Tag Archives: rpg

video game reviews

Deathbound is a Solid Soulslike for Your Collection

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I was sent a free copy of Deathbound 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’re looking to upgrade your gaming/streaming setup, check out my reviews for Fifine H9 Gaming Headset, the AM8 Streaming Microphone, and the SC3 Gaming Mixer for high-quality, budget-friendly peripherals.

What is Deathbound

Deathbound is a party-based soulslike coming to Deathbound releases on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam, Epic Games, and GoG on August 8. Make sure you add Deathbound to your wishlist and join the official Discord.

Long ago, the Goddess of Life tricked the Goddess of Death, stealing her power and creating a race of immortal men. From these men, an advanced and powerful civilization Zieminal formed. For a while, the Zieminal thrived in their immortality. But the Goddess of Death did not sit idly by while her sister made a fool of her. Slowly, she seduced the Zieminal to give up their immortality. Her seduction worked, and the civilization crumbled overnight.

Centuries pass, and a new civilization rises from the wreckage, one hungry for the immortality they once had. A zealot group of scholars work tirelessly to perfect the ritual for immortality but at a terrible cost. You are a result of these experiments.

Awakened by strange forces, you find yourself as one conflicting soul in a body. Now you must fight your way through the city of Akratya discover the truth of your existence, and put an end to the heresy. What secrets will you uncover?

Gameplay

Deathbound plays like Dark Souls, but with a well-implemented and unique party system to spice things up. The game features the same attack, parry, dodge, and item mechanics to make even the most casual Souls’ fan comfortable. There is a campfire mechanic for rest and leveling, and players drop their experience when they die. The party mechanic is what keeps Deathbound from being a soulless clone.

Players have access to four characters with unique abilities and values that they can swap between freely. Party placement gives characters buffs and debuffs based on their personal beliefs. Each character has a unique set of combat skills and utility. Switching between characters is not only circumstantial but also an important combat mechanic. Players can switch to a character with higher hp to heal an injured one, or they can use the switch to trigger powerful attacks and combos. It gives combat its unique flavor, and it felt more engaging than the traditional soulslike.

I particularly liked how stamina was tied to health. stamina is the energy a character uses to perform his or her actions. Running, attacking, dodging, and blocking all use stamina. A character who runs out of stamina can’t perform an action. Characters have as much stamina as they do health. stamina refills over time, but a damaged character has access to a smaller pool of stamina. Health becomes the most important resource because it keeps a character alive and allows him to do stuff.

It wouldn’t be an RPG without a skill tree, and Deathbound has an expansive one. There is probably a right way to build, but I had fun building to my tastes. I felt like I had enough choices without the experience become overwhelming. Filling the skill tree is a grind, but it is expected for the genre.

Impressions

Deathbound is a fantastic soulslike with a solid story, amazing flavor, and a cool mechanic. I love its dark atmosphere, and the story was a good watch. Combat felt wonderful, but it is easier than Dark Souls. At least I found it a lot more forgiving, and that isn’t a bad thing.

Deathbound‘s combat system is so much fun. I am a huge fan of the party system, and the switching mechanic made for some satisfying combos. My only complaint is with the health/stamina system. I think the system is brilliant, but there is one annoying issue. Sometimes, an enemy will push you into a crate, wall, or other artifact. There isn’t enough room to perform actions either because your weapon gets stuck on a wall or the enemy keeps pushing you into it, and then you run out of stamina to attempt your escape. It didn’t happen often, but it happened enough to be worth mentioning.

Aside from that, the game is a lot of fun. If you’re looking for a casual soulslike with unique flavor, you’re going to want Deathbound. Deathbound releases on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam, Epic Games, and GoG on August 8, so make sure its on your wishlist!

Board Games and TCGs

Eldritch Automata Campaign is Live and Fully Backed on Backerkit

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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_GuideDownload

Pregenerated Characters

Eldritch_Automata_Quicklaunch_Pre_Generated_CharactersDownload

Tiers

Official Liveplay

Board Games and TCGs

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

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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.

video game reviews

Tarisland Launches as the Most Disappointing WOW Killer

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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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video game reviews

The Dungeons of Hinterberg Demo was fine, but it’s not for me

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I sat down to try Dungeons of Hinterberg because I liked the art style. The game features a fun and quirky style that I find soothing. I was also impressed by the bit of gameplay that I saw. While I did appreciate a few of the game’s quirks and gimmicks, the demo didn’t leave me wanting more. In its current iteration, you simply have better options. 

What is the Dungeons of Hinterberg?

Dungeons of Hinterberg is a puzzle dungeon crawler coming to PC and Xbox.

