Tag Archives: Reviews

Genesis TCG Returns with Metamorphosis Kickstarter

July 14, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

The Genesis TCG returns to Kickstarter with a unique campaign, a new design, and a lot of ambition. The state of the Genesis TCG has been a mystery since its abrupt end in April 2023 when its parent company, Haunted Castle Gaming, announced its closure. Since then, a group of dedicated and passionate fans have come together to keep the game they love alive. The game is now under the proud ownership of Edge of Exile Entertainment. We will have to see if their passion and love for the game will translate to its success.

Since the change of ownership, Genesis has seen a new impressive card design. I am impressed with the game’s new identity, but I’ll have to see the cards in person before I can make a definitive claim.

The canceled invitation set was also released under Edge of Exile’s leadership and new design., and the set looks good. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to get any product, so I’ll just settle for looking at the list online.

The game will have to rebuild trust as it competes for a player base. The game’s sudden initial closure has left the game with some sour connotations. Nobody wants to invest in a game with no future. Edge of Exile has addressed this issue on their Kickstarter page. The company has successfully released an expansion since its induction, albeit one that was already done before the closure. The company also has an established and proven relationship with distributors and a few game stores. They are also trying to get back onto TCG Player, and hopefully give more players access to the game.

The Kickstarter

Backing the Metamorphosis Kickstarter gets you a set of the alt art cards for all the champions featured in the set. $50 gets you a non-foil set and $92 gets you both foil and non-foil. There is additional swag and goodies at higher tiers. The money earned from this campaign goes to paying the printers. Metamorphosis will go to printing once the $29, 311 has been pledged.

What is Genesis TCG

Genesis TCG is a 5×6 grid based tactical TCG. Players move their champions through the arena, and the first player to kill all enemy champions wins. This is a very unique way of dealing with the TCG.Check out the tutorial to see if the game is right for you:

Thoughts

I’ve always been interested in Genesis because I found it to be an interesting concept for a trading card game. Unfortunately, the game died right as I was about to start buying product. I was surprised to see the Kickstarter. I had stopped following the game, and sort of forgot about it. It’s cool to see that the game hasn’t been abandoned, especially by its most loyal fans. It makes it easy to root for.

Most Kickstarter TCGs sell boxes and starter decks, but Edge of Exile is limited by their established agreement with their distributors. They don’t want to take away sales from the stores that will carry their game. While this is an admirable act, it makes the campaign hard to sell.

Having alt-art versions of the champions is awesome if you already have a deck to play with. New players trying to pick up the game will have to hope they can also find product after launch, and it’s a bit discouraging. While $50 is reasonable for a set of exclusive alt-art cards, it is a steep price for someone who hasn’t played the game before. It would be cool if they had a print-n-play option to help people decide. This seems like a campaign geared toward those hopeful for the longevity of the game or established fans of the game.

The fans of the game will be divided by this campaign. Those who are loyal and dedicated have already pledged and secured their exclusive playsets, some even at a discount. Other fans have been made weary by the string of dead and dying indie TCGs. The TCG space is unforgiving. If Edge of Exile doesn’t do enough, Genesis isn’t getting the resurgence it deserves.

I’ll be rooting for the success of the campaign because I like the idea of a game company run by its players. There seems to be a lot of ambition and passion behind this attempt at resurrection, and I will be following it closely for its definitive outcome.

If you’ve played Genesis, want to bling out your deck, or want to get into the game, you’re going to want to help with this Kickstarter. It is the only way Metamorphasis gets printed. Even though there is a proven record, there is always risk when backing a Kickstarter. Follow your gut.

Tech Reviews

The Fifine SC3 is the Best Budget Mixer on the Market

July 12, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

I was sent the Fifine SC3 Gaming Audio Mixer 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.

What’s in the Box?

The mixer comes neatly and safely packaged in a plain box. Inside, you get a copy of the instruction manual, a USB-C to USB-A cable, an aux cord, and the mixer. The instructions are easy to read, but the device is even easier to use with very little guidance. The USB cable and Aux cord are a decent length, but you might want to invest in a better aux cord if you want better sound.

