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Board Games and TCGs

Enclave RPG: A Perfect Narrative Tabletop Experience

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of the the Enclave 1st Edition 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. Make sure you check out the Kickstarter for the 2nd edition and the game’s first expansion launching on October 14th.

What is Enclave?

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.

Enclave in Six Minutes

video game reviews

Unyielder Review: Colorful Chaos in Roguelike Gaming

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Unyielder to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the, Epomaker HE68 Mag or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Unyielder?

Unyielder is a loud and chaotic roguelike looter out now on Steam.

Jump into the colorful explosion of a boss rush that is Unyielder. Players fight their way through waves of mechanized nightmares with some of the most insane weapons put into pixels. Whether you end up with a sword or bazooka, there is nothing that can stand in your way (if you can master the games unique combat mechanics). Do you have what it takes to become the best hunter of them all?

Content

Players are thrown into one of three unique arenas where they fight in fast-paced chaotic gunfights against one of over 40 unique bosses. Armed with one 30+ “absurd” weapons and a selection from the more than 90 perks and items, players can enjoy a bit of variety while they grind to unlock the different characters or permanent upgrades that give Unyielder its spice. Each character has its unique flavor, quirks, and abilities to change up the gameplay, and a set of traits to unlock. What character you choose depends on your playstyle, and the game promises enough choices for each player to find a combination they like. I am sure there is a solvable meta, but the fun comes from finding something that works best for you. The game does have its campaign, but there is an endless mode for those who just want to sit back and watch things explode.

Gameplay

The game doesn’t run as smooth as at needs to. I run an Nvidia 3060 with an AMD Ryzen 5600x and it stutters. I know this isn’t the most powerful configuration, but it can run everything else on the default configuration. It is playable, but it makes a few of the combat mechanics a bit frustrating.

Combat

Combat in Unyielder gives me Borderlands vibes, albeit a bit more chaotic ones. The gunfights have a similar energy, but the guns are a lot more creative in Unyielder. I will commend the devs creativity when it comes to the different flavors of death that fall into the players hands.

Players will start each round with a basic pistol and walk into the arena where they face off against a boss. Each boss has its unique movement and attack patterns, and learning each one gives players the advantage. Each character has a melee attack and can use their gun, provided they have enough ammo to spend. The goal of each fight is to kill the boss monster through a series of well timed parries and attacks without dying.

Parries

What makes Unyielding unique is its parry system. Each boss monster has a small window in which attacking it stuns them. Timing a perfect parry not only gives the user combat advantage, the boss also drops ammo, life, and recharges a players shield. Players are incentivized to master the parry system to not only survive, but also defeat the boss. Players do not start the encounter with enough ammo to defeat the boss. There are also no loot crates to open mid combat. Instead, players will need to live off the supplies they beat out of the boss with their well timed parries. More on why this is problematic below.

Bosses

Bosses for the most part are unique. Each has a interesting and creative design and a movement pattern to reflect this. Bosses will either jump around the map wildly, or charge in a more predictable pattern. Learning these patterns and their different animations help perfect the parry system. The problem that arises is that depending on the map, the movement can either be a slog, or incredibly trivial.

How is it on the Steam Deck?

I didn’t even try running Unyielder on a Steam Deck because it isn’t verified, and it didn’t seem worth testing. There were enough issues with how it runs on PC to discourage me from trying. That said, I am willing to try it if anyone is curious, or if the game gets a a good amount of updates.

Review

Playing Unyielder has left me torn. On one hand, I love that that the game attempts something new in the genre. I am a huge fan of the game’s explosive and colorful vibe, but the gameplay needs a bit of work.

The Art

I like Unyielder’s retro chaotic style. I love the cell shading, the explosion of color, and the weapon design. The monsters can look a little busy, but each is uniquely terrifying. The arenas feel a little empty, even though the design can make combat annoying. Some of the characters look cool, but it doesn’t matter because you don’t really see them. The weapons in this game are incredibly creative and I appreciate the time spent to make them affect the gameplay. Unfortunately, this effect is not always good.