Hunterberg is a popular vacation spot. Its beautiful landscape and perilous dungeons attract brave adventurers from around the globe and provide a meaningful escape from their boring 9-5s. Play as Luisa as she makes her pilgrimage. Can she conquer the dungeons before the end of her holiday?

Impressions

Dungeons of Hinterberg isn’t a bad game. The art style is cool, the music is fine, and the game works. The problem I have with the game is that there are simply better options. As a puzzle game, it isn’t very fun. The puzzles are fine, but they felt like busy work for the most part. Combat in this game felt fine until the novelty wore off and it got stale. It feels like a phone game that got ported onto PC, which isn’t a bad thing, but again, you have better options. My biggest issue is that the tutorial took too long. By the time the game built its momentum, I had already lost interest in the game. 

I know it isn’t fair to judge a game by its demo, but the demo should at least make me want to play more. The Demo is up on Steam, but you have better options. 

Dungeons of Hinterberg releases on July 18 on Steam and Xbox. It will come to day one of game pass, I recommend you wait for that instead.

gaming news

Drakanos May Update: Thomas Gameplay Revealed

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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

Board Games and TCGs

I Enjoyed The One Ring RPG, but it’s not for everyone

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This week, I finished my campaign for The One Ring RPG. I ran it using a mixture of the starter set and a few events I made up along the way. Please note that Free League Publishing sent me free copies of the PDFs to review for my blog. While I am very grateful, this will be my honest review. If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is The One Ring RPG?

The One Ring Roleplaying Game is a ttrpg based in Tolkien’s iconic fantasy universe. Even though GMs can run their own stories within the world, events are meant to exist between those in The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings. This is a game that is heavily driven by narrative and roleplay. The books are lore-rich and flavorful. While an extensive knowledge of the source material isn’t necessary to enjoy this system, fans of the series will have a deeper appreciation for its level of detail.

Gameplay

While The One Ring has an interesting skill and combat system, the game is roleplay and narrative-driven. Rolls can sway the narrative and lead to some funny moments, but the focus will always be on the story and creating an epic yarn within the universe.

The most unique aspect of The One Ring is the Council. The Fellowship phase is where players talk to a council and ask for permission, jobs, favors, etc. There are also bonuses associated with building a relationship with the fellowship and patrons. This is a neat feature for players and GMs who enjoy roleplaying diplomacy with the added spontaneity of dice rolls.

The system also features a very unique combat system. There is no initiative. Players always go first, unless ambushed, and they can pick typically pick the order they go in. Mechanics like combat stances, gear, and stances allow for strategy, but it isn’t meant to be min-maxed. While I’m sure some people could break this game, combat is designed to tell a story based on how the dice roll.

My favorite aspect of The One Ring is how it handles travel. To start travel, players will come together to map out their route. The GM version of this map may include obstacles the party may encounter but are kept secret till they become relevant. The party chooses then chooses from one of the four roles: Guide, Hunter, Scout, and Lookout. Players then roll their perspective skills, and a story is made based on those rolls. There are tables in the scorebook that help create this narrative, we typically just make up our own.

What I enjoyed most about travel is the fatigue mechanic. Based on the results, the party gains fatigue through the course of the adventure. Fatigue limits the amount of gear they can carry, and can make them go down quicker in combat. The only way to reduce fatigue is in town, and typically after a quest. This mechanic made travel feel more impactful, and players would be cautious of how they mapped their adventure to avoid unnecessary fatigue.

The Starter Set

The Starter set includes everything you need to run your first One Ring campaign. The box includes:

  • A 24-page rulebook
  • Lorebook for The Shire
  • An adventure book with 6 prewritten adventures
  • 8 Double-sided pre-generated character sheets
  • Two Large maps for The Shire and Eriador
  • 30 Item Cards
  • 6 Double Sided Journey Role and Combat Stance Cards
  • 2 D12 Feat Dice
  • 6 D6 Success Dice

While having the physical product with the special dice, maps, and cards is nice, it isn’t necessary. You can get by with the PDF, theater of the mind, and normal dice. You can pick up the PDF version of the starter set on DriveThru RPG.

The adventure in the starter set is a great way to onboard new players to RPGs. The adventure does a lot of hand-holding. Players and GMs are slowly introduced to the different mechanics of the system, GMs get terrific examples of encounters and descriptions, and there is a detailed lorebook to help fill the world. While experienced GMs and players will find the adventure a little slow, it is an invaluable asset for players who have never played an RPG. My biggest piece of advice for GMs running through the adventure is to not be afraid of going off-book. What you and your party make up will always be better.

