I was sent Deck ‘Em as a review code. While I am grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.
Deck ‘Em is a boxing-themed solitaire-like card game for PC and IOS. This review will be on the Steam version.
If you enjoy playing solitaire, you are better off playing that instead. I don’t think the added boxing quirk and quirky art style are enough to make Deck ‘Em! A more meaningful experience than solitaire. While I didn’t hate the game, the RNG and gameplay loop made it grow stale quickly. I could only play this game in small bursts before losing all interest. Deck ‘Em! is a game you pick up while waiting in line and possibly never pick it up again.
The game loop is simple. At the beginning of each round, you draw four cards with varying abilities. Some will heal your characters, some will hurt them, and others will reduce the damage done to them. The goal is to survive the 52-card deck, or at least 10 rounds without dying. The problem is, sometimes the RNG can be terrible. I died a few times during the first round because I only drew high-damage cards. I like the idea of having a first-round knockout, but there is no system to get better as you play where you can achieve your own. There is no variation in the gameplay. You draw cards and try to pick the order that will get you to the next round. You can argue that solitaire suffers from similar issues, but at least the win conditions in solitaire are fairer.
You choose from three different characters, but the choice doesn’t matter. You start with the same amount of health and draw from the same deck. It would be cool if the choice were mechanical as well as cosmetic. It would be interesting if each character had its own unique deck and stats. Maybe one fighter starts with less health, but hits faster and applies poison damage. There could be a beefy character with a lot of health that hits hard but burns through his deck quickly. Changes like this wouldn’t complicate the game too much and would add some variety to the loop. It would also be interesting to go against different fighters with different abilities and stats that way you aren’t always pulling from the same deck. I don’t think RNG does enough to add variety to the game.
There could also be an exhaustion mechanic. They could work like poison counters in magic, where once you get 10, you lose. There could be characters that cause exhaustion with their attacks and abilities. Cards could also have an additional exhaustion cost that you could pay to deal more damage. For example, a card could do three damage, or you can take 1 point of exhaustion and deal six. The loop would then become one where you have to manage your health and stamina to survive the rounds.
The game has a currency mechanic that doesn’t affect the gameplay. You can win money if you last ten rounds and bet the money you win. Nothing happens when you lose it all and can’t spend the money anywhere either. It would be nice if there were a shop where players could buy characters, decks, or cosmetics. This would give players something to work towards and make the betting more meaningful. I get that the goal wasn’t to make a deck builder, but a bit of variety would have been nice.
I play a lot of card games, so my disappointment with this loop was understandable. It is a very casual experience, and a game you pick up when you have 5 minutes to kill. One thing to note is that this game crashes a lot in windowed mode, so make sure you go into the settings and make it full-screen. It wasn’t on by default for me, but turning on this setting fixed all the performance issues. It is a free app, but I still think solitaire is better. It isn’t a bad game, but it isn’t something you’ll keep coming back to unless they make some changes to the gameplay loop. You can wishlist the game on Steam or download it on IOS.
Games to Look Into: Wayfinder (2023)
I got into the Wayfinder closed beta over the weekend, but I can’t speak on the experience because of the NDA that went with it. The NDA is a reasonable tradeoff since the game isn’t finished yet. It would be unfair to judge it as it is. I appreciate that they opened the beta the way they did because it allows them to get meaningful feedback from members of their potential community. Now that the beta is done, I hope I get into the next one.
Wayfinder is an action MMO that you should keep on your radar if you are in the market for a new MMO. Instead of creating your character and choosing your class, you have to unlock characters as you do in games like Warframe. While I am a bit bummed I won’t get to create my character, it isn’t a deal breaker. I love the art style, and the characters available on the release are cooler than anything I would come up with. Each character seems to have its own combat style which can keep the game refreshing over time. I can’t speak on the gameplay yet because the game isn’t out, but it does look interesting. I hope that the characters aren’t locked behind predatory Gotcha or pay-to-win mechanics.
Wayfinder is planned for early access in Spring 2023 so make sure you keep checking the official site for news. You can wishlist Wayfinder on Steam, Epic Games Store, and PlayStation. The game will be free to play, so you have nothing to lose.
