I started following Akora TCG after opening a few packs of Spellbound Wings for pack openings I did on my YouTube and TikTok. I fell in love with the cozy feel of the artwork, and the game mechanics have some solid flavor. Well, there’s been a bit of news since my last update, so let me consolidate it all for visibility. This game deserves some attention, and the community is friendly and ready for new members.
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Those wanting to jump into their first game of Akora won’t have to go far, assuming you have access to Discord and Tabletop Simulator. Jaxonation will be hosting a low-stakes tournament on April 20 in anticipation of the upcoming World Set. If you want to get a feel of the competitive scene, it is worth signing up. Slots are still available so spread the word and sign up today! First place gets you a full art from the Spellbound Wings set.
Don’t be intimidated, the discord seems to be full of chill and welcoming folks trying to enjoy a game that they love. If you need practice beforehand, I’m sure you can find someone who will be willing to walk you through the mechanics if you ask around.
Spoilers
The art for this game is cute, but the promos and full arts are amazing! I’m very excited to see what else will be in the upcoming set, but for now, lets enjoy the teasers!
EUIC was this weekend and it was the first big tournament post-rotation. While some of you won’t be happy with Charizard on top, it’s nice to see a tournament not dominated by Lost Box. There was a pretty healthy spread of archetypes, which is a great sign for a healthy meta. It is really cool to see the new meta take shape as we head to worlds. Cleffa presented itself as a useful piece of utility, and Buddy-Buddy Poffin has cemented itself as a solid staple.
I collected the top three deck lists and will leave links to to the singles for those who want them. It isn’t an unsurprising batch, but the new archetypes are off to a strong start. It looks like we’re in for an interesting season.
If you need to pick up any Pokemon as the new Temporal Forces set, pick it up at TCG Player through my affiliate link. If you enjoy these updates, leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials! I am currently doing pack openings of Battle Spirits Saga on my TikTok and YouTube.
I was sent a free copy of Ario 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 am currently opening some Battle Spirits Saga on TikTok and YouTube.
Ario is a side-scrolling Metroidvania platformer out now for PC. Dark forces have kidnapped his mother, and Ario will do anything to get her back. Ario now faces off against a land full of nightmares. Parkour your way across a 2.5D steampunk city and fight off anyone who gets in your way. Do you have what it takes to save your mother?
Gameplay
Ario feels like a Pince of Persia clone with a tower defence minigame sprinkled throughout. Ario runs, jumps, slides his way through a side-scrolling map of the city, and fires off arrows at his enemies. I found it more convenient to jump over everything, but you will occasionally be forced to do combat. Ario can shoot arrows and bombs, but I found the arrows to be pretty useless. The platforming isn’t too difficult and is easily the best part of the game.
Occasionally, Ario will have to man a ballista and fire off arrows at waves of enemies. You can control the arrows in this mini-game, and it’s okay when it works. The hitboxes can be wonky on some enemies, and missing an arrow means you have to start over. While I appreciate the attempt at something new, this minigame makes it hard to recommend the game. I tried getting gameplay video, but I kept running into bugs that would ruin my runs.
Impressions
I really wanted to like Ario because it reminded me of Sands of Time. The art is nice, the animation is cool, and the platforming is manageable. The problem I have with this game is that it still needs work. The tower defense portions of the game feel clunky, and the hitboxes make them unnecessarily challenging. I didn’t like having to start the mini-game over because the hitbox bugged and I failed the challenge.
Platforming in this game was fine, and it looked cool but there are some bugs that make some sections a bit frustrating. There is a section where you have to clear the enemies to advance while a ballista fires at you. The only cover you have are these pillars. Sometimes the pillars will block the arrows, but not always, and the arrows Ario caries are useless. Instead of skillfully sneaking my way through enemies, I had to figure out what pillars were coded correctly and pray. The game isn’t unplayable, but there are enough bugs in it to make it difficult to recommend.
Ario certainly has potential, but it needs some work. I would skip it for now and hope that it gets some patches and a boost in performance. You
I was sent a free copy of Minishoot’ Adventuresto 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 am currently doing pack openings of Battle Spirits Saga on my YouTube and TikTok.
