The Mercurial Heart season is here, and there are a couple of changes that you should be aware of if you’re trying to play the game competitively. There are new sideboarding rules, and the ban list has been updated.
If you haven’t picked up any Mercurial Heart, always support your LGS, but you can pick some up on TCG Player through my affiliate links. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
Players are now allowed to have 15 cards in their deck as opposed the eight previously allowed. Please note that material deck cards such as Champion and Regalia take up three slots in this new system. That means that the sideboard can be made up of 5 material deck cards and 0 main deck cards, 0 material deck cards and 15 main deck cards, or a combination of the two.
Ban and Restricted List Update
Banned
There are no new bans this month, but keep in mind that following remain banned:
Category 2
Erupting Rhapsody has been moved up a category to the watch list. This means you should probably start making your decks without it in your decks because it is heading towards the chopping block.
Category 1
Chalice of blood has been added to the category 1 watch list. Category 1 is for the cards that the devs are watching as problematic, but there is no danger of a immanent ban. You can fill your decks with the following, but be mindful that a ban might come some day.
You can read the reasons for the changes on the official post.
I was sent a free copy of Still Jokingto 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, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a fantastic budget gaming headset, check out the Fifine H9s using my Amazon affiliate link. Check out my full review of the headset. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
Still Joking is a mystery visual novel out now on Steam. Iris is the reflection of a famous actress, Selena, who only lives to emulate her prototype every time she steps in front of a mirror or reflective surface. Her last day as a reflection comes abruptly when she watches Selena get murdered in front of the mirror. Iris is now trapped between a journey of self-discovery and finding out the truth behind her primary’s murder. What will she uncover?
Gameplay
Still Joking mixes interactive fiction elements with its visual novel to create its story. Players read through the story and will on occasion be asked to make choices, ask questions, or interact with the world around them. There is no voice acting, and the game is pretty quiet compared to other games. The choices matter, but I recommend you choose for the story that is most interesting to you.
Impressions
Still Joking was hard to get into, and even harder to recommend. The game has an interesting concept and cool art, but there are better visual novels, especially at the price point. Aside from a few sound effects and snippets of ambient music, Still Joking is a very quiet game. There is also no voice acting. I recommend you play your favorite reading music in the background if you don’t like reading in silence. I get that voice acting and music costs money, but a game like this needs something to set it apart from a book. One of the reasons I didn’t like Still Joking is that if felt like a book with extra steps. I enjoy reading books, I just don’t like having to click after every sentence to get through it.
The few interactive moments presented feel like busy work. They don’t add to the story, and it feels like a distraction from the main story. The main story takes too long to take off. You watch the murder, and then it takes too long to set up the administrative structure of the world behind the reflection. By the time it begins to touch the mystery, I had lost all interest in the characters, motive, and anything that would have kept me engaged through the rest of the novel. I think the concept was neat, but the execution is lacking.
If you enjoy visual novel, you have better options. I feel like if I hadn’t just finished reading something better, I would have had a better time with the title, but it would still be a hard one to recommend. If you enjoy the art and are curious about the story’s lore and concept, I would wait for the sale.
You can pick up Still Jokingon Steam for $18.99 (currently $17.09 until May 23).
I was sent a free copy of The Outlast Trialsto 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 these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a fantastic budget headset to play The Outlast Trials, check out the Fifine H9 gaming headset using my Amazon affiliate link. Check out my full review. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
The Outlast Trialsis an online multiplayer survival horror game out now on PC. Alone and down on your luck, you’ve accepted a mysterious job that promises to change everything. But this job is a lot more sinister and twisted than you would have ever imagined. You find yourself in a game designed by a twisted man in a house full of deadly traps, and insane people who want to kill you. You and the other patients must work together to find a way out. If you can survive long enough to complete the therapy, you can go free. Do you have what it takes?
Gameplay
The Outlast Trials is your typical survival horror game. Teams of four are loaded onto a map where they must work together to solve puzzles and survive the haunt. The haunts are conducted by AI-powered monsters with unique flavors, abilities, and quirks. Monsters AI can be outsmarted, but I was always too scared to do so properly. Players can use the environment to hide, set up traps, or obstruct monsters. You win a match if you can complete the objectives. The trial is over if everyone dies.
