see support, and I can see why. The art is beautiful, the concept is neat, and the gameplay seems fun. I think it can break two million.

‘ve listed the starter deck lists, now let’s move on to the rest of the set. There are a lot of cool and interesting cards in this set, so let’s kick things off with Muna:

If you want to try the game, the starter decks are available for print and play in both letter and A4 format. PnP support for the rest of the set is on the way. Looks like I’m going to need to buy a printer.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to back the Kickstarter and join the Discord!

Altered TCG

Discover the Lyra Faction for the Upcoming Altered TCG

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The Altered TCG Kickstarter was fully funded in only two minutes. Since then, it has continued to see support, and I can see why. The art is beautiful, the concept is neat, and the gameplay seems fun. I think it can break two million.

I’ve listed the starter deck lists, now let’s move on to the rest of the set. There are a lot of cool and interesting cards in this set, so let’s kick things off with Lyra:

I think Lyra is the faction I am most interested because I like the RNG involved in their power. The power level for this faction seems be locked behind dice rolls, and I like the chaos that can create. With my luck, I am probably going to lose a lot, but the RNG is going to make for some truly memorable moments.

If you want to try the game, the starter decks are available for print and play in both letter and A4 format. PnP support for the rest of the set is on the way. Looks like I’m going to need to buy a printer.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to back the Kickstarter and join the Discord!

Altered TCG

Discover the Bravos Faction for the Upcoming Altered TCG

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The Altered TCG Kickstarter was fully funded in only two minutes. Since then, it has continued to see support, and I can see why. The art is beautiful, the concept is neat, and the gameplay seems fun. I think it can break two million.

I’ve listed the starter deck lists, now let’s move on to the rest of the set. There are a lot of cool and interesting cards in this set, so let’s kick things off with Bravos.

If you want to try the game, the starter decks are available for print and play in both letter and A4 format. PnP support for the rest of the set is on the way. Looks like I’m going to need to buy a printer.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to back the Kickstarter and join the Discord!