Minishoot’ Adventures is a twin-stick bullet hell Metroidvania. Players take control of an adorable spaceship as it adventures over a strange land, fighting enemies, and unlocking power-ups. A strange new enemy has risen from the darkness and trapped everyone you know in a corrupted crystal. Will you be enough to save them?
Gameplay
Minishoot’ isn’t your typical top-down bullet hell shooter. Instead of fending off waves of enemies in a limited arena space, players fly their ship over creative and well-designed maps. It feels like a retro Zelda game with a unique bullet hell spirit that makes it the perfect casual gaming experience.
Players start with a simple ship that they upgrade over time by fighting different enemies. The game offers players a decent-sized skill tree, and the freedom to upgrade their ship for a customized play experience. Dying resets the ship at checkpoints, but players don’t lose their progress. This is nice for casual gamers and those who don’t have too much time for gaming.
Despite the casual feel of the game, the enemy design in Minishoot’ Adventures offers enough of a challenge to keep things engaging. Combat bundles with the game upgrade system give the game enough depth to set it apart from other similar titles. Most importantly, the game runs smoothly and looks great. You won’t die needlessly to glitches or bugs.
Impressions
I love Minishoot’ Adventures. It features an adorable art style I can get behind, a solid soundscape, and fun gameplay. It is such a cool and unique blend of genres, and its execution is perfect. If you’re looking for a fun and casual adventure game, Minishoot’ is a perfect solution. I love the casual vibe that it captures, but it always provides enough of a challenge to get me thinking. Trying to find the proper combination to beat certain bosses was fun, but it all comes down to how good you are at kitting. I don’t think you’ll need a guide to beat this game unless your goal is to minimize your ship. I enjoy building the ship to my taste, even if the build is wrong. Whatever gets you to the credits is fine by me.
Minishoot’ Adventures is a cute, fun title that isn’t a huge commitment. Even if you aren’t looking for something this casual, Minishoot’ Adventures should be in your library. You can pick it up on Steam for $14.99, and there’s a demo available if you don’t believe me. The demo save carries over if you end up liking it.
As we gear up for Grand Archive’s Worlds on May 10th – 11th, I’ve gathered a few spoilers to get us excited for both the event in Vagas and the upcoming set, Mercurial Heart. The set releases on May 17 which means we’re getting close to spoiler season! There will be an exclusive Pre-Release event at Worlds. Make sure you sign up if you’re attending!
I’ll be including all the spoilers to have so far to have them all in one convenient place. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you need any Grand Archive, like the latest Alchemical Revolutionset, get it over at TCG Player through my affiliate link. Don’t forget to follow the socials! I started cracking packs of Battle SpiritsSaga on my YouTube and TikTok.
Winners of worlds will receive this unique Apotheosis Rite. This card is beautiful, and it makes me wish I could make it to locals. Good luck to everyone competing, I am extremely jealous.
Artwork
Product
I don’t care too much about deck boxes, but Tristan Dragon Shield stuff looks amazing!
I was sent a free copy of the Building Better Worldsexpansion for the Alien Roleplaying Game to review for my blog. I haven’t had a chance to run the system yet, but I have read through the books. This will be my honest impressions. If you’re thinking of running Alien RPG at your table, you need to start with the core rulebook, Building Better Worlds is meant to be a supplement. I have detailed write-ups for the core rulebook and the Heart of Darknessmodule you should also check out.
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Free League Publishing continues its streak of high-quality rulebooks with this beautifully printed expansion. While the pdf won’t be printer-friendly, fans new and old of the Alien franchise will appreciate the beautiful artwork that lines its pages. Even if you don’t like physical media, you might want to make an exception. Feeling the pages between your fingers, and smelling that new book smell makes the experience hit different. Don’t get me wrong, the PDF is enough, but if you have space on your shelf, the book is pretty sweet.
What is it?
Building Better Worlds is meant to be an aid for the Game Mother who needs it. The book includes:
Rules for Colonization
New Feats and Personal Agendas for existing classes
Two new classes: Entertainer and Wildcatter
New Weapons
New Vehicles and Ships
New Planets and Systems
New Aliens to fear
7 Expeditions to run
Lots of flavor and backstory.
If you need ideas on what to run, new creatures to fill your adventures, or gear for your players, you might want to look into this expansion. It is by no means a necessity, but it is a great resource.