Sound Quality

The SC3 Mixer is going to elevate your setup. You will get better sound than plugging your headphones into the motherboard, but most importantly, you’re getting amazing voice recordings out of the box. I used the mixer with the Fifine H9 gaming headset and am very impressed with the sound quality I got. You can use something like a voice meter to get a more professional sound, but I don’t think you need to. If you’re looking for the easiest and cheapest way to upgrade your sound for streams, the SC3 is what you need. I’ll leave a sample of the sound below:

https://churapereviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sc3voicecheck.mp3

Voice Changer Feature

The SC3 comes with a voice changer feature. This feature includes six easily toggleable presets: male, female, robot, monster, baby, and elder. This feature isn’t great, but it is fun. The male, female, and elder presets are the most usable of the batch. I’ll leave samples of the different profiles below.

Other Features

There are volume-controlling sliders for the mic, line-in, headphones, and line-out with corresponding mute buttons for each. There is also an autotune feature. I can’t sing to save my life and didn’t mess around too much with me. It feels a little basic, but it’s a fun and silly feature like the voice changer.

Of course, the SC3 wouldn’t be a gaming accessory without any RGB. The mixer has a solid collection of light profiles so you can always have a matching setup. The soft underflow is a very nice touch. I like the fact that I can toggle off the RGB if I need my desk to look less busy.

My favorite feature is the four programmable soundboard buttons. Each button can easily record and store your favorite sound bite to play during your stream or podcast. I already have my profiles loaded and ready for D&D silliness.

Quality

The SC3 mixer looks cheap, but the construction is sturdy. The sliders make the device feel cheap. I never had any issues with the sliders, but it feels like they will break after extensive use. That said, the SC3 will survive enough normal wear and tear to be worth the money you spend on it.

The buttons feel good and make up for the quality of the sliders. All buttons are easy to read, responsive, and soft. I like that the buttons glow white when they are in use, and make great use of their RGB lighting effects when not.

You are getting what you pay for, but it won’t break after a week of use.

Review

The SC3 mixer has become my daily driver for my home setup. It not only looks good on my desk, but it is also practical. The SC3 provides a decent soundstage. I would have liked a little more bass, but there is enough of it to make it an enjoyable experience. Most people who aren’t audiophiles will be content with the sound.

Voice recordings through the mixer is a fantastic experience. You aren’t getting studio quality, but the quality you’re getting is good enough for most cases. Without any tinkering or third-party software, you’re getting a good sound recording. The experience will vary based on the mic, but I did feel like I was getting a better-sounding recording from my Fifine H9 gaming headset. You can use something like voicemeter to make it sound more professional, but I don’t think it’s necessary. The SC3 mixer is an upgrade out of the box.

Quality isn’t an issue. The build looks solid, and it looks fine on the table. It does feel cheap, but I am not afraid of it breaking any time soon. This isn’t a buy-it-for-life situation, but it is a quality budget-friendly option. This is the device you buy while you save up for the expensive upgrade.

The SC3 is a very user-friendly and responsive mixer. Setup is easy, but there are some quality tutorials out there if you need them. I appreciate how responsive the controls are, especially if you’re using it for commercial purposes.

My only real complaint is that having your phone connected with the included aux cord sounds bad. There was a lot of static. A better AUX cord might fix this, but I wasn’t able to test one.

If you’re looking for a quality mixer that isn’t going to break your bank, check out the Fifine SC3. This mixer is a fantastic option for those looking to get into streaming or podcasting. You’re getting a decent amount of features for a good device that will hold you over till you’re ready for the upgrade. It doesn’t offer much customization in terms of equalizers, but you don’t really need them yet. While I do see some everyday use, this might be a bit overkill for everyone else. Unless you need the features, I would go with the Fifine H9 Gaming headset if you’re looking to upgrade your mic and sound. I am happy with the SC3, and recommend it to anyone in the market for a mixer.

You can pick up the Fifine SC3 Gaming Mixer for $49.99 using my Amazon Affiliate link.

Other TCGs

Kryptic TCG Returns Under New Management and Motivation!

July 4, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

Last week, the people behind Kryptic announced the end of the TCG and their plans to move to the LCG model. After a bit of feedback and a weekend to ruminate, Kryptic TCG isn’t dead! Fans of the TCG now wait as the company takes the steps to continue the TCG.

The Announcement

Tanner has announced on the official Kryptic Discord that he will be stepping down as CEO of the company and handing the company over to Chris Tesorio. The message reads:

The loyal Kryptic comunnity came together in full force for the game that they loved and now with a new name and newly found motivaition, Kryptic Studios LLC will work continue making the TCG.