The Bosses

I enjoyed the combat in Unyielder for the first few minutes when I was getting to learn the mechanics. However, the novelty of the gameplay quickly wears off when combat becomes a hassle. The main factor that defines success in Unyielder is timing. Timing the perfect parry grants players the power and sustainability to defeat the boss. Some bosses move slowly and predictably and can be taken down easily. Others Jump wildly across maps that make timing the perfect parry annoying. I am sure that getting better at the game and unlocking more upgrades and characters will soften some of this frustration, but I didn’t want to get there. Especially when I could be playing something like Revenge of the Mage instead.

But what truly makes the game hard to recommend is the RNG.

The Guns and RNG

After my hours of playing this game I can honestly say that the starter pistol is my favorite weapon. This is strictly due to the fact that there is no chance of it being absolutely useless.

Guns spawn with up to seven random perks. While this gamble means that a gun drops with the perfect everything, there are times where players are stuck with a useless gun that feels worse than the starter pistol. I appreciate the effort and love that went into creating the flavor of each weapon and perk, but sometimes the gun was too busy. This is bad in a game where timing is key and the guns gimmick makes is impossible to get it right. This could be a skill issue, but the average player isn’t going to endure the learning curve of a game that feels unfair and annoying. Especially when the performance isn’t good enough.

Melee is useless

My biggest issue with the game is how quickly and easily a player can run out of bullets, and how this ends a run. Each character has a melee attack, but melee in this game is the most useless skill. Everything in this game is more mobile, and chasing the different bosses across the map for a melee attack that doesn’t do enough damage is a chore. Sure you can find better melee weapons, but not in the beginning.

Conclusion

Unyielder game isn’t bad, but there are games that do this better. I love that the flavor and the chaotic nature of the game, but I don’t believe it does enough to be worth the price tag. The game needs some tuning. Combat needs to be smoother, weapons need to be less busy, and frames need to be stable. That said, at least it isn’t The Foglands.

If you do want to tackle this game, master its mechanics and many weapons and prove me wrong, I’d still wait for sale or at least a couple more updates. But if you don’t believe me, you can pick it up on Steam.

Universus

2026 Universus TCG Roadmap: Exciting New Releases Ahead

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Intro

UVS Games has just announced its 2026 roadmap, and the lineup will have fans new and old excited about the future of the game. As casual collector, I definitely see a couple of sets I want to whale on. If you want to pick up Universus, always support your LGS. You can also pick up Universus on TCG Player using my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you use it.

The Road Map

What’s coming in 2026?

2026 marks a very important milestone for Universus: the system’s 20th anniversary. With this milstone comes a collecion of iconic figures from fighting games, manga, and of course, Kaiju. Whether you are new to the game, casually collecting, or trying to take the top spot in next year’s circuit, there seems to be a little bit of something for everyone.

So what is coming?

  • King of Fighters XV Challenger Series
  • Godzilla Booster Set
  • My Hero Academia Challenger Series
  • TEKKEN 8 Booster Set
  • Street Fighter 6: Part Deux Challenger Series
  • Fairy Tail Booster Set

Thoughts

While I am not too crazy about the fighting game sets, Street fighter had some very cool unique cards and the decks were a lot of fun to play. They are a solid place to start, assuming you can’t find any Godzilla. What I don’t like about the fighting game sets personally are that most of cards are screenshots. If you’re a fan of the games in questions (and the games in questions are cool), then this becomes less of an issue. As a collector, these sets don’t excite me as much. I prefer the comic stills, especially like the ones in the Heroes of Exandira set. Those look really good in a binder.