Game Review: Inkulinati
I was sent Inkulinati to review my blog. I am grateful for the opportunity, but will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.
Inkulinati is a 2D turn-based strategy game with a unique art style and gameplay for the PC and Xbox. If you enjoy strategy games, you should look into this game. While it may seem like a cute and quirky game, its unforgiving AI mechanics will prove otherwise. This is the type of game that can prove punishing if you aren’t paying attention.
Inkulinati is a beautiful game. I love the art style, and the animation made me smile. The music and ambient sound are fantastic. If you want a relaxing yet somewhat stressful gaming session, you need to check out this game. I only found this game is stressful because I am not good at strategy games. Most people are smarter than me and will have a better time. This game felt a lot like chess but with a few extra steps.
The story is quirky and silly but nothing too deep. You won’t need to take notes to know what is going on. If you find yourself stuck on certain levels, it is easy to lower the difficulty and start over. I also suggest you look through the tutorials included in the main menu. The campaign gives players a nice foundation of the mechanics, but it is nice to go back to something you might have forgotten. This game will punish your lack of efficiency, so it is best to be proficient in at least the fundamentals. The game also has bot matches available from the start. I enjoyed these matches more than the campaign. The campaign isn’t bad, I just wasn’t smart enough. I enjoyed the freedom in this mode. I got to try out different maps, difficulties, and units without some of the limitations of the campaign. I mostly enjoyed the bot matches because I won more of them.
When I finally got the mechanics and found the right difficulty for my skill level, I enjoyed the game. It was cute, it was relaxing, and I was engaged in the strategy. While this isn’t a game I would buy for myself because I am not a fan of the genre, I can see someone who is a fan enjoying it. If you are in the market for a strategy game that isn’t competitive but still offers a challenge, give Inkulinati a chance.
You can play this game on Steam, GoG, and Xbox for $24.99. If you like this type of strategy, it’s worth the money. It’s also on Game Pass!
Diablo IV Developer Livestream Recap
The Diablo 4 developers just did an update livestream and it wasn’t too informative. The biggest takeaway from the stream is that we got dates for the Beta later this month. If you have preordered the game at any level, you will be able to play during the early access beta on March 17 from 7 am pst to March 20 at noon pst. Players will only get to play the barbarian, rogue, and sorcerer classes. For everyone who wishes to try the game before buying the game, the open beta is on the following weekend, March 24, 7 am pst – March 27, 12 pm pst. The open beta will give players access to all playable characters. The beta will be on PC and console with preloads available closer to launch. If you have a friend, Diablo 4 has couch co-op so long as both players have a Battlenet account.
It is important to note that while your progress in the early access beta carries over to the open beta, your progress will not carry over to full release. This restriction is because the first season will start shortly after the launch, and the developers wanted everyone to have the same advantages. There will be a few achievements that will carry over to full release. You can earn a couple of titles by playing through the game, which will also be available at launch, and a cute cosmetic you can only get from maxing out a character during the beta.
The max level for the beta is 25, and you will be allowed to create ten characters. Make sure you take as much time as you need with the character creation because your character will be featured in the cinematics. The beta will also have four world boss events. Make sure you check the schedule and location on the game’s socials or blog so you can participate. World bosses are 12-player events that do not need a party to enjoy. You should be able to participate so long as you are at the appropriate level. I like that Diablo 4 will have more of an MMO feel than 3. As you unlock more towns and strongholds, you will start seeing people running around the map like in Diablo Immortal, but hopefully with fewer predatory microtransactions.
There wasn’t too much else to the stream. The rest of the stream focuses on how to play Diablo 4. Unless you’ve never played an RPG, the livestream isn’t worth your time.
I will be playing the open beta because I love Diablo, but $70 to preorder isn’t in my budget at the moment. I am a bit upset that a game this expensive also has a $10 season pass. While the season passes won’t affect gameplay, I don’t want to pay $70+ to play a game and an additional $40 a year to look cool. Season passes seem to be the norm now. What can be done?
Headed to the Game Developers Conference!
