Tag Archives: mobile

video game reviews

Discover Infinity Nikki: A Charming Dress-Up RPG Experience

Leave a comment

Update 5/20

I wanted to write this to let you know that this review is no longer valid. The devs have made some changes that have ruined the game for me, specifically the terrible decision to red-con the opening scene and change the entire story. The story is what got me into the game, and the fact that the latest patch took away the story and made aspects of the game unplayable makes it hard to recommend the game. I might come back if they fix the game, but until then, I’m out.

I was sent an early copy of Infinity Niki to review for my blog. It was on a private press-only server where I was given a lot of in-game money and as much time as I needed to progress through the story. Although I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out the new Epomaker RT65 mechanical keyboard or the EasySMX X15 controller. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System. If you would like to start your own blog on WordPress, sign up using my Affiliate Link during November 29 – December 6 for 30% off your first year!

I am happy to announce my newest sponsor, Game Nerdz. If you’re looking to buy any card games, board games, miniatures, and more, get it over at Game Nerdz using my affiliate links. Game Nerdz offers some fantastic pricing on anything you need, and it really helps me out.

What is Infinity Nikki

Infinity Nikki is a gotcha RPG coming to PlayStation, PC (via the official client and Epic Games), and Mobile (via Android and IOS devices) on December 5th.

Nikki finds herself in a strange and magical world where her outfits grant her special powers. She can use these powers to fly through the air, gather material, and fight off monsters. There is an darkness spreading across the land, and Nikki seems to be the only one capable of stopping it. Will she be able to harness the powers of thew Heart of Infinity in time to stop the land, or will Darkness finally take its hold?

Gameplay

Players travel across the land collecting materials to unlock different outfit abilities. These abilities help Nikki move around the world, gather materials, and look good doing it. Players must collect these abilities by completing different tasks, quests, and through the natural progression of the story. Like most RPGs, there are monsters to kill, puzzles to solve, and treasure to find but the dressup mechanic is what makes Infinity Nikki unique. Players can buy outfits through the cash shop, but these are purely cosmetic. Players can either buy complete outfits, or they can pull for random pieces of an outfit. The game and its story can be played without spending any money, but looking good will cost a bit of money.

Review

I got to try Infintiy Nikki during one of the beta’s and loved every minute of it. I was very happy to get to try an early version of the game, and will continue to playing this game regularly.

The game features a cozy and enjoyable gameplay loop that will make it my go to relaxing title. Platforming and combat are engaging without being too demanding, and I enjoyed the casual repetitive nature of farming materials. It has a beautiful world to explore with lots to do, and a fantastic soundtrack to carry you through it. The story is a bit on the cutesy side, but it give the game its charm. I loved the tone and voice acting is fantastic.

The fashion in this game is fantastic. I spent a bit too long pulling for the perfect outfit, and it’s going to be hard to not have that advantage on the regular servers. The game gives players decent outfits for playing through the story, but there is a paywall for some of the cooler styles. While there is no pay-to-win feature, it is going to cost money to look good. The pull rates seem fair, but it is going to cost $50 to collect a legendary outfit, and even then it isn’t a guarantee. You’ll need to spend more money to pull additional colors, but at least the colors don’t affect abilities. I was able to get a decent outfit by playing the game and rolling with only in game money, but there is always going to be something to chase.

My only real complaint is that the game isn’t on Steam. It would be nice to play this on my Steam Deck without some kind of workaround, but this isn’t a deal breaker. I can just play on my phone.

If you’re looking for a cozy relaxing adventure game, Infinity Nikki is a cute one with a fantastic soundtrack, chill gameplay, and an amazing world to explore. Go play Infinity Nikki PlayStation, PC (via the official client and Epic Games), and Mobile (via Android and IOS devices)

video game reviews

Is Depths of Endor Worth Your Time? Find Out!

2 Comments

I was asked to cover Depths of Endor:Dungeon Crawler and received a bit of in-game currency to help me get into the game. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out the new Epomaker RT65 mechanical keyboard or the EasySMX X15 controller. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System. If you would like to start your own blog on WordPress, sign up using my Affiliate Link during November 29 – December 6 for 30% off your first year!