That said, what is important are the mechanics and the unique cards that make this game worth collecting. If the mechanics change the meta enough or the unique cards in the set are cool, that will be enough to excite me. I may not vibe with most of the art for the Tekken and Street Fighter cards I do own, but the decks are fun enough and the champion cards are cool enough that I would buy into them if I didn’t already own the set.

What I am very excited for is the Godzilla cards. I missed out on the initial run of Godzilla when that came out, but what I’ve seen looks very cool. Some people will argue that Godzilla is problematic because it runs the meta, but I’ve played enough card games to know that it happens everywhere. Maybe the set changes up the type of Godzilla decks you end up playing against. Either way, as a collector, I can’t wait what this set has to offer and I am more than ready to open a couple packs.

What I am most excited for is the Manga sets. I know Deku is a problem, but the cards from previous MHA sets have all been pretty good. I feel confident in my excitement for this set, and I hope it brings new people in the space. The space needs it. More importantly, I am ready to whale on the Fairy Tail set. I love this anime and the set is bound to have some cool cards. It has to for the year to end on a good note.

Until then, lets get hyped for GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- Blitz Booster landing November 28. Don’t forget to preorder yours today!

video game reviews

Tombstone MMO: A Cozy Western Adventure

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Disclaimer

I was sent sent the Farmer’s Bundle for Tombstone MMO as compensation for this review. It does include in game currency and a few items, but I did not use them throughout my playthrough. I wanted this to be my fresh and honest take on the free to play experience since it is probably how most new players will experience the game. This will not sway my opinions.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Tombstone MMO?

Thombstone MMO is a low-res 2D western themed MMO out now on Steam.

Travel to the 8-bit post-apocalyptic world of Tombstone, where you will need to gather, craft, and quest for survival. This barren world has lots to explore as players find their play style through its many cozy gameplay loops. With over 20 skills to train, players will find themselves busy mastering them all. So grab your favorite weapon and set off on an unforgettable adventure.

Review

I was drawn to this game by its unique and adorable style. The lofi aesthetic gives the game an undeniable cozy vibe, without losing any of the detail. There was a lot of effort put into the world building, and I appreciate every ounce of it. I love the quirky tone of the dialogue, appreciate the fantastic sound track, and love the flavor of the different regions. If you are a fan of westerns, this captures the spirit of the genre perfectly.

The community, at least the people I interacted with, were all friendly and helpful. There definitely needs to be more players, but those I encountered were nice. I would still recommend picking this up with a couple of friends, but there is nothing wrong with playing solo. I played solo and had enough fun to keep on playing even after this review.

As far as gameplay goes, it does start off a little slow. The grind feels a little steep in the beginning, and it doesn’t help that there isn’t much direction. I like that there aren’t arrows or paths moving me between quests and checkpoints because it forced me to explore the world on my own and read everything. It is a very cool world to experience. Once I started picking up on the different nuances and venturing further into the world, it became a very cozy and relaxing experience. It can be a bit repetitive, but these games tend to be. I never felt like it was my job to login every day, but instead enjoyed the journey.

The game is Free to Play, but one that you need to try at least once. This is a cozy game that is relaxing, but with enough asks and goals to keep players invested without the stress that comes with the traditional MMO. I am sure there are stressful moments to Tombstone, but not to the extent as a lot of the more grindier 3D entries to the genre.

Do you need to buy the paid DLC to enjoy the game? No. I never felt the need to use anything that came with the package. I honestly forgot about it till now. If you play the game and and enjoy it, it is a fantastic way to support the developer, and worth well worth the price tag.

If you’re looking for a new MMO, try out Tombstone MMO. It is a cute and cozy change of pace that is worth checking out at least once. Once you decide that you will be playing the game enough to justify the cost of the Save 10% on TombstoneMMO – Farmer’s Bundle on Steam, go pick it up on Steam.

video game reviews

The Fame Game: A Cheesy but Fun FMV Experience

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Disclaimer

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.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is The Fame Game: Welcome to Hollywood

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:

  1. Become a great actor
  2. 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.

Tech Reviews

EasySMX S10 Controller Review: The Ultimate Gamepad for Switch 2

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Disclaimer

EasySMX sent me the S10 wireless gaming controller 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. Make sure you check out you also check out my review for the X15 Controller. Make sure you use my discount code Jose S10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase.