I ran through some of the adventures, but we quickly went off-book because the pacing was too slow, and our interest shifted elsewhere. The adventures are fine, but they left a bit to be desired. Fans of The Hobbit might enjoy the adventure more. I don’t think the starter set is necessary unless you need a place to start or want the items in the box for your main campaign. I can’t speak for the quality of the items in the box, but I would start with just the core book if you already know how to run an RPG.

Review

We enjoyed The One Ring, and I am happy I got to run it. It was a very different change of pace, but we had a blast making up the store. We stripped away some of the mechanics that didn’t make sense for our table, like the council, and I recommend you do the same.

This system isn’t going to be for everyone. The game is heavily dependent on roleplay and storytelling. I would avoid this game if you’re group isn’t comfortable with either of these aspects. I was surprised at how quickly my group took to the new style because I have players who don’t do either, but we’ve been friends long enough to feed off each other’s jokes. Ultimately, the most fun we had in this game was when we went off script and created the dumbest, most insane story within The Lord of the Rings universe.

I wouldn’t be afraid that this is a Lord of the Rings game. My table went into this game with a vague understanding of the lore and had fun. The books are well-written and have all the lore you’ll need if that’s the kind of game you want to run. I feel like my players enjoyed reading the lore about monsters and races more than they did playing the game. While I am sure fans of the series will appreciate the details, it isn’t going to be a problem if you go into it as a casual. The books also have some beautiful illustrations so at worst, you have a cool-looking fantasy book to sit on your shelf.

I liked that we played the system, but it isn’t something that we would ever rush to play. The system is unique, the gameplay is fun, and I loved the stories we came up with, but I enjoyed other systems better. The game isn’t bad, it’s just personal preference. This game is made for a specific type of gamer who likes to roleplay high fantasy and enjoys The Lord of the Rings lore. If you’re looking for a new fantasy TTRPG to get into, make sure you are comfortable with roleplaying and storytelling. This is the type of game that you can run successfully with only 5 minutes of prep time if you’re good at improving, and your players are comfortable participating. If you and you’re group aren’t there yet, I would look elsewhere.

You can pick up a copy of the core book ($49.99) or starter set ($39) on Amazon through my affiliate links.

video game reviews

Terra Memoria: The Cute RPG You Should Already be Playing

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I was sent a free copy of Terra Memoria to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy these reviews, please leave a like, comment, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for a quality budget headset, check out the Fifine H9 Gaming Headset using my Amazon Affiliate link. Make sure you check out my full review. Don’t forget to follow the socials!

What is Terra Memoria?

Terra Memoria is a pixel art turn based RPG out now for PC, Xbox, Switch, and PlayStation

Terra is a world of magic and magical technology. For years, innovation has been powered by magical crystals mined from the earth. But a shortage has hit Terra, and access to these crystals grows increasingly scarce by the minute. The citizens of Terra grow uneasy as the world around them begins to shut down. Luckily, Fate has willed a group together a group with the power to change everything. What secrets will they uncover? Can Terra ever be restored to what it used to be?

Gameplay

Terra Memoria is an adorable RPG with interesting mechanics that help it stand out against other titles in the genre. I particularly enjoyed how the game handles crafting, gear, and combat.

Crafting and leveling are done at campfires or inns in town. Make sure you visit them often. As you battle monsters in the field, you’ll collect materials and experience points. Getting to a rest area automatically levels your character, and I appreciate that simplicity. Crafting is what makes the rest areas an interesting mechanic.

Crafting armor and cooking is done during a party’s rest, provided you have the right amount of materials. This is not only flavorful, but it means you don’t have to keep running back to town for upgrades if you plan accordingly. Cooking is done through a simple rhythm mini-game that you can fail if you’re not paying attention. Failing a recipe means you lose the materials, and materials can be scarce in the beginning. Cooking permanently raises your party’s HP, so eat often. This is the only way to raise your HP, and tougher enemies will wipe your party if you haven’t been easy. I appreciate that cooking isn’t just a gimmick, and I didn’t mind the mini-game.

Crafting weapons is just a press of a button. Unlike most games, gear in Terra Memoria comes in the form of stickers. This is such a cute idea, and I wanted to craft them all. Stickers grant buffs to the elements a character can use. Each attaching character can only carry three stickers at a time, and these stickers make a difference.

Terra Memoria’s combat system is the reason why you should play this game. When combat starts, characters and enemies are placed in a space on the timeline. When a character uses an attack, they are moved several spaces on the timeline based on the attack. For example, casting a punch attack will move a character four spaces in the timeline.