I am happy to announce my newest sponsor, Game Nerdz. If you’re looking to buy any card games, board games, miniatures, and more, get it over at Game Nerdz using my affiliate links. Game Nerdz offers some fantastic pricing on anything you need, and it really helps me out.

What is Depths of Endor: Dungeon Crawler?

Depths of Endor is a retro style dungeon crawler out now on Steam, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store.

Gather your party and delve into the depths of the dungeon as you fight its monsters, plunder its treasure, and uncover its secrets. Be warned! The dungeon is a dangerous place full of unforgiving monsters traps. Can you master your skills in time to conquer this dungeon, or will you be another corpse on the cold stone floor? What secrets will you uncover? What riches will you claim?

Gameplay

Depths of Endor offers players the classic text-based RPG with a few modern updates to keep things moving. Players start the game by recruiting a four member party. This party can be customized at any time. Players can choose the race and class. There are seven races to choose from: Elf, Human, Dwarf, Gnome, Troll, Undead, and Draconian. Each has unique abilities and stats, so choose carefully. All heroes start their journey as no but they can choose other guilds at later levels. There are 8 different guilds: Nomad, Warrior, Thief, Mage, Healer, Paladin, Ninja, and Ranger.

Diving through the dungeon is as simple as choosing a direction. There are 10 expansive levels to the dungeon, with lots of rooms, monsters, and treasures. Combat is a classic turn-based system that gets more complicated as the party gains more spells and abilities. Leveling can be a bit of a grind, especially when you have to keep going back to town to heal, but not unmanageable.

If you’re playing this game on Mobile, you can watch adds for special buffs that lessen the grind or free gold. This feature is optional, but it does make the grind a little easier.

Review

I liked Depths of Endor more than I thought I would. It has a simple retro aesthetic that is done very well, and the gameplay is solid. There is a bit of of grind, but it didn’t feel worse than the usual grind these games tend to have. It is a little hard to tell how bad the grind is for free-to-play players since I always seemed to have the money for what I needed in the early levels, but I also never seemed to touch any of the money I was sent as a reward. It is possible to play this game for free with a little patience, but it doesn’t hurt to support the developer by buying one of the bundles.

I can see the grind being an issue at later levels if there are cash flow issues. If playing casually, it shouldn’t be as noticeable, especially if you’re watching the ads. I do like that watching the ads is optional, and it isn’t spammy like other free-to-play games. I also didn’t notice any scam or inappropriate ads which is always a plus.

If you like old school dungeon crawlers, Dungeons and Dragons, or need a chill game to play while you’re waiting for the bus, Depths of Endor is a fantastic mobile game. The game has great flavor, simple yet engaging mechanics, and a chill atmosphere.

Note that the game does use AI assets for its art, keep that in mind if you have issues with the use of AI Art.

You can pick up Depths of Endor: Dungeon Crawl for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play, or for $5.99 on Steam.

video game reviews

I Enjoyed My Time During the Infinity Nikki Playtest. Can’t Wait for Release

4 Comments

I got to play in the Infinity Nikki playtest. I understand the game isn’t fully released and will be a bit more lenient yet honest with my impressions.

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out the new Epomaker RT65 mechanical keyboard, the Uhuru Gaming Mouse, or the EasySMX X15 controller. When you’re ready to start your blog on WordPress, sign up using my Affiliate Link!

What is Infinity Nikki?

Infinity Nikki is a wholesome fantasy adventure Gotcha game coming to PC, Epic Games, PlayStation, Android, and iOS devices. Make sure you Preregister today!

Nikki finds herself in a magical world where clothes grant its users magical powers. Using the powers of her outfits, she must find whimstars to unlock the power she needs to save this new world. But this journey won’t be easy. Nikki must fight the spreading corruption, solve puzzles, and gather the supplies she needs to make better outfits. Can she fulfill the prophecy written in stone long ago, or will this challenge be too much for Nikki?