The new CEO, Chris Tesorio, also made a statement:

It makes me happy to see Kryptic getting its second life. I can’t wait to see what is to come. Congradulations to Chris Tesorio on his new role, I wish him the best in his endevours.

What this Means for Kryptic

We are still waiting for more news from the new company, but plans for Kryptic as a LCG have been cancelled and new plans for the TCG are in the works. While I am a little sad about not seeing what an LCG in the the Kryptic universe would look like, I am happy to see that fans will get to continue to enjoy the game they love. I am hopeful for the future of this game and can’t wait to see what this new leadership and motivation will produce in the future.

Attonement

As a reminder for anyone who missed it, 100 boxes of Attonement Wave Zero will release on July 4th 12AM CST. Attonment was Kryptics cancelled set before the name change. The box will include single copies of the entire set, with a few random foils to mix things up. Sales will be limited to hopefully prevent scalping. It be nice to buy a box and have the complete set. I’ll be trying to get a box, I hope the fans who want one can get theirs too.

You can pick up your box of Attonement Year Zero on the Speedprobogames website for $119.99. Good luck!

video game reviews

Why Super Farming Boy Could be Your Next Casual Farming Sim

July 3, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

I was asked to cover the Super Farming Boy demo for my blog. This will be my initial impressions of the game since a full version isn’t out yet.

Super Farming Boy is a farm simulator with a nifty little arcade mechanic that will leave you wanting more. If you enjoy the chill vibes of indie farming sim games like Stardew Valey with the chaotic excitement of a match-four, check out Super Farming Boy.

What is Super Farming Boy?

You are an expert farmer with the crop and skills to prove it. All seems good and happy on your little farm until the evil demon Korpo comes and takes everything away. Korpo makes you a deal, you can buy it all back. Now you must build your farm from scratch, fight off enemies, and earn the money to buy back everything that was stolen from you. Do you have what it takes?

Gameplay

Super Farming Boy consists of two major gameplay loops: farm management and a match four-like minigame.

In the farm management component, players will spend their day cleaning up their farm, planting their crops, and harvesting what they can before the sun sets. The most important resource for a farmer is their energy. Farming Boy has a limited amount of energy that he can use on the farm. This resource can be upgraded with money or replenished with food, which you also buy with money. Budgeting Farming Boy’s energy efficiently to maximize profit is always key.

Money is the second most important resource available to players. Players earn money from Korpo at the end of the day from resources you collect throughout the day. You can use this gold to purchase skills, upgrades, crops, and food. How you spend your money can slow down your progression, but I wouldn’t go seeking a guide from the start. Learning how to plant your crops effectively for the perfect combos is half the fun.

The second component of this game is its unique arcade-style harvest mechanic. Each crop in this game has a harvest rule that you want to pay attention to. For example, harvesting a corn crop will always harvest whatever crop is planted to the right of it. Planting a row of corn will create a chain, harvesting that entire row with one click. You can use these rules to clear out rubble and combo with other crops. Learning how to arrange your crops properly is the key to saving your mother.

Impressions

Super Farming Boy is a faster and flashier farming sim with a unique quirk that you need to try out at least once. The art is super cute, the soundtrack is fantastic, and the gameplay is a lot of fun. Super Farming Boy is perfect for those of you looking for another casual farming sim, but with a bit of a faster pace. I love farming sims, but the added arcade flavor made it my addiction. I can’t wait to try out a full version of this game.

No release date has been announced yet, but you can download the Super Farming Boy Demo now on Steam.

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

video game reviews

Noreya: The Gold Project is a Solid Metroidvania

July 2, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of Noreya: The Gold Project 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. If you’re looking to upgrade your gaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset and the AM8 Streaming Microphone if you are looking for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Noreya: The Gold Project?

Noreya: The Gold Project is a 2D-pixel art dark fantasy Metroidvania game out now on PC.

Salluste, the God of Avarice, has taken over the city of Lemia and imprisoned the Goddess of Light. Once a glowing city, Lemia now stands as a twisted and tortured version of itself. Its inhabitants, smitten by greed, have sold themselves to Salluste and now roam the city as twisted shadowy creatures. Kali, with nothing left to lose, travels to Lemia in search of answers.

Travel through the City of Gold, battle creatures of shadow and gold, and pledge your allegiance to the god of your choice. Where will your devotion take you?