What’s in the box?

  • EasySMX S10 Gamepad
  • 2 x Magnetic Faceplates
  • 1 x Circular D-Pad
  • 1 x Cross D-Pad
  • USB-C to USB-A Cable
  • 2 x Sticker Sheet
  • 1 x User Manual

Features

With the population of Switch 2 growing against the overall gaming landscape, so too grows the need for high quality peripherals, and EasySMX has come up with an affordable and beautiful solution. For an unbeatable price of only $59.99 (51 with my discount code), gamers can enjoy the feature-rich gamepad in either black or white:

The controller looks great in either color, but the white will be prone to smudging. Of course, this wouldn’t be a gaming peripheral without RGB, and the S10 has a beautifully lit face that acts as a subtle accent without turning your room into a rave. For a bit of added flare, the controller comes with two sheets of stickers and magnetic plats so that you can personalize your controller to fit your style.

Fortunately, the S10 is deeper than its aesthetics. The S10 is ready to upgrade your Switch gaming experience to the next level with its many optimized features. Its advanced mecha-buttons give players a very clicky sound but the precision and longevity they need to game uninterrupted. The TMR Sticks are not only precise, but promise a comfortable smooth glide. Most importantly, the high speed low latency connection for both its wired and Bluetooth modes means this controller is ready to compete in the most competitive of arenas. Couple this with its solid battery life, and you have a fantastic upgrade to any setup.

Most importantly, the S10 has been optimized for the Switch, with a lot of the features Nintendo users crave. The S10 comes with advanced motion controls, a built NFC reader for all your amiibos, and a one-tap wake-up feature for the Switch 2. But if you don’t have a Switch, you can enjoy the controller with any of your other devices.

Review

Users will open the box and appreciate how well made and pretty the S10 controller is. It is a little on the lighter side, but it certainly doesn’t feel cheap. I particularly like the textured handles that give the controller its satisfying feel. The additional faceplate and stickers are fun for those who want to customize the controllers, but I am not creative enough to take advantage of this feature. This is a very pretty controller without the need of customization. I love the RGB and how it doesn’t feel intrusive, but it can be shut off if you don’t like it. I think it gives the controller its flare.

Getting past the looks, users will be impressed by the amount of features the controller comes with. The two extra buttons on the bottom of the controller are a very useful and have become a staple in my gaming journey. My favorite feature is the circular D-Pad that made it feel like a smooth joystick. I like that I always have the option to switch to a regular cross D-Pad, but I am finding it hard to. Other than that, the control works well. The haptic controls feel good and add to the immersion, the NFC reader picks up my Amiibos, and sticks feel really good. The controller is responsive out of the box, and it was able to handle all of my gaming needs. Of course I am just a filthy casual, but there is value in it for me regardless.

As great as this controller is, I do have a couple of complaints. One of my complaints is with the sound of the switches. While I didn’t notice any imput lag in either of the connections, the clicking button pressing makes sounds cheap and can get annoying. If you like the ASMR experience that comes with mechanical keyboard switches, there is some value in the S10. I wouldn’t call the sound a deal breaker, but it is something to consider.

My biggest issue with the controller is comfort. Full disclosed, I have a repetitive stress injury that requires certain ergonomics. Controllers, especially cheaply made controllers ruin my hands. While the S10 isn’t the most comfortable or ergonomic controller, I was able to get enough meaningful gaming to keep it in my rotation. The S10 may cause some discomfort, but it is a lot more comfortable than using the joycons.