I am excited to announce that I just received my press pass for the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. The event is on March 20 – 24, 2023. I am looking forward to watching the Independent Games Festival awards and hope that I get a chance to try some games out. It is looking like a busy week with lots to do and things to see. There are guest speakers, classes, and many companies in attendance. GDC will be my first event in an official capacity, and while I am nervous, I am also excited about the opportunity. As a result, I won’t be reviewing much that week because I will be focusing on covering the event. I am still trying to plan my week, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know. Wish me luck!
I am going to need a lot of coffee to get me through the week. If you enjoy my content and wish to help power this adventure, consider buying me a couple of coffees. 100% of my personality is caffeine, and I need as I can get. Thanks!
Elderand
Elderand just released on the Nintendo Switch, Epic Games, and Steam. Elderand is a 2D metroidvania-type game that looks incredibly brutal. I love the retro feel and pixel art. Take control of a hero as he uses magic and weapons to defeat some truly terrifying-looking enemies.
The game promises an RPG experience as you can customize your character’s appearance and skills. From the trailer, this seems like a great way to keep combat fresh through the adventure. I am not a huge fan of platformers and probably won’t pick it up. If you are a fan of the genre, it might be worth looking into. The game is on sale until 2/23/23 on the eShop, Epic Games and Steam.
Octopath Traveller II Demo
The Octopath Traveller II demo is out now, so I had to give it a try. I played it on the Switch, but the demo is also playable on Steam and PlayStation. I loved the original Octopath traveler, so I have been rightfully excited for this sequel’s release. I am a huge fan of the art, the gameplay is solid, and although the story is a bit lacking, it was good enough to finish.
The demo lets you pick from the eight playable classes and play through the first three hours. If you decide to buy the game, you’re save carry over to the full game. This is a fantastic way to handle a demo because you have nothing to lose.
Honestly, this demo excited me for the release later this month. I played the thief story and was caught off guard by how dark it got. The voice acting is fantastic, and although I’m not a huge fan of the writing style, it did enough to get me hooked. If you are looking for a chill RPG with a decent story and production value, try out this demo. Don’t worry if you haven’t played the first Octopath Traveler. The games are self-contained enough that it doesn’t matter where you start. You might as well start with what is new and shiny.
Octopath Traveller II comes out on February 24, 2023, but you can download the demo today!
Image By Square Enix – IGN, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72138946
Digimon Con 2023 Recap
I recently just got back into the Digimon fandom and even have started collecting the card games because they look so cool. Digimon con just happened, and while most of the announcements and releases target the Japanese audience, there are some cool announcements for those outside Japan to look forward to. There were a few interesting interviews with voice actors and artists that are worth looking into if you are a fan of the anime, but I will be focusing more on the trading card and game news. I will provide links to the videos and pictures where available.
Digimon World: New Order
With Digimon World: New Order releasing on February 22, 2023, we got news about new features coming with this port. We got a bit of the initial gameplay, nothing too exciting, but it did provide insight into the type of game this will be for those of us that never got to play the original. The new port comes with a new “beginner” difficulty setting aimed at newcomers. There is also 1.4x speed to make travel over the world quicker. I always appreciate these types of quality-of-life changes because, for those of us that are too busy for gaming, this allows us to enjoy the game without being bogged down by its mechanics.
New Order’s gameplay places its focus on how you raise your Digimon. They showed different ways to raise your Digimon. You have to feed, train, talk to, and even discipline your Digimon to help it grow. Like any pet management game, it is looking like a very relaxing experience with a solid story behind it. The way you treat your Digimon, how you talk to them, train them or even discipline them affects their Digivolution path. It might be necessary to have a guide handy to make sure that you get the Digimon you want. As long as I get a Wizardmon, I will be okay.
I announced my excitement for this game previously and still plan on playing this game on Launch. Watching the bits of gameplay has only made me more impatient for the 22nd to come around.
Digimon TCG News
What I was most excited about for Digimon Con was news about the Digimon TCG. While I am disappointed that there was no announcement for an online client, there are a fair amount of promos to be had.
The first screening of the Digimon Illustration Competition 2023 was announced, and there are some cool-looking designs to look forward to. From this group, one design from each Digimon will be selected to be made into promo cards.
Which ones are your favorite?