Impressions
I thought I was getting braver and could handle horror games, but I have never been so wrong. Getting through the tutorial was incredibly difficult, and playing with others was much worse. Huge shout to the random folks who tried to carry me. I am sorry for letting you down.
I assume normal folks who enjoy horror games will find this game a lot more enjoyable, but the whole experience is terrifying. Right off the bat, you are loaded into this terrifying world where you are surrounded by death and danger. The game design is amazing, and I would have loved to explore the world more if I wasn’t scared of monsters popping out to chase me. I appreciate the amount of detail that was put into this game’s horror aesthetic, and it is something you need to see to appreciate.
The game’s terrifying aesthetics, creepy soundscape, and light and dark mechanics generate the appropriate amount of tension to drive this game. What makes the game truly terrifying are the monsters that chase you. The Outlast Trials has some incredible-looking monsters chasing you. These creatures are not only creative, flavorful, and hungry for blood. I am sure more level-headed players will have an easier time navigating the AI, but I never could. The haunts were always too much for my anxiety, but they were always the most fun I’ve had with this type of game.
The challenges and puzzles in this game are manageable if you can find competent level-headed folks to complete them. Sneaking, setting up traps, the chases, and even fighting back are all well designed, and run incredibly smoothly. My problem with these types of games is that they always feel clunky, but when I managed to keep my eyes open, the game seemed to run smoothly.
While I may not be ready for this type of horror, I recommend it to everyone who is. Playing this game with friends would be awesome, but I don’t think it would necessarily make things easier. If you don’t have enough friends, the game has a decent-sized community. I didn’t have trouble finding a game, but it could definitely use more love. If you enjoy these types of survival horror hunt games, The Outlast Trials is a solid addition to the genre.
I was sent a free copy of MULLET MADJACKto 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, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a new budget headset, I got to try out the Fifine H9s and liked them. Check out my full review. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
MULLET MADJACK is the fastest and most chaotic FPS you’ll ever play on PC.
The year is 2090, and the world is run by the super-rich A.I. robots known as the ROBILLIONARES. 2090 is also the birth of a new kind of man. One that has become integrated with the internet and lives his life 10 seconds at a time. These new men must now kill for entertainment if they want to live. the more likes they earn, the longer their life is. You are MULLET MAD JACK, caught in this twisted game. Fight your way through hordes of enemies and live to fight another day. Do you have what it takes?
Gameplay
MULLET MADJACK is the most intense game of DOOM you’ll ever play. You start each level with a basic weapon and fight your way through the colorful cyberpunk-themed maze. You start each run with only 10 seconds of life and earn time by killing enemies. After each run, you earn random weapons or power-ups for the remainder of the run. The RNG is fair. Most of the times I died were due to lack of skill poor planning and not the choices available. If you run out of time or if your hit points drop to zero, you lose.
Runs are insane and chaotic. The world around you blurs with enemies, explosions, and color as you rush to the exit, or are desperately seeking for that next kill. Levels in this game are randomly generated. While some levels may feel familiar, there is enough variation between each run to keep things feeling fresh. Eventually, you’ll have a boss fight. These fights are creative, but that time limit keeps things intense.
While MADJACK has a story and some terrific flavor, it isn’t going to be important to keep track of. I enjoyed the flavor and lore around the city, but it is hard to keep things straight when you only have 10 seconds to live.
Impressions
This game became my obsession. MULLETT MADJACK is the high-octane, nostalgic kick you didn’t know you needed in your life. I am a huge fan of the ’90s anime aesthetics and retro pixel art style. The music, the color, flashing lights all come together to create this beautiful unintelligible chaos that you won’t be able to put down, even for a second. Let’s not forget about the phenomenal voice acting and some of the most amazing cheesy one-liners ever. This game goes all out to create its fun and flavorful world, and I appreciate all that effort.
One thing to note is that this game feels incredibly chaotic in the beginning. Everything moves quickly, there are explosions everywhere, and the timer feels too short. As you get more comfortable with the mechanics, the time becomes less of a problem. The game never lost its intensity, but the chaos started to make sense. The game is fun when it is all explosions and chaos, but it got more fun when I started to get farther in a level and I got to notice some of the unique flavor of the world around me.