So what is my final verdict? If you have a switch and need a new controller, the EasySMX S10 is a fantastic option. The gamepad looks great, has a lot of useful features, and is an upgrade from the joycons. You can pick up your S10 gamepad from the official SMX store. Make sure you use my discount code Jose S10 to save a bit of money.

video game reviews

Is Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story Worth Playing?

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story?

Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story is a unique village management game out now on Steam, PlayStation, and the Nintendo Switch.

You are the new principle of a school for aspiring heroes. As principle, it your job to recruit the best the land has to offer and train them to be the heroes the realm needs. You will have to start from zero, as you build your school, expand its facilities, and improve its accreditation. Do you have what it takes to make your school the most prestigious of the land? Will your heroes define the future of the realm?

Gameplay

The game is split into three different loops: school management, party management, and adventuring.

As principle of the school, players will need to upgrade and manage their facilities to provide them most for their students. The structures and rooms that fill the walls of the school will help level the students for adventures, boost their stats, and boost resource production. Knowing what room or facility to build is kind of important, but there isn’t a real need to play optimally. The game feels very forgiving to a point. There will also be random events that pop up around the school that give random rewards and a bit of flavor. The game will ask players if they want to give a pop quiz and reward the player based on their answers.

Students who go to the school earn XP by going to class or visiting the different facilities. This is all automated. Gearing, party creation, and a students acceptance is up to the player. Players will need to craft weapons for their players, assign their classes, and fill the party with eager students. The hard part is leveling and gearing players enough to successfully complete missions and ultimately graduate from the school. A school earns prestige based on the graduates. You are attempting to generate fame and a legacy.

While students can earn XP and level by attending class or using the many facilities, nothing beats earning real world experience. Players can send their students on quests that scale in difficulty. Players can manage multiple parties and fill those parties with different types of units. Participating in quests earn units XP, and completing quests earns players resources. Players must learn how to manage their parties efficiently to progress through the story.

Review

I am sure Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story has its niche, but the game is really boring. What kills the game for me is the grind. Everything, even in the earliest stages of the game, feels like it takes forever. I don’t mind a grind, even if it is very repetitive, but i found each gamaplay loop basic and uninteresting.

So as a village management game, there really isn’t much to do. I don’t like that there isn’t a fast forward function, especially since the game feels slow from the beginning. I appreciate the casual approach to the genre, but it almost feels too casual with very little depth. I messed up really early and graduated all my good units and all I could do was wait around a long time before I could properly take on quests again. This destroyed any interest I had in the game, and it made it hard to want to keep playing.

Gearing and party management is an very interesting concept, but the implementation is on the simpler side. This wouldn’t be a problem if farming for the materials didn’t take so long, and the grind is very boring. I do like that i had to discover and unlock new weapons by playing the game, but it just takes so long to get to anywhere meaningful.

The adventuring loop is probably my least favorite part of this game. Quests feel repetitive and combat isn’t interesting until you can unlock classes. Unlocking classes takes too long, and leveling every single student starts to feel like a chore. I kind of wish this part was also automated because I didn’t feel like it added much to the game. I would have preferred to build my school, prepare my students, send them on quests, and wait for them to return with rewards. Of course, I would have loved to be able to fast forward through all of this process.

That said, there are parts of this game I do like. I love the game’s whimsical artstyle, and the music that fills the world. I like the idea of building up my school and student body, but the execution doesn’t vibe with me. I can see this title being a fun casual game you pull up when you are in the mood for some cozy gaming, but there are also better options. It isn’t a bad game, but I wouldn’t get it at full price.

If you like the art and want a village management that isn’t a huge commitment, sure. Otherwise, the game is boring and you can do a lot better.

You can pick up Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story on on Steam, PlayStation, and the Nintendo Switch.

video game reviews

Exploring Monmusu Girls: Autobattler Gameplay and Mechanics

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Disclaimer

I was asked to cover Monmusu Girls: Autobattler and was given free ingame items for my review. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. I also did not redeem any of the in-game items until I was done with my review. I wanted to see how free-to-play friendly the experience was.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Monmusu Girls: Autobattler?