3rd Anniversary Set Announcement
The 3rd Anniversary set has been revealed for Japan. This collection showcases 9 golden promo cards that come in a nice holder with some very cool art. As of writing this, pre-orders are only available for the Japanese market. Those of you fans outside of Japan will either have to pay the premium and get your hands on the Japanese edition or gamble on a global release.
Get Magnamon
The “Get Magnamon” campaign was announced in Japan for March and April 2023 where players of the TCG will be able to compete in Tamer Battles and Tamer Exchange events for a chance to win a new alt version of the BT8 Magnamon. I love the classic style of this card and pray that we get a US release of this promo.
Digimon Card Game Championship 2022 Finals
The Digimon TCG Championship Finals are around the corner, and the promo cards for participating in the event and the prize cards have been announced. These cards look very nice, and I envy those players who were able to make it this far. The Finals will be on February 24 – 26, 2023 at the Los Angeles Conversion Center. Those who qualify will move on to the World Championship finals on March 11, 12, 18, and 19.
Digimon Fan Meetup 2th Anniversary Echibition
But that isn’t all. The convention will also be home to the Digimon Fan Meetup pop-up event. This museum will exhibit over 140 art pieces from the Digimon IP. It is free to everyone but get there quickly because they are giving away some cool promos. Those who attend will get their hands on a special guidebook that is sure to have some cool art and a pack of the alt cards of last year’s winners of the Digimon Illustration contest. Get there quickly because these promos are only available while supplies last.
Digital Monster 25th Anniversary Project
The biggest focus for the convention seemed to be on the Digimon Vital Bracelets. They announced the Digital Monster 25th anniversary project which seems to be a comic, some live-action shorts, and products centered around the Vital Bracelet game. This came with the announcement of the new Digimon Loogamon and an introduction to his story. This is an attempt to expand on the experience for those who play the game which I hear is fun but lacking. If the story is good enough, I can see it selling more of the toy. I wish this game would come out for the smartwatch. I don’t want to have to wear two watches to have access to this game.
More news of the story is set to be announced closer to its release but at the moment we know that it will be a darker Digimon story where 3 factions fight for dominance. There are the Crackers who work in the shadows, the Digipolice that fight Digimon crime, and the Hackers who work somewhere in the middle. Art for the project has been released, but I am not sure how invested I will be in something that I won’t have access to.
Loobamon’s Vitabracelett has been announced, but preorders are only open for Japan at the moment. This Digimon is cute, and I can’t wait for the card versions.
There are a few other announcements specific to the Digivice games that are cool for any collector:
The Digimon Con Kenji Watanabe Editions
Winners of the Digmion Evolution Results
Voting has begun for the upcoming Bird/Angel Bememory for those fans of the game.
Closing
I thought the event was interesting as a fan of Digimon. Since I am only a fan of the game and the TCG, I found the announcements to be a bit underwhelming. I enjoyed the live performances and even some of the more silly content like the card matches, but I was hoping for news on an online client. I want to be able to play the card game online like I can with Pokemon or even MTG, since locals isn’t really accessible for me. I guess I will keep waiting.
If you play the Vital Bracelet game, there was a lot of cool sounding information for you. I wish they could port this game to smart watches. I would love to play this game, but I don’t see the point of having two watches. Either way, I enjoyed it enough to do this again next year. There was a lot to go over but I tried to condense it to the most important.
**All images and video were taken from the stream or Bandai site. I don’t own these images**
Game Review: Fashion Police Squad
I was sent Fashion Police Squad as a review code. While I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to review this game, I am not letting this sway my opinion. This will be my honest review of the game.
Fashion Police Squad is a retro FPS Doom clone with a silly quirk. It is available on all major platforms and PC. This review will be on the PC version. You play as Sargent Des who suddenly finds himself in a city with an abnormal boom in fashion crimes. It is up to you to fight these crimes and get to the bottom of what is behind this sudden wave.
The writing in this game is fine. It is full of fashion-related puns, and at least some will make you laugh. I got a good chuckle out of this game and appreciate the developers’ commitment to the bit. The plot has a predictable mystery, but you aren’t playing this game for its deep storytelling.