Gameplay

Noreya is your typical 2D action platformer. What makes this game unique is that you can use the gold you collect to heal at any time, and the god you devote yourself to controls your narrative. Choices do matter in this game, which may give the game replayability if you become invested enough in the story.

I am terrible at platforming, but found it very manageable in this game. Enemies are cool, but they will get repetitive. The game will spice things up with special events and boss fights. Special events change the flow of the game. In one instance, a giant snake chases Kali through the map, and it is up to you to navigate through the city and find her sanctuary. Boss fights are creative, but not unrelenting. I didn’t feel like I ever needed a guide to beat the bosses, I just needed to be better. That said, this game feels like a very casual entry to the genre, perfect for those newbies trying to find their start in the genre.

Combat feels fine, but I found the skill tree customization limiting compared to other titles. The skill tree can only be accessed at shrines throughout the city. Players can buy levels of their skill tree with gold at shrines around the city. The skill tree is expansive and gives players the freedom to build toward their play style. I don’t think the build matters in normal mode. I built towards what I thought would be fun and never felt I needed a guide. However, harder difficulties and speed runs will probably need a more efficient build.

Impressions

I like Noreya: The Gold Project. I love the art, the mechanics are manageable, and the flavor is neat. Choosing between Light and gold and the god you worship is a very cool idea. That said, Noreya isn’t the best Metroidvania on the market. After a while, it starts to feel stale. While I enjoyed the environment and music of each level, it started to feel repetitive. I understand repetition is somewhat expected, but the more I played, the less I wanted to keep playing. There just wasn’t enough to hold my attention.

Noreya isn’t a bad game. The game runs fine and has a few good moments, but you have better options. If you’re looking for a new Metroidvania game to add to your rotation, Noreya: The Gold Project is a solid choice, but I would wait for a sale.

You can pick up Noreya: The Gold Project on Steam for $24.99.

Board Games and TCGs

Eldritch Automata Campaign is Live and Fully Backed on Backerkit

June 28, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

The Eldritch Automata campaign has officially launched on Backerkit. The project was fully funded within the first 30 minutes of going live and continues to gain momentum. Most of the stretch goals have been unlocked which means excited fans will receive a generous amount of goodies. The campaign ends on July 25, leaving plenty of time to decide if you want to embark on this bleak adventure of survival featuring mechs. While Gehenna Gaming does have a solid record with their delivery, always be mindful of what you back on these types of crowdsourcing campaigns.

What is Eldritch Automata?

Eldritch Automata is a post-apocalyptic TTRPG powered by the award-winning Year Zero Engine.

Society crumbles under the weight of Eldritch invaders. Monsters and horrifying angels spread their rain and despair across the world. Humanity is pushed to the brink of extinction, but hope is not lost. Giant Mechs known as the Automata come to humanity’s salvation, but piloting them comes at a cost. Those brave and competent enough to pilot these mighty machines must risk their entire mind, body, and soul. Some will rise and become the shining pillars of hope and salvation, while others will lose themselves under the strain of piloting an Automata. How far can you push yourself to save humanity?

How to Play

Impressions

Pilots in Eldritch Automata must survive the strain of an unforgiving world. Infighting between factions, the stress of survival, the strain of piloting the Automata, and facing the endless waves of Eldritch horrors wear down their spirit. Eldritch Automata is a game where even the bravest and brightest can lose themselves in the madness.

The game does a decent job of creating systems that emulate the strain of surviving in its world. The game is set up where players are constantly having to push their limits while risking their sanity. Piloting an Automata is cool, but it can make you go crazy or leave you with a permanent, life-altering injury. Having a player lose control of their character due to a dice roll is bound to lead to some interesting roleplay.

Gameplay seems solid and easy to learn. I’ve ran a few Year Zero games, and my table is always content with how they run. It makes for a nice break from D&D without being too big of a shift.

Ultimately, you’re playing Eldritch Automata for its flavor. I love the dark hopelessness that will inevitably seep into every session, and I am sure my players will enjoy fighting in giant mechs. The combat system seems to involve enough strategy to make it engaging without being overly complicated while establishing its unique flare in the space. As a GM, I like the amount of tables and charts available for a healthy amount of chaos. I can’t wait to see how my players react when they have to roll to keep their sanity. It is going to get tense.