Gameplay


Infinity Nikki is a 3D open-world Mario game with a crafting, gathering, and dress-up mechanic. Nikki gets her powers from different outfits players unlock as they play through the story. Based on the playtest, all essential powers can be unlocked without spending any money and with minimal grind. Upgrading Nikki’s powers will take some grinding and any additional skins will cost money.

Players have the freedom to explore the world at their own pace as they play through the story, complete side quests, and farm materials. The world is full of jumping puzzles, monsters to fight, bosses to beat, and things to discover. In the very short week I got to play the game, I felt like I still had more to discover.

The Gotcha mechanic seems to only be tied to fashion. Players can unlock additional outfits by playing the game, but the game will offer seasonal outfits players can pull from. Pulling from these tickets gets players a random item to dress up Nikki like hairstyles, makeup, accessories, and clothes. If you’re someone who wants to keep Nikki dressed in the cutest clothes, be prepared to spend a lot of money.

Impressions

Infinity Nikki was an incredibly cozy experience that I will continue to play on release. The playtest had so much to do, and the grind didn’t feel so bad. I like that the power level isn’t locked behind the gotcha mechanic, but looking cute is going to cost you. You can pull for outfits with the currency you earn for playing the game, but it doesn’t feel like it will be enough to get everything you want from a particular ticket. My issue with the Gotcha mechanic is that there is no option to recolor the items you pull from a ticket without first completing the ticket. This means that getting a particular look can potentially cost hundreds of dollars. I guess Gotcha game has to Gotcha.

Other than that, the game is really enjoyable, even if you don’t put any money into it. Crafting and gathering are soothing, the platforming and puzzles are challenging and rewarding, and the world is fun to explore. The game has very good graphics with a beautiful world, great character design, and some very cute outfits to chase. The story is very cheesy, but I enjoyed it enough to keep playing. The tone and flavor all mesh together to make a very cozy experience that I recommend you try at least once.

Preregistration is still open, so make sure you sign up to unlock some fantastic prizes. Infinity Nikki is planned to released on December 31st, 2024 but no official announcement has been made.

gaming news

Drakantos Gets Closer to Release and a Solid Gameplay Teaser

Leave a comment

This month’s Dev log was a little late, but it was juicy. While we don’t have a firm release date, we do have a time frame. Drakantos plans its release for 2025. This seems like a long time, especially for those of us following from the beginning, but I’ve made it this far, what is a couple of more months. I rather have a finished game than a rushed one. Make sure you check out the official log for all the details, and don’t forget to Wishlist!

In a bit of sad news, dev logs will be moved to a three-month schedule. This means longer waits between devlogs, but it also means we’ll be getting juicier ones. There will be a consistent stream of teasers on the official Drakantos Discord, so make sure you join up and check regularly. I’ll try to do a monthly update of the teasers of they are juicy enough.

Liam Teaser

This month’s teaser was fantastic. We not only got to see Liam gameplay, but we got to get a good look at how the world of Drakantos works. We get a peak at the player hub and how questing works. I like the clean UI and the guild hall has a fantastic vibe to it. Most importantly, we got to see group combat. I love the art and am always impressed with how good they make the attack animations. I can see it being a little too busy for some folks, but I find it the perfect amount of world-shattering chaos without it ever being too distracting. I am curious to see how it things will work with busier instances like PvP and World Bosses.

I wasn’t too impressed with Liam’s gameplay, but I don’t tank. He seems too slow for my taste, but in the right hands, he can be a menace. Liam has a solid taunt, access to valuable debuffs, AOE, and he can close gaps quickly when needed. The cherry on top is his cool animations and voice acting. If you are looking to tank in Drakantos, you definitely need to consider Liam.

Game Info

Drakantos will be an MMO with dungeon-crawler elements. It will have an open world to explore, quest, and make friends in. There will be an overarching story which I am very excited to dive into. The game already has a solid amount of lore, I can’t wait to see what they do with it. There will also be a traditional player market. As long as players aren’t allowed to sell real money items, I’m cool with a player-run economy.