Monmusu Girls: Autobattler is a an anime-themed autobattler gacha game.

Collect your army of cute monster girls and face off against the Demon King’s army. Upgrade your units to make them stronger, go on different quests and missions, and make a few friends along the way. How far will this magical journey take you? What will your team look like in the end?

Review

Monmusu Girls: Autobattler is a phone app that has been ported as a steam game. As a result, some of the controls are clunky. Playing it on the Steam Deck is preferred because this game works great with the touch screen. The gameplay loop is simple. You click through the different screens, collecting cute anime girls and sending them to earn materials. There is a story, but it is poorly written and not the reason to play the game. You are playing the game for the art. I love the art, but you are getting a censored version of what they show in the promotional images on Steam. The girls are a lot more covered up, but that doesn’t ruin the game. I personally like that I can play the game in public without it ever getting to lewd.

What will ruin the game is its gameplay, it is very simple. I am sure there are some nuances I wasn’t catching, buffs I wasn’t maximizing, and I was very wasteful with my resources, but you really are just clicking until you run out of resources. Resources in the beginning are bountiful, and leveling feels fast. This is a little shady tactic common in gacha games to get people hooked, and the game does it well. The problem I have with the game is that once you get past this grace period, the game stops. You stop winning battles and don’t have the resources to level up without grinding. Luckily, you can grind in the background, but that jarring shift in tempo is going to turn off people to the game. I wish this progression was done a little more casually so people are eased into it, but the goal is to make money from people who don’t want to wait for the grind.

Leveling in this game sucks. Players have to buy levels for their Valkyrie with essence material they earn by completing missions. Weapons need to be leveled by cannibalizing other items. There are extra special levels you can buy for each Valkyrie by pulling their puzzle pieces. These are systems put in place to slow players down, and once you run out of resources, it essentially locks you out of the game.

Leveling Valkyrie by buying levels is a terrible system. There are important progression missions that require players to own a certain amount of Valkyrie at a certain level. Once you get past the grace period, it takes a very long time to level each required character. God forbid you pull a character you like more after you’ve invested all your resources leveling something you will end up replacing. There are also events that forces players to use different teams, and that means you’re facing off these challenges with a few level 1s with no gear. I wish I could level characters through normal XP gain with the option to buy ascensions like other games in the genre. This would just make the grind feel less wasteful because I would want to build a powerful themed team to earn better rewards.

Valkyrie also have extra levels that can only be leveled by exchanging enough puzzle pieces. That means players will have to continue to gamble until they have enough puzzle pieces to max out their character, and that feels greedy.

items in this game are pointless. They don’t do much except offer buffs, and leveling them is a worse experience than leveling the units. It would be cool if legendary items would be craftable, and I wish they had abities like poisons and debuffs. Then I would be forced to decide what items to cannibalize instead of mindlessly clicking for my power level to go up. It takes a lot of resources to do this, and the changes don’t feel as impactful as leveling.

To earn puzzle pieces to turn in, Valkyrie to fight for you, or weapons to equip or cannibalize you need to buy chests. Chests all use the same currency and that means you will need a lot of it to level up your team to do better content. The grind for this after you pass that grace period feels bad, and good luck pulling what you need.

Where this game will lose players is that you can skip all of this with real money. You can buy essence to level your team, weapons to gear them up, and puzzle pieces to max them out. You can even buy powerful units and weapons that are guaranteed. How do I know this? Because the game doesn’t stop bombarding me with ads for special deals or notifying me of parts of the game that I am missing out on. I get that they are trying to make money, but this gets annoying quick. It also kind of sucks that the PvP part of this game is going to be dominated by the folks who spend the money, leaving the poor folks to click towards what I assume will be an ever moving goalpost.