Impressions
I didn’t have much interest in the Alien universe prior to picking up the RPG. It wasn’t until I started reading the lore and timeline that I decided that I needed a better understanding. I’ve started making my way through the novels and movies, and it’s given me a better appreciation for how much flavor and care is put into these books.
I appreciate that the book includes timelines of important dates because it makes it easier to keep track of everything that is going on. If you don’t know anything about the alien universe, you will before you run your session zero. The book does a great job of laying out the lore and history in a way that makes sense but also fits its dark sci-fi theme. It gets deep, and I would almost recommend it as reading material.
If you need something to spice up your next campaign, the monsters in this book are pretty spicy. There are some brutal creatures that can end an adventure. I don’t think my playgroup would care too much about the colony mechanics, but the expeditions seem fun and there are some vehicles and weapons I’m sure they’ll want to work towards.
If you’re looking for a brutal and unforgiving system to run at your table, you run Alien RPG. If you need ideas for your next campaign, Building Better Worldsseems like a nifty little expansion.
Into the Inklands is already in stores, and man is this a beautiful fan. I am a huge fan of all the Treasure Planet and Atlantis cards, but there is a lot that is going to look amazing in the binder. The secret rares in this set are beautiful, with the clear favorites being Chernabog and Kida. Make sure you check your LGS for product and events.
Grand Archive’s April Ban list just went up, and no changes have been made. Make sure you are up to date if you’re thinking of playing in any official events. If you missed the last ban announcement, I’ll leave the list below for your convenience, but you can always check the official site for all the news.
We did receive some delightful April Fools announcements that fans will find enjoyable. We got some very cool-looking, joke Proxia cards that had me going for a second. It would be very fun to bust these out at a friendly match and see the reaction, at least a giggle. It is very nice to see the devs having their fun.
There are only ten days left on the Coriolis: The Great Dark Kickstarter, so go back the campaign if you are looking for a lore-rich, dark sci-fi adventure to run at your table. The campaign only has one stretch goal left, which means backers are receiving a nice amount of goodies. If you like physical media, it is your only chance to score a pretty special edition version of the rulebook.
Since my last post, the publisher has released a free quickstart guide on DriveThru RPG to give people a chance to explore the system without any of the commitments. The quickstart guide includes a more streamlined and condensed version of the rules, but it will include everything you need to run a meaningful oneshot. It includes some of the rules, a pre-written adventure, and pre-generated characters. I did notice some grammar issues, but the game isn’t out yet and this isn’t the final version. I’ll leave copies of the PDF here, but you can always get them on DriveThru RPG.
The Mission
A prospecting expedition has gone awry. The blight has taken its victims, and only one survivor made it back to Astroid City. The Explorer’s Guild will now send its best crew into the depths of Gilen’s point to retrieve any survivors and extract any valuable artifacts. But this mission is not without its typical dangers. The shady criminal organization, Black Toad, also has its sights on the contents of Gilen’s point and will do anything to get there first. Can the explorers survive another day in the depths of the Great Dark, or will they be another casualty the unforgiving void of space?
Impressions
Coriolis: The Great Dark uses the Year Zero system. If you’ve played any game that runs Year Zero before, you know how to play Coriolis. There are some shifts in mechanics for flavor, but most of it will feel familiar. If you haven’t played any game in the system, Year Zero is incredibly easy to learn. The system uses D6es and you pass checks when you roll a 6.
What makes Coriolis unique is its lore and flavor. Coriolis is a neat story about space settlers trying to find their place in the universe. It the Great Dark is a sequel, but I didn’t feel like I needed to have played the original to understand what was going on. There are some references, but the guide does a good job at explaining everything you need to get started. I assume the full version will as well.
Coriolis: The Great Dark features neat mechanics that help foster this sense of surviving in this unknown and unforgiving ancient place in space but also fuels a sense of wonder and exploration. It’s a neat concept that I would love to see a more complete version, but the quickstart gives a solid snapshot.
I haven’t had a chance to run through the quickstart, but it seems like a solid adventure. It comes with maps, handouts, and pre-generated characters to get you started. It is an incomplete version of the game, but it should provide you and your table with a solid understanding of what to expect. Ultimately, if you’re thinking of running Coriolis: The Great Dark, or are looking for a new Sci-Fi TTRPG to run at your table, you should start with the quickstart guide and move from there. It’s a good idea to check if the system is a good fit for your table. If you end up liking it, go back the Kickstarter!