If you’re looking to run a bleak survival adventure full of monsters, chaos, and mechs, you’re going to want to go back Eldritch Automata on Backerkit. The art is cool, the flavor is fantastic, and what I’ve seen of the system is impressive. There is a free quickstart available from the publisher if you would like to see if the Eldritch Automata is right for your table. The Quickstart comes with a streamlined version of the rules and a small haunted house-style adventure for you to run. I’ll leave the files below, but you can get the quickstart and the pre-generated characters on the DrivethruRPG.

Quickstart

Eldritch_Automata_-_Quicklaunch_Guide Download

Pregenerated Characters

Eldritch_Automata_Quicklaunch_Pre_Generated_Characters Download

Tiers

Official Liveplay

Board Games and TCGs

Pathfinder 2E: Wardens of Wildwood – Pactbreaker 1st Impression

June 27, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

I was sent a free copy of the Pathfinder Adventure Path: Wardens of Wildwood 1: Pactbreaker by Andrew White to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. I haven’t had a chance to run the game, but these are my honest first impressions.

What is Wardens of Wildwood?

Wardens of Wildwood is a three-book adventure module for your next Pathfinder campaign. Pactbreaker is the first of the books.

The Greenwood Gala is held in honor of the yearly signing of the treaty between the empire of Taldor and the citizens of the Verduran Forest. The treaty allows for peaceful and regulated trade between the two groups. This Gala is a large festival held leading up to the signing of this treaty, and it attracts people from all over to join in this magical week of revelry.

This year’s Gala is going to be big, and the organizers need additional volunteers. You and your party have been recruited to help keep the peace, but not without enjoying the festivities. The festivities end abruptly when several of the Verduran Forest’s leaders are murdered. It is now up to your party to find out the culprits and return peace to the forest without spilling too muchblood shed. Do you have what it takes?

The Book

The adventure comes in a nicely printed softcover book. The illustrations are beautiful, and the quality is sturdy. You will get a crease in the cover from use, but it isn’t a deal breaker. While hardcovers are always nice, I do appreciate the small form factor. The whole adventure is the size of a magazine, which makes transportation and storage incredibly easy. The included maps feel a little small, but you can cut them out or make copies if you would like to use them. Overall, Pactbreaker is a fine and quality product from our friends over at Piazo.

Impressions

Pactbreaker is the first part of the Wardens of Wildwood adventure path. All three parts are now available for purchase, but I only have access to Pactbreaker at the moment. I’ll be working on getting the other two installments. Stay tuned for that.

Pactbreaker is designed to take adventurers from levels 5 – 8. The idea is to give players access to a character that can make an impact in the world but still has room to grow. I enjoy running level 5 campaigns because players have enough tools to make things fun without being overpowered.

One important thing to note is that you will need access to the 2nd Edition rulebook. While most of the adventure is self contained within the book’s pages, it does not contain the rules. There is a list of supplemental reading materials for additional background and context for the campaign setting, but it isn’t needed. You can run this campaign with just the adventure book and a copy of the rulebook.

I like the flavor of the campaign. If you like woodland fantasy with cool druids, living plants, and ancient turtles, Pactbreaker is a great place to start. The adventure has cool lore, an interesting cast of NPCs, and some neat monsters that can carry into your other campaigns.

The adventure starts with a couple of encounters, but the focus of the first chapter is the downtime activities. I did find the initial encounters flavorful and open to creative solutions. I am sure your players will find a way to break them.

A big part of the first chapter will be spent on gaining influence with the various important NPCs and playing festival games. If you have ever wanted to run a festival in your campaign, the book has a good amount of rules for how to run all sorts of games. While the adventure will eventually have dungeon crawls and combat, your table should be comfortable enough with each other to participate in the festival. I can see this section being the most fun if your players are into the roleplay.

Pactbreaker is a great way to start your adventure in Verduran Forest if you don’t mind running a festival. I don’t think the festival is bad, I’ll be using some of the games in future adventures, but it isn’t going to be a fit for everyone. Once you get past the Gala, the adventure has a solid pace and a decent mystery. It definitely made me excited for part two.

You can pick up Wards of Wildwood: Pactbreaker on Amazon (using my affiliate link) or the official Paizo website for $29.99 ($19.99 for the pdf). If you run games online, you can pick up the official Foundry Module on the official Paizo website for $14.99. If you don’t know what Foundry is, check out my full review.