So what did I think of the game? I have a very healthy addiction to gacha games, so I will probably keep playing. The art is cute and I already feel invested. For the record, what I was given for free only gave me a few levels of progress, now I am stuck grinding with the rest of them.

I do like that the game developers are actively working to make the experience better. At least they are actively working on fixing the bugs. I also like the music and artstyle. What I don’t like about the game is how pay to win the game can be if you let it. If you’re playing casually here and there, the bottle neck shouldn’t be a problem. If you like the game and have the means, you should support them financially.

So should you get this game? Well if you like the art and want the thrilling gameplay of collecting waifus, sure. You can through this in the background and click your way to victory. However, if you want a deep RPG with cute anime girls, this isn’t it. It is free to play, but the end of the day, it is a gacha game designed to take your money.

You can check out on Monmusu Girls: Autobattler Steam.

Universus

Universus TCG: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Deck List

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Intro

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has officially hit the Universus tcg lineup and that means we got a new starter deck. Make sure you always support your LGS when buying Universus, but you can always pick up the new starter deck and other TCG product on TCG Player through my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do.

The List

Champion

  • Retro Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Deck List

  • High Three (Foil) x 2
  • Splinter (Foil) x 2
  • Freaking Out x 4
  • Going Out x 3
  • Growing Up Fighting x 4
  • Martial Arts Moves x 3
  • Reactive Kick x 3
  • Redirecting Push x 3
  • Ancient Secrets of Ninjutsu x 3
  • Daily Meditation x 4
  • Daily Training x 3
  • Defend the Innocent x 4
  • Good Deeds x 4
  • Hungry for Pizza x 4
  • Teenage Downtime x 4
  • The Long Version x 3
  • Thumbs Up x 3
  • Youthful Optimism x 4

Visual List

Champion

Deck

video game reviews

Don’t Lose Aggro: An Engaging Survival Action Rogue-like Demo Review

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Disclaimer

I was sent a copy of the Don’t Lose Aggro demo to review for my blog. I am very grateful and understand the game isn’t finished yet. While I will be a bit more lenient with my criticism, this will still be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Don’t Lose Aggro?

Don’t Lose Aggro is a unique twist on the survival action rogue-like coming to Steam.

Ever wanted the feeling of tanking in your favorite MMO but without any of the pressure? Well pick up your shield and your favorite ally and do just that in Don’t Lose Aggro. Fend off against waves of enemies and their bosses as you use your skills to keep allies alive. Do you have what it takes to beat the raid and unlock everything? Then check out the Don’t Lose Aggro today!

Gameplay

Players chose their shield and ally and load into a run where they defend against waves of enemies using their kit. All players start with the same shield, move pool, and ally, unlocking more as they play and beat challenges. During a run, players can auto attack in the beginning, but slowly learn new spells and abilities as they kill enemies to level. In typical rogue-like fashion, the spells are offered randomly at each level up, but the pool players choose from grows the more they play. Check out the trailer below for some gameplay footage.

Review

While the game does need a bit more substance and optimization, the game is fun and will find its niche. I like that I don’t have to learn dungeon mechanics or routs to jump into the fray. I especially love the lack of pressure to do well. The game does feel too hard at the beginning, and that kind of makes the grind feel worse. I get the idea is that the game will get easier the more you play, but getting through the first fight feels like it takes too long. This could be a skill issue.

The does feel a little bare, especially in the beginning. The maps are empty, except for enemies, and there aren’t enough choices. As a result, the game starts to feel very repetitive until you start unlocking new permanents that shake up the gameplay. That said, I don’t think this is a game you are meant to no-life, and picking it up here and there for few hours of fun has its value.

I had my fun with the demo and can’t wait for the full release. It has cool flavor, some interesting mechanics, and I love that I can play it on the Steam deck. If you enjoy MMOs and want to explore the wonderful world of tanking without any of the pressures that come with it, check out the Don’t Lose Aggro demo.