MULLET MADJACK is a fantastic retro-feeling boomer shooter with amazing vibes and aesthetics. If you’re looking for a new game and don’t mind any of the chaos, go play it today!
You can pick up MULLET MADJACK on Steam for $19.99 (currently $17.99 until May 24). There is also a demo available if you don’t believe me.
I was sent a free pair of Fifine’s H9 Gaming Headset 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, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
I was a little disappointed that the headset didn’t come with packaging to keep it from moving, but these sturdy durable things don’t really need it. The H9’s are 3.5 mm, but it comes with an audio box that converts it to USB. I used it as a USB headset and I appreciate the extra long chord and clip. The Mic is detachable which means it travels great.
Build Quality
I was disappointed when I first opened the box because the headset looked cheap. It doesn’t help that the box had no protective packaging to keep it in place. I wasn’t expecting a high-end titanium headset, but the H9s look like a kid’s toy.
My opinion changed when I picked up the headset. The headset is surprisingly durable. It isn’t a buy-it-for-life type deal, but they are going to last you longer than other headsets at a similar price point. They won’t survive a pitch to the wall after an intense rage quit, but I’ve already dropped them enough times to be confident in my statement.
The included USB audio box feels cheap. The audio box controls audio and mic volume, mutes/unmutes the mic, and has a handy clip. The volume buttons sink into the device when pressed and feel flimsy. The mic mute switch feels stiff. I found it more convenient to use my keyboard audio controls so it’s not a huge deal, but the mute switch is a fantastic feature. The clip is easily the audio box’s sturdiest part and a good way to tame the excess wire slack. The H9 Gaming Headset truly is a solid headset for the price point.
Mic Quality
The mic is removable, which is nice for travel or when you don’t need it. I was very happy with the length, and its flexibility means it always be at the ideal position. The sound quality of this mic out of the box is phenomenal. I was amazed by how good I sounded without the need for any processing. I’ve used cheap headphones that made me sound distant or garbled, but that isn’t an issue with the H9s. Processing the sound through OBS or a third-party app like Voice Meeter will make these sounds even better.
You aren’t getting a professional-sounding mic, but you are getting a very clear and intelligible sound which is all you really need when it comes to headsets.
I am not an audiophile, and can’t tell you how these compare to a top-of-the-line experience. I honestly couldn’t even tell you the difference. For every day, daily beaters, you can’t get a better sound stage. Everything sounds crisp, clear, and fine. Some cheap gaming headsets overcompensate with bass and you get a strange mechanical sound, but the H9’s sound warm with a solid range. I do wish there was a bit more bass, but I’ll live.
The H9 Gaming Headset has some solid noise cancellation, even at low volumes. They aren’t perfect. You’ll hear some of the louder noises poke through, but the amount of soundproofing you get is impressive. There is some noise bleed, but I wouldn’t say it is distracting.
The headset has a 7.1 mode that you can toggle from the USB audio box, but I felt like it was more marketing than functional. It doesn’t sound bad, especially compared to some other devices I’ve tried, but you aren’t getting true 7.1. It sounded artificial, and while it wasn’t bad, I preferred using the normal mode. I can see it being helpful in an FPS, but I don’t think it’s good enough to give you any type of competitive edge. It’s a nice feature, but not the reason to pick up this headset.
Impressions
I’ve only been using the H9 Gaming Headset for two weeks now, but they’ve become my daily drivers. I have a nice pair of open-back headphones and a decent desk mic, but I am not ready to go back. I love the convenience the headset provides, and it is good enough for what I need.
The sound does feel a little flat for my taste, but otherwise, it is great for the price point. What I love most is how good the mic sounds. It’s not professional, but people on the other end can understand me.
If you’re looking for a budget headset that is decent quality, pick up a pair of the Fifine H9 Gaming Headset is a fantastic option. This is a very comfy headset that does its job, doesn’t break the bank, and should last you long enough to be worth the money.
The Fifine H9 Gaming Headset is available in Black, Pink, and White for $39.99 on Amazon through my affiliate link.