Drakantos will include character-specific prologues that will eventually lead to the starting zone. This will include a character story, a great way to start the game. The devs talk about moving away from the traditional linear system of questing in the hopes of giving the system purpose. Quests will reward players with gold and experience, but it will also unlock new systems, shops, and areas for the players. Some side quests will be class-specific, requiring players to use a character that knows magic for example. Most importantly, these types of quests will offer horizontal progression, which means completing a mission counts for the entire account. I like that the game isn’t forcing a tedious grind with their unique system.

The Dungeon Crawl

We got to see a bit of the Adventurer’s Guild in the Liam teaser above. The Guild is the main player hub where players can gather and queue for instances. Instances will take players to over 120 different maps and have them complete different quests. The intention is to always have players complete a different quest every time, even if they queue up for the same map. This is a very cool feature. While I do find comfort in repetition, the grind can get soul-crushing and monotonous. I can’t wait to see how this system is implemented. There will also be a random secondary objective or rare event to make things extra spicy. This can be a random encounter or a golden gnome for example. Completing side quests will net you more rewards, but they are optional.

Some instance bosses

Matchmaking

Matchmaking for an instance is tied to a player’s power level. There is no lobby. Instead of waiting for others to join, the game jumps you to the instance as it continues to look for other players. Difficulty scales based on the number of players in an instance (max 3), and rescales if someone drops suddenly. This is fantastic for a mobile game where internet connection can be spotty. Premade groups can be up to four for when you eventually join your guild and make your friends.

Conclusion

I continue to get hyped for the Drakantos release because this game looks fantastic. I’ve been waiting for an MMO to fill the void PSO left behind, and I am hoping this will be it. I love the art, the flavor, and the fact that this thing is portable. I can play it anywhere! Each month brings us closer to a release, and I’m just waiting for a beta. Make sure you join the official Drakantos Discord to stay up to date on all the news, and don’t forget to add the game to your Wishlist.

video game reviews

Tarisland Launches as the Most Disappointing WOW Killer

Leave a comment

I followed Tarisland since its announcement. I got into the beta and played as much as possible before realizing that this alleged WOW killer failed to deliver on its promises. While I vowed never to pick this game up again, I wanted to give it another chance since it had just gone live. After giving the mobile MMO my fairest attempts, I continue to be disappointed.

Tarisland was meant to be the WOW killer, but this claim typically tends to be a buzzword used to aid in a game’s visibility. Such a bold claim is good for a game’s marketing, and it didn’t hurt that Tarisland’s art style is reminiscent of wows. I was drawn to the game because it was a good-looking MMO I could play on my phone. I understand the stigma behind mobile gaming, but sometimes I can’t or don’t want to be in front of my computer. Sometimes I just want to chill on the couch and play games on my phone.

Tarisland started its journey by promising to be the first free-to-play game that wouldn’t be pay-to-win. This promise was broken after their first beta when they introduced their cash shop featuring pay-to-win items. All mentions of this promise were quickly scrubbed from all their media. These events came as no surprise and should have been a huge flag. I kept playing because I was planning to run this game so casually, the pay-to-win aspect would never affect me. I also didn’t feel like the cash shop was as predatory as other mobile games.

Another issue I have with the game is its customization. While the game looks good, character creation is limited to their premade models. You can change their hairstyle and skin color, but these options are limited. The characters are fine, but people who like to spend hours on character creation will be disappointed by the abysmal amounts of choices. I understand that this is due to the limitations of mobile gaming, but why include character creation if all players are limited to the same pool of choices? Why have character creation when there are gender-locked classes? I feel like those resources could have been spent elsewhere, like making better-looking characters.

The story is rather generic and does little to hook its players. Most players will probably skip through the dialogue in their race to the end game, but the dozens of us who want to be immersed in this new fantasy, Tarisland leave us hanging. The voice acting is either lazy and robotic, or missing altogether. I wasn’t expecting a deep compelling story from a free-to-play mobile game, but I expected the story to at least be interesting enough to be engaging.