Other TCGs

Life After Pixelborn: My Adventures in Lorcana

June 26, 2024 josechurape 1 Comment

Pixelborn has shut down, but my Lorcana journey will not end with it. While it was the best solution for playing Lorcana online, other options remain. Tabletop Simulator is a fantastic program for anyone trying to play their favorite tabletop games online. There are thousands of freely accessible mods available for download, including one for Lorcana. While this solution has its quirks, it is a solid solution. You can also check out untap.in which is a fine FREE browser-based solution for all your TCG needs, but it does require a bit of tinkering.

On an impulse, I opted for physical product. My buddy and I picked up an Ursula’s Return Illumineer’s trove and ran a draft using our pulls. A treasure trove is an 8-pack kit with special-themed dice, a cardboard spin-down counter, and a storage box.

The storage box looks nice, but it feels cheap. It is not surviving any serious wear and tear. The themed dice are nice, but not enough to chase treasure troves. I use the spindown because I paid for it, but there is no reason to use it over the app. I would have preferred buying packs instead. I know that it is always better to buy singles, but we enjoy cracking packs.

Drafting with eight packs is tricky because there aren’t enough cards for a two-color deck. We did three colors instead and reduced the deck sizes to 40 cards. We just shuffled the three colors we liked the best and enjoyed the randomness, but you can play without color restrictions and attempt to build a more coherent deck.

We played over Facetime and I had so much fun, I went and picked up a starter deck. If you’re getting into Lorcana, starter decks are a great place to start. Keep in mind that the decks are a little slow compared to meta decks, but they are good enough to build your foundation. My friend is pretty good at deck building. While he may be running decks he believes are fun, he had access to the better toolset. I still had fun, but now I need to fight to urge to buy more Lorcana.

Lorcana is a fun TCG that you can enter as casually as you like. The game is easy to pick up but with enough strategy to keep things engaging. Games do tend to become this race to 20, but it is a fun race that I enjoy participating in. As a collector, I love the art and quality of the cards. As a player, I enjoy the accessibility. Personally, I like that it gives me an excuse to hang out with a friend I hardly get to see anymore.

If you’re thinking of getting into Lorcana, find a playgroup and do it. Check with your LGS for a scene, or search one out if there isn’t one. I’ll be slowly amassing my collection as I continue to play casually with my friend.

If you enjoy this content, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for any Lorcana product, like the new Ursula’s Return set, get it at TCG Player using my affiliate links.

Uncategorized

Grand Archive Meta Watch: Chicago Regionals Top 4 (06/24)

June 25, 2024 josechurape Leave a comment

The Chicago Regional at 401 Kollectibles was this weekend, and it looks the meta is staying firm with Wind Allies Lorraine on top and Wind Tristain and Norm Tera Silvie following close behind. While it is kind of a bummer to see the same old archetypes in the format, it is important to remember that this is a young meta. I am curious to see if there will be any surprises come Ascent Chicago in August.

This time I will be featuring the top 4 decks since the top two are variations of Wind Allies Lorraine. You can check out the full event on Omnidex. I’ll also leave TCG Player affiliate links to the singles for those who need them.

1. Wind Allies Lorraine – Matt #162 (4-0-1)

Material Deck

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Gwendolyn, Spirit of Wind
1 Lorraine, Wandering Warrior
1 Backup Charger
1 Eye of Argus
1 Grand Crusader’s Ring
1 Ornamental Greatsword
1 Safeguard Amulet
1 Sword of Seeking
1 Tariff Ring
1 Water Resonance Bauble
1 Wind Resonance Bauble
1 Smoke Bombs

Main Deck
4 Charged Mannequin
4 Lurking Assailant
4 Manufacture Cell
4 Andronika, Eternal Herald
4 Armored Valkyrie
4 Eternal Magistrate
4 Fairy Whispers
4 Favorable Winds
4 Rallied Advance
2 Reclaim
4 Rose, Eternal Paragon
4 Second Wind
4 Shimmercloak Assassin
4 Stifling Trap
4 Windrider Vanguard
2 Zephyr

Sideboard
1 Fire Resonance Bauble
2 Incapacitate
2 Attune with the Winds
2 Cry for Help
4 Trained Hawk
2 Zephyr

2. Wind Allies Lorraine – uwupuppygirlnyaa #101 (4-1-0)

Material Deck

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Spirit of Wind
1 Lorraine, Wandering Warrior
1 Backup Charger
1 Eye of Argus
1 Grand Crusader’s Ring
1 Ornamental Greatsword
1 Poisoned Coating Oil
1 Safeguard Amulet
1 Smoke Bombs
1 Sword of Seeking
1 Tariff Ring
1 Viridian Protective Trinket