I’ve been running The One Ring RPG starter set for a couple of weeks now. Yesterday we went off script, and we had a ton of fun with the wacky story we ended up with. Please note I was sent a free copy of the rulebook and the starter set PDFs to review for my blog. While I am very grateful, I will always be honest with my impressions and reviews.
If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
The One Ring RPG is a fantasy TTRPG based in the world of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The events of the RPG are meant to exist between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, but you don’t need to be a fan of the series to enjoy this game. None of us are big LOTR fans or super-versed in the lore. You can play the game with just the rules and make up the lore. We do a bit of both since I do have a couple of players who enjoy the lore included with the books, and I like to reward them for doing the work. If you enjoy high fantasy, story-driven campaigns loaded with Lord of the Rings flavor, this is a solid TTRPG.
Impressions
I was a little afraid to run this game because it is more heavily narrative-driven compared to other games I’ve run. This is the kind of game where you’ll need to be comfortable with your playgroup and your improved skills to keep the story going. This isn’t a game for those who enjoy min-maxing combat. While the combat is creative and fun, it is designed for storytelling. We play The One Ring using theater of the mind, and I let my players describe what happens based on the rolls. It got really fun once we adjusted the new combat system.
Running the Starter set was a good way to get my players comfortable with the system. I made a couple of adjustments to the first couple of quests, but I’ve run them pretty much to the letter. Yesterday my players wanted to explore some random town on the map because it had a funny name, and I ran with it. I picked a couple of enemies from the core rulebook, and we made up the rest on the spot.
This random, off-script detour was probably the most fun we had with the system. The dice rolls did their part in making the arc epic, but the inside jokes, the dumb lore we made up, and the friendship we’ve built over the last three years of playing TTRPGs made it all memorable.
The One Ring’s mechanics give players and GMs the freedom to tell an epic Lord of the Rings story. To run a successful campaign, game masters need to know when and where to bend the rules, and when to go off script. The adventures in the starter set do a solid job of onboarding new players, but you shouldn’t be afraid of visiting a random town, especially if you’re uncomfortable with the lore. We make up lore all the time.
Fans of the source material will enjoy the flavor, lore, and mechanics. Those who are only here for the fantasy will enjoy the storytelling. If you’re looking for a game that is a bit more combat-focused or aren’t quite comfortable with your improvisation, I would hold off. The One Ring is a solid RPG, but it is made for a specific type of fan. It’s not going to be a fit at every table.
As a group of casual dads who like to mess around once a week, we’re enjoying it for what it is.
The Grand Archive TCG Worlds championship was this weekend, and Rai took its place as King for the Alchemical Revolution season. The VOD of the event is up for those of you in the mood to watch some competitive GA. You can check out the full event list on Omnidex.
I did grab the top three deck lists of the format, and links to the singles for those who need them. I’ll be leaving my TCG Player affiliate links where applicable. If you need accessories for your cardboard, pick them up at Gem Accessories. Use discount code churapereviews10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
The end of Worlds marked the end of the Alchemical Revolutionseason, and Merlin came out as king of the format. The weekend featured some fantastic competitive gameplay. Those interested can still find the VODs available on the official Grand Archive TCG YouTube channel.
We also got a few spoilers should excite both collectors and players alike. Atendees got to participate in a special Mercurial Heart prelease event, and others got to play the Re:Collection decks early. A calendar for the upcoming season has been released, so its a good time to start planning your competitive grind for next year. Most importantly, we got a teaser for a 5th set, and I am hyped! There is a lot to go over, I’ll leave a table of contents so you can skip to whatever is relevant.
Mercurial Heartreleases on May 17, so make sure you put in your preorder. May 17 is also TCG Player‘s MAYhem promotion, where you can earn store credit on your purchase. It might be a good idea to hold off till then to earn that store credit. The amount has not been revealed yet. Stay tuned for that. If you need accessories for your cardboard, check out Gem Accessories. Use discount code churapereviews10 for 10% off your order.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials:
These aren’t from worlds, but I didn’t know where else to put them.
Mercurial Heart Season Player Rewards
I definitely need to get my life together and make it out to locals after seeing these.