I wouldn’t mind the lack of the story if the game was fun, but the game is boring. Tarisland feels like a cheap mobile MMO. Combat is slow, clunky, and uninteresting. It felt like I was waiting for mashing buttons and waiting on cooldowns. What few dungeons I forced myself through were boring, and the whole experience didn’t feel rewarding. Once you get past the graphics and aesthetic, the game is pretty shallow.

I took the game’s limitations going into this game. I wasn’t expecting a genre-defining title from the gate, but I did expect it to be fun. Ultimately when it comes down to it, there are better games on the market that deserve more of your attention. You can try it since it’s free, but it isn’t worth your time.

If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like comment, and share this with your friends. Check out my reviews for the Fifine H9 Gaming Headset and the AM8 Streaming Microphone if you are looking for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

gaming news

Drakanos May Update: Thomas Gameplay Revealed

Leave a comment

Every month gets us closer to Drakantos launch. I’ve been following this game for a while, and my excitement never wavers. May was a spectacular month. The devs revealed an exciting amount of progress, but more importantly, I think I found my main in Thomas.

If you want to stay up to date on all the Drakantos news, make sure you join the official discord and read the official Dev Log. Don’t forget to add Drakantos to your Steam wishlist!

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a headset for gaming or a mic for streaming, check out my reviews for the Fifine H9 gaming headset and AM8 streaming mic.

Thomas Gameplay

I was going to play Thomas because he is a cat. After today, I am playing Thomas for the gameplay. Thomas seems like a supporting character with enough power to solo content if necessary. I have always been a support main, and I don’t think Drakantos will change that. Although, a couple of the DPS classes have gotten a bit of my attention.

Thomas is your typical bard. His instrument seems to buff allies and debuffs and damages enemies. That taunt ability is going to be fun in raids and PvP. What makes Thomas unique is the mini game you have to play for casting spells. From the Dev Log:

🧙‍♂️Dev Note: Playing with Thomas is like playing an instrument, you need to match the colors of the notes when using ‘Resonance’ to increase the effectiveness of the spell.

I was a Sona main in League. I dig the music magic flavor, and the mini-game is a nice touch. It makes spellcasting more engaging, and it could make Thomas a more technical character to play effectively. We will have to see what this looks like in the field, but I am curious.

If you’re looking for a ranged support character and don’t mind all the cat puns, Thomas is your cat.

Cultist Tower Gameplay

We got some dungeon gameplay. In the video, we get to see general mobs, and a mini-boss when the devs enter the elevator. The idea is that the events in elevators will always be different, to keep gameplay fresh and exciting. I am impressed with the general combat loop, and the dungeon looks really cool. I am a huge fan of the game’s art style.

Hydra Boss Fight

A hydra boss fight is being designed, and the art for the stage is fantastic. I can’t wait to see what the hydra looks like in its final incarnation.

Treasure Gnomes!

These work like treasure goblins in Diablo but with an adorable redesign. I will allow it!

Mimics!

There are going to be mimics in this game. I am a huge fan of the design, and it means more traps to look out for. I hope they drop some solid gear.

Pets

gaming news

Drakantos April Dev Log Teases Reya the Lightning Queen

Leave a comment

We are now one month closer to Drakantos and the hype remains. April’s Dev log just dropped, and there are some solid teasers to get excited about. We got some art, animation, and a solid Reya teaser. Make sure you read the official Dev log, but here are my highlights. 

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

Reya The Lightning Queen

I am always amazed by how good the jiggle physics are for this pixel art MMO. While there is some blatant fan service, Reya’s mechanics are solid. I love the lightning flavor of her attacks, but I don’t think I am smart enough to be good. Reya is definitely for the gamer who likes sneaky, fast, and explosive abilities. Her lightning-quick reflexes allow players to bob and weave through enemies, leaving a trail of smoking bodies in her wake. I can’t wait to see what they do with the rest of Drakantos’ expansive cast. 

More Environment Spoilers

The Orphis boss fight has been completed, but we didn’t get to see the final boss. Instead, we got a peak at the dungeon and it looks amazing! I am a huge fan of the pixel art in this game, and the dark gothic vibe this map gives off has me excited. 