Main Deck
4 Deflecting Edge
3 Esteemed Knight
4 Gildas, Chronicler of Aesa
3 Imperial Recruit
3 Inspiring Call
4 Lurking Assailant
3 Woodland Squirrels
4 Aesan Protector
4 Attune with the Winds
3 Dream Fairy
2 Eternal Magistrate
3 Phalanx Captain
2 Rallied Advance
2 Rose, Eternal Paragon
1 Second Wind
3 Stifling Trap
2 Vigilant Sentry
3 Windmill Engineer
4 Windrider Vanguard
3 Zephyr

Sideboard
4 Incapacitate
2 Cleansing Reunion
2 Cry for Help
1 Dream Fairy
1 Phalanx Captain
1 Stifling Trap
2 Trained Hawk
2 Verdigris Decree

3. Wind Umbra Tristan – TeamTrueTerry #111 (3-0-2)

Material Deck

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Spirit of Wind
1 Tristan, Underhanded
1 Tristan, Hired Blade
1 Tristan, Shadowdancer
1 Tristan, Shadowreaver
1 Backup Charger
1 Grand Crusader's Ring
1 Poisoned Dagger
1 Safeguard Amulet
1 Assassin's Ripper
1 Windwalker Boots
1 Shadow's Claw

Main Deck
4 Dungeon Guide
2 Incapacitate
4 Mastermind Scheme
4 Sable Remnant
4 Sadi, Blood Harvester
1 Turbo Charge
4 Corhazi Outlook
4 Dream Fairy
2 Ensnaring Fumes
4 Fairy Whispers
3 Innervate Agility
4 Reclaim
4 Stifling Trap
4 Surveil the Winds
4 Veiling Breeze
4 Windmill Engineer
4 Shadowstrike

Sideboard
2 Incapacitate
3 Reprogram
3 Slice and Dice
3 Arrow Trap
3 Cleansing Reunion
1 Ensnaring Fumes

4. Norm Tera Silvie – Guruthos #327 (3-1-1)

Material Deck

Main Deck

Material Deck
1 Spirit of Slime
1 Silvie, Wilds Whisperer
1 Silvie, With the Pack
1 Silvie, Slime Sovereign
1 Backup Charger
1 Beastbond Boots
1 Quicksilver Grail
1 Covenant of Thorns
1 Gaia’s Blessing
1 Horn of Beastcalling
1 Stonescale Band
1 Verdant Scepter

Main Deck
4 Baby Gray Slime
1 Bestial Frenzy
2 Blissful Calling
4 Dungeon Guide
2 Engineered Slime
4 Escape the Wreckage
4 Forest Cake
4 Limitless Slime
1 Turbo Charge
4 Baby Red Slime
3 Slime Eruption
3 Baby Blue Slime
4 Gather Slimes
4 Baby Green Slime
4 Slimeshield
4 Storm Slime
4 Ethereal Slime
2 Lustrous Slime
1 Slime King
2 Vampiric Slime

Sideboard
1 Tithe Proclamation
1 Bestial Frenzy
3 Reprogram
2 Resolute Stand
2 Twilight Slime
2 Hymn of Gaia’s Grace
2 Verdant Slime

video game reviews

Tarisland Launches as the Most Disappointing WOW Killer

June 23, 2024 josechurape 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.

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What is Genesis TCG

Thoughts

What’s in the Box?

Sound Quality

Voice Changer Feature

Male Preset

Female Preset

Robot

Monster

Baby

Elder

Other Features

Quality

Review

The Announcement

What this Means for Kryptic

Attonement

What is Super Farming Boy?

Gameplay

Impressions

What is Noreya: The Gold Project?

Gameplay

Impressions

What is Eldritch Automata?

How to Play

Impressions

Quickstart

Pregenerated Characters

Tiers

Official Liveplay

What is Wardens of Wildwood?

The Book

Impressions

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Material Deck

Main Deck

2. Wind Allies Lorraine – uwupuppygirlnyaa #101 (4-1-0)

Material Deck

Main Deck

3. Wind Umbra Tristan – TeamTrueTerry #111 (3-0-2)

Material Deck

Main Deck

4. Norm Tera Silvie – Guruthos #327 (3-1-1)

Material Deck

Main Deck

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