New Regionals Rewards
New Judge Promo
Supporter Pack 2 Preview
I continue to be blown away by how beautiful the art for this game is.
New Worlds Schedule
More Figures!
These are so cute!
New Set Revealed!
The fifth set coming to Grand Archive TCG is mortal ambition. There weren’t many details given during the keynote, but we did get some teasers! The art is so good!
I was sent a free copy of Indikato 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, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
Indika is a story-rich walking simulator out now for Steam. Indika is a nun on a journey of self-discovery as she battles the literal demon inside her and witnesses the horrors of a war-torn world around her. How much evil can her soul withstand before it starts to corrupt her? Will her faith waiver? You’re going to have to join her on this wacky, quirky, and amazing ride to find out.
Gamplay
Indikais a walking simulator, with the occasional puzzle or mini-game to mix things up. The main reason you play this game is for its dark humor and fantastic storytelling.
Players are railroaded through the story as they walk Indika through her set path. The striking visuals and environment make the walking bits fine. There isn’t much room for exploration, but the focus is on the story so it didn’t matter.
The puzzles are manageable and extremely creative. There is a puzzle in this game where the demon starts talking to Indika and warping the world around her. Indika can pray to silence the voices and make the world normal again. Players have to switch between these two modes to get out of the room. It was such a memorable mechanic and almost the reason to play the game. Some puzzles may not be as intuitive, but there are walkthroughs available online in case you get stuck.
The final bit is these pixel art minigames sprinkled throughout. These games add to the chaotic, quirky story-telling, and unforgettable charm. These mini-games aren’t difficult, and they are a nice change of pace but don’t change the overall tone of the narrative. I recorded footage, but everything was a bit too adult to post on YouTube.
Impressions
My only complaint is that this game is too short. It will take about 5 hours to complete. The gameplay is solid, and the story is fantastic. I’ve never experienced such a trippy, dark, and well-told story like this, and I recommend you all play it just for the story. The soundtrack voice acting is phenomenal, and most of the reason why you should enjoy this game. The walking can feel a bit tedious at times, but it always pays off.
Indikais a masterful blend of creative storytelling and interesting gameplay that needs to be experienced once. If you’re looking for a short game with a solid story, go pick up Indika. It is a more adult story, so viewer discretion and all that. It also criticizes and pokes fun at religion, and I am sure that will ruffle some feathers. If you don’t mind any of this, Indikashould be in your library.
I was sent a free copy of STARNAUT 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 these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials.
STARNAUT is a unique action roguelike out now on Steam early access. Starnaut travels the multiverse in search of Omega rockets full of memories in the hopes of resurrecting a dead earth. Before their demise, the people of Earth sent off rockets full of their memories in hopes they would find salvation. How many memories can you collect? Will you be Earth’s salvation?
Gameplay
Take control of a STARNAUT you upgrade as you fight off endless waves of enemies, explore trippy environments, and collect Omega ships. The game starts slow as the player fights off manageable waves of enemies. Weapons in this game auto-attack. You can punch and shoot enemies, but I prefer playing it like your typical top-down bullet hell. The longer you play a level, the harder it becomes. Plan accordingly!
Players earn coins by killing enemies or breaking gotcha pon capsules and use these coins to buy powerups. The powerups matter, so buy carefully. I never felt like I needed a guide, but the game rewards careful planning. By the time you get to the end of a level, or die, its going to be longer than you expected.
Impressions
I almost gave up on STARNAUT, but I am glad I didn’t. STARNAUT has a very slow start, but I urge people to power through. Once this game gets going, it’s hard to put it down. I lost all sense of time as I theorized my build and fought like hell to stay alive.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the artwork going into this game. The game feels like a random collection of assets swarming toward your little Starnaut, but it slowly grew on me. The rough mismatched aesthetic gives the game its charm and flavor. By the end of my session, the chaos, the music, and the action all came together into a beautiful experience I couldn’t put down. STARNAUT is a good time worth every penny. If you’re looking for a game that isn’t a huge commitment but will challenge you, get STARNAUT. I know it is still in early access, but the game needs more love and support.
You can pick up your copy of STARNAUTon Steam for only $7.99.