We also got some new mount animation, and a peak at the Parallax system for high places. Look how pretty:

Items

Relics

Conclusion

It was a short Devlog, but a good one as well. I just hope we can get a beta soon! Make sure you check out the full devlog for all the details, and join the official Drakantos Discord to stay on top of all the news. Don’t forget to add Drakantos to your Wishlist!

gaming news

Drakantos March Devlog: Iris Teasers, Challenges, & Mounts!

Leave a comment

The March Devlog just went up for Drakantos, and I am hyped for what is to come. Each update brings us closer to a release date, I just hope I can get into a beta soon. If you’re looking for a game with a classic MMO vibe, a cool pixel art aesthetic, and the portability to play it anywhere, you’re going to want to look into Drakantos.  

Make sure you check out the Devlog for all the juicy details and don’t forget to add Drakantos to your wishlist. If you enjoy my comment, please give this a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

Iris Teaser

The community has voted, and this month’s teaser is Iris gameplay. Make sure you join the official Discord to stay up to date on all the updates and to get hyped with the growing population of fans. Iris is a sorceress who uses illusion magic. She can create illusions of herself that can also attack, portals to teleport, and a magical shield. She definitely seems to be one of the flashier heroes I’ve seen gameplay for.

Challenges

Nil’varix is a demon clown who will appear to characters and offer them special challenges on their missions. Accepting these challenges will add new mechanics to a mission for added difficulty. One example is a giant demonic hand that follows the players and tries to smash them. Completing these challenges increases the rewards received by the players at the end.

Nil’varix is a demon clown who will appear to characters and offer them special challenges on their missions. Accepting these challenges will add new mechanics to a mission for added difficulty. One example is a giant demonic hand that follows the players and tries to smash them.

This sounds like such a cool feature because it gives some added diversity to the grind. Players may learn and memorize the mechanics for a certain mission, but you can never really be ready for the randomly generated challenges Nil’varix. I can see this being an issue if the game loops through the same type of challenge, but we’ll have to see the implementation.

There are currently 15 challenges programmed at the moment, with more planned for the future. Some examples given are:

  • Chain the players together, requiring them to move within the chain’s limited range.
  • The players swap places every X seconds.
  • Every enemy you kill drops a bomb that explodes after a while.
  • Randomize a card for each player, and some enemies will have this card displayed on their heads. The corresponding player must remove this mark. If the wrong player hits it, he will receive damage as punishment.
  • A giant hand follows your team for the entire mission, trying to smash you.

Traps

You can’t have a fantasy game or a dungeon without traps. Having environmental challenges and traps adds some depth and flavor to the world. I’ll have to see how random the traps are. It be cool if there were characters who could disarm traps in dungeons or use them against enemies.

More Mounts!

Adventurer’s Guild Tavern

The Adventurer’s Guild Tavern will be one of the main player hubs where players can buy supplies and accept missions. I love the flavor and aesthetic that went into this design. I love all the art that has been coming out for this game, and I can’t wait to see more.

gaming news

Pokémon Presents Announces Two New Games

1 Comment

In honor of Pokémon Day, the Pokémon Company has released a special Pokémon Presents where they have made a few exciting announcements. While I am sure there are some disappointed fans out there, there is a bit of news that I am very hopeful about. I’m only covering the news that I am most excited about, but you should check out the whole event for anything I skip.

If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. If you need some Pokémon cards like the upcoming Temporal Forces set (Booster Boxes currently $104) get it over at TCG Player using my affiliate links. It really helps me out!

Pokemon Horizons: The Series

While I was very sad for Ash and Pikachu’s adventure to end, I am very excited for the upcoming anime. Pokémon always makes for comforting anime, and we can always use a little comfort in our lives. Pokémon Horizons: The Series premiers on Netflix on March 7, so let the countdown begin!