This game is a mostly more polished retro fps full of inventive weapons and hilarious enemies. Each enemy comes with a specific weakness that requires you to constantly switch between your equipment. This mechanic gives the game a welcomed level of difficulty. I played on the normal difficulty and thought the game was challenging enough, but you can always raise it if you find it too easy. I found that even on normal difficulty, I had to plan out my moves and be aware of enemy positioning or else be overwhelmed.
That said, the game isn’t perfect yet. I found instances where I could confuse the NPCs and get them stuck in loops that made them easy to kill. There were also a few performance issues, especially in instances with many enemies, where the game would stutter; or frames would drop after each kill. The performance issues never made the game unplayable, but they are noticeable when it happens.
I had a lot of fun with this game. I love retro FPS games and found this to be a delightful little take on the genre. The humor was a vibe that I was all about, although I will admit some of the slang did go over my head. The art is really cool, and their attention to detail is admirable. Most importantly, this game is fun. It is definitely worth the $20. The game is on sale for $17 until February 16 on the Xbox, PC, and Switch.
You can grab your copy of Fashion Police Squad on the Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox, and Steam.
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For whatever reason, WordPress isn’t letting me post my gameplay video so here is a great one by ContraNetwork
No Man’s Sky
The other day I booted up No Man’s Sky on PC because I didn’t know I had the copy. To my surprise, not only did I have a copy, but I also had access to their new VR update. If you don’t remember, No Man’s Sky had a rough start at release. By all accounts, this game was terrible, and people were demanding refunds. Hello Games came out and made a statement assuring its players that it will continue to work on this game and make it better. Seven years later, this game is still going strong, and Hello Games has made good on many of its promises.
I got this game after its first update. I saw the bad news, but when the game went on sale, the sale price justified my curiosity. I loved this game and played way too much of it. For those who don’t know, No Man’s Sky is a space-themed survival game. You must use the resources of the planets you land on to build your bases, explore ancient cavillations, and travel the universe. If you like survival games, you probably already own this title. If you are considering buying this game, it doesn’t hurt to jump in now. The art is phenomenal, the gameplay is relaxing, and the developers behind this game are amazing. Do not be intimidated if you aren’t familiar with survival games. There are many resources and guides out there to guide you on your journey, and there are several modes and settings to help make your playthrough a catered experience.
I got this game on the Xbox when I first got my copy. Not only did this copy grant me access to the PC version, but I can also play it in VR. I love the fact that I can switch between consoles without having to start over and buy another copy of the game. I hate having to purchase multiple versions of the game when I dare desire the convenience of playing on the couch. I wish more games came with the option of not just cross-platform, but cross-saves as well. I know that there is that belief that PC gaming is the panicle of the experience, but sometimes I want to not be at my desk. It shouldn’t be too much to ask for, especially in online games, to be able to play on whatever is most convenient without having to spend so much money.
The VR experience has revitalized my love for this game. Not only does it give me a reason to use my Meta Quest 2, but it is a phenomenal experience. This isn’t a cheap gimmick to trick people into buying the game again. There was a lot of effort put into this port. This game is so pretty and immersive that I have spent more time looking at the strange alien life than trying to finish any questing. I am the type of person who is easily distracted. The game runs pretty well on the Quest 2, although there are some stuttering and bugs that could be ironed out. It is not enough to ruin the experience, but it is noticeable enough to be distracting.
Chilly MKA posted a pretty good game play video that you should check out if you need to see what this game looks like in VR:
One thing to note about this version is that the default movement settings are designed to mitigate VR sickness. You teleport to move it blinks to turn. Teleporting to move felt clunky, and it took away from the emersion. Turning feels too sudden and jarring. I changed the settings so that I could get a more immersive experience, but that will take some getting used to for most. While I didn’t get as sick with this title as others I have played, the sickness will eventually creep up on me, and I will need to take my break or risk losing my lunch. I do recommend you not wear the headset until the game is loaded to your instance because the loading animation will make you sick. My only complaint is that I wish I could use a flight stick for flying the spaceship, but I can live without using one.
You should buy this game if you don’t have it. It is sure to provide you with many hours of relaxing gameplay as you travel through the universe exploring strange and wonderful worlds. Check it out on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, xbox, Steam, and GOG. For those of you who like physical copies, consider getting cheaper copies on Amazon with my affiliate links:
Image Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50630511