I’m impressed with what I’ve seen so far, I can’t wait to see more. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
I did receive a copy of The One Ring RPG rulebook and starter set as PDFs to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. These are my honest impressions.
I’ll be writing a more detailed review when I get a little deeper in the campaign, so stay tuned for that. If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!
I ran my first session of The One Ring roleplaying game this week and had a blast. I am running through the starter set adventures, and I was a little nervous because it is a little more roleplay and lore-heavy than what we’re used to. I was surprised by how quickly my players found their characters, and even more surprised at how true they stayed to their characters. It was a huge shift from where we started three years ago where we were all a band of murder hobos.
Typically, our roleplay is just dominated by the person with the most TTRPG experience, but this time it was pretty consistent. Even my player with the least experience was into it. Having that session zero where we all came together to make the characters broke the ice enough to get the RP juices flowing. I never thought I would have so much fun in a game where we didn’t do combat and barely made any rolls.
The Adventure
The starter set comes with five pre-written quests and pre-generated characters to get you started. While I understand the adventure was designed for these characters, I didn’t see the harm in letting my players create their own. We might encounter some balance issues in the future, but I can always balance on the fly if I need to.
The first quest is designed to set the scene for the adventure and get players comfortable with the game’s mechanics. The adventure starts at a party where the players can use the time to find their character and get comfortable with roleplay. It’s a solid way to start a campaign, but it’s only fun if everyone can get into character and participate. The adventure starts with a simple fetch quest, but it took us the entire session to get to the first skill check because we were having so much fun hanging out in this world with our characters.
Tips
Don’t be afraid to go off the book. We’ve all fallen into the trap of overpricing, but the most I’ve had in any RPG were in the sessions that I went into with only a handful of notes. TTRPGs are supposed to be a collaborative experience, and while you may have your plans, the players will always do something else. It’s okay if they do.
The One Ring RPG has a well-written template of how to run the campaign. The prewritten sections have paragraphs with descriptions and dialogue to set the scene. We didn’t use any of it. I spent my prep time setting up Foundry VTT, reading over the adventure, and practicing what I had to say. Except for using Foundry for a couple of checks, we didn’t use any of it. My players started exploring the world outside of the script, and I went along. Occasionally I would gently nudge them towards a checkpoint, but I lost track of time and barely started the campaign.
Another tip to run this campaign is to use the motivation and features offered at character creation. It helped my players find characters outside what they usually play, and it was fun to see the characters start to take shape at the table. Depending on your playgroup, you might want to brush up on the lore. At my table, lore isn’t so important, but it’s nice to have a reference for when it comes up. We usually make it up as we go because it is easier to keep track of, but The One Ring has interesting lore, and my players are actively trying to stick to it.
The last bit of advice is to create an opening scene where the players can interact with each other as they walk to Bags End to start their adventure. This helps the players get into character and breaks the ice if it needs to. Once at Bags End, spend as much at the party as necessary. We spent most of our session at the party and exploring the world in character. We’ll eventually get to the combats, quests, and skill checks, but the party was a proper way to get the players excited for the rest of the adventure.
Impressions
I was nervous about starting The One Ringbecause of how different it is from everything else I’ve run. We aren’t the biggest Lord of the Rings fans, and aside from the movies, our connection to the lore is minimal at best. That said, I love reading the lore that fills the pages of the rulebook, and I am enjoying the world it is trying to create. We may not stick to every bit of lore, but it’s the first time my players actually seem to care. I see them putting more effort into memorizing characters and places at least.
The One Ring RPG is a narrative-focused system. Its mechanics are designed to foster this collaborative story between you and your friends. It is a beginner-friendly system, even if you’re not familiar with the works. The mechanics are easy to learn, and the lore is an interesting read, but you and your playgroup should be comfortable enough with each other to actively participate. There won’t always be a battle to fight or a check to roll. Sometimes, you just get to party as a dwarf.
I’m enjoying the system so far and like the starter set as a way to get things started. If you’ve been looking for a new system to run, love The Lord of the Rings, and aren’t afraid to roleplay, go give it a shot. I will be writing a more detailed review once I get deeper into the book. Stay tuned for that.