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket

The most exciting announcement for me was the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket coming sometime this year on Android and IOS devices. Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket looks like a gotcha version of the TCG. Players can open two packs a day for free, which suggests you can buy more through either an in-game currency or real money. This does raise some flags as the game can become predatory quickly, but I am not too worried. The game comes from the folks who brought us Masters, and Masters didn’t feel bad when I played it. I don’t think it will be as generous as PTCGL, but I doubt it will be as bad as Unite. 

The idea of the game is to have players crack packs, and build a community around it. Players can build their collections, trade with friends and people around the world, and battle others. The idea of building a community around collecting Pokémon cards is always exciting, I just hope they don’t make it impossible to complete a set without spending hundreds of dollars. 

The quick battles are what interests me the most about this app. The game promises a more streamlined gameplay with the convenience of being able to play anywhere. While I am worried about the pay-to-win potential of PVP, anything that brings people into the hobby is fine by me. 

Pokémon isn’t the most complicated TCG, but I’ve seen people be intimidated by all its moving parts. Having a streamlined version of the game gets people excited about the game without overwhelming them. Depending on the gameplay, Pocket may be able to bring casual collectors into the space and turn them into players. 

What makes Pocket unique is that it will introduce new art and animation of cards so that players and collectors can interact with the hobby in a unique way. Pocket introduces “immersive cards” which allow players to leap into the illustration. Again, I hope they make these easy to collect, but as a casual collector, I am excited. 

I wonder if this is Pokémon answer to Heartsone? I wonder how much GOTCHA is involved? There are still a lot of questions about the game, and I’ll have to see more before I can form any impressions, but I am excited for now. 

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

The teaser for Pokémon Legends: Z-A is vague, but I know Lumiose City anywhere. It seems like the next Legends game is taking place entirely in Lumiose City. X and Y are my favorite generation. I put too many hours into the game, and I am excited to go back. All we can do is speculate until the next announcement, but I am excited! The game launches sometimes next year on the Nintendo Switch. 

gaming news

Drakantos: January Dev Log Brings us the Orbryn Teaser!

Leave a comment

I’ve been excited about Drakantos for a while now. With the January dev log out, my excitement continues to grow. I can’t wait to finally play Drakantos, but until then, let’s just get hyped about the current progress. 

Make sure you check out the official dev log and join Discord if you want to stay up to date. If you enjoy these updates, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Most importantly, add Drakantos to your wishlist!

Orbryn Hero Teaser

The community has voted. This month’s hero teaser is Orbry, an Engineer from Garmorli. The dwarf has access to several gadgets and traps to help him fend off enemies. If you like dwarves, traps, and explosions, this is the champ for you.

I was a bit disappointed with the teaser’s slow start, but the more traps and gadgets I saw, the more impressed I became. I don’t think I am smart enough to run this champ, but I can see the potential. With the amount of debuffs and traps, Orbry can help control the battlefield and tempo of battle. It seems like this will be one of the trickier heroes to learn, but one that I am sure will be rewarding in the right hands.

I love how every hero teased so far feels unique and different, and with each release, I have trouble choosing who I want to play.

And Mount Animation!

Cooldowns Changed to Charges

Drakantos will feature artifacts that will act as interchangeable abilities for further customization. These artifacts were initially intended to be cooldowns, but they were changed to charges based on the event players run. The official explication from the devs:

I have to agree with the devs on this change. From a gameplay perspective, it makes the artifact feel more impactful. Players are now forced to use their charges efficiently instead of mashing buttons. From a flavor perspective, it makes the artifact feel more special and magical. It’s something rare that only a hero can use, and I am all about feeling special in my fantasy.

More Cities!

More of the world has been created, and I gotta say I am a huge fan of the art style. Here are some samples of the major cities. I can’t wait to explore what else they have in store:

Pet Contest

If you’re feeling artistic, head over to the official discord and join the “Create a Pet Contest” for a chance to have your creation featured in the game. I love that the devs are working with their community, I just wish I was at least a little artistic.

Conclusion

There were some other balancing changes for combat and more pets added to the game, but you can always read about it on the official dev log. I am still excited and I hope we get a beta soon. This game looks like a lot of fun, so make sure you go add it to your wishlist!