Characters have access to fast and slow actions. Fast actions are weaker, but they cost less spaces. Slow actions are more powerful, but move your character to the end of the order. Landing in an occupied space means you go after. The key to combat in Terra Memoria is taking advantage of the action economy, enemy weaknesses, and shield breaks. Breaking an enemy’s shield moves them to the end of the combat round, so try to do so often.

What makes combat exciting is the RNG. The party is made up of three main attackers and three characters to support them as pairs. While the three main attackers are always the same, the pairs are chosen randomly at the start of each combat. You can restrict the pairs you don’t want, but you can never choose your pairs. Each support character has a unique ability that changes how the main character attacks. This gives the party a very diverse move pool, but it also means you’re going to get pairings that don’t feel optimal. Make sure you restrict your choices as soon as the option is available.

Some abilities are stagnant, but Opals is also driven by RNG. Sometimes you’ll pull the exact pairings with the correct elements, and others you’ll have to deal with what you are given. I never felt like the RNG was unfair, and it always felt amazing when the stars aligned perfectly.

There is a grind to this game, as there typical for the genre, but it doesn’t feel soul-crushing. The RNG kept things interesting, and there was always a chance I would mess up and have to start over.

Review

I loved Terra Memoria. If you’re looking for a new RPG, this game should be on your list. This game is cute, quirky, and a whole lot of fun. The story for this game is well written. It is a little on the silly side, but I appreciate the dedication to its tone and theme. It made the game feel like a wholesome good time.

If it wasn’t clear, I enjoyed the game’s mechanics immensely. Combat was engaging and fun, crafting didn’t feel like busy work, and collecting the cute stickers became an obsession. I didn’t even mind the grind. You can over-level, so be mindful. The bosses always seemed to offer a decent challenge, so it wasn’t a huge issue.

Puzzles in this game are creative, and challenging, but don’t require a guide. There is a building mechanic. I don’t care much for building, but it is cute and is sure to eat away at your life. My only complaint is that I would get lost a lot, but I am famously bad at directions. If you’re a fan of classic RPGs without waypoints, this game is for you.

I loved Terra Memoria, and I think you will do. It is cute, fun, and very addicting.

You can pick up Terra Memoria PC, Xbox, Switch, and PlayStation for $19.99.

Board Games and TCGs

Blade Runner RPG: Replicant Rebellion Kickstarter Live & Fully Funded

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The Replicant Rebellion expansion is officially live on Kickstarter! If you’ve been enjoying the Blade Runner Roleplaying game, or are looking for something to spice up your next campaign, you’re going to want to back this project.

Replicant Rebellion is already fully funded, and if history is anything to go by, this is going to be a spectacular book. I am already a huge fan of the revealed art. Let’s dive into the expansion and get excited!

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What is Replicant Rebellion

In Replicant Rebellion, players run their crews in secret operations in the name of the cause. They can help fugitive Replicants hide, sabotage the Replicant trade, fight against enemy crews, and much much more. This 200+ page book is sure to have something for your table. Players must be careful to keep their intentions concealed from the Blade Runners and their records clean. How much are you willing to give up for the cause?

Art

I was sent a few of the Blade Runner books to review for my blog, and they are so pretty. The art in these books is just too good to overlook, especially if you’re a fan of the source material. What I’ve seen so far from Replicant Rebellion is no exception:

Thoughts

If you are thinking of picking up this book, please keep in mind that you will need the core rulebook to run it. The Blade Runner RPG has a solid system that is easy to learn and pick up, and the book is so pretty.

As for the expansion, I think the concept is great. Flipping the roles so that a player can experience both sides of society is such a cool way to refresh a campaign. I’ve been running TTRPGs for a few years now and understand the pain that comes with burnout. Sometimes you need to take a break to recharge. Other times you need to switch systems and experience something different. Having to play the same system from a different angle is fantastic because no one has to learn new rules, and you don’t need to stop playing.

Sure you can make up your own world with and homebrew your lore and rules to keep things fresh, but some of us don’t have the time. It’s also nice to have a reference ready in case it is ever needed.

The book looks great, the concept is fantastic, and as a fan of the base material, I am all in. I will probably be getting my copy for review, so make sure you stay tuned for that. Until then, make sure you back that Kickstarter!

Board Games and TCGs

I Found the Pathfinder 2E GM Core Book Impressive

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I am excited to announce that I recently started a partnership with Paizo, the creators of Pathfinder and Starfinder. I’ll be covering both games moving forward and will start with the GM Core book.

Please note that I was sent free copies of a few of the rulebooks. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity, but I won’t let it sway any of my opinions. I am still running The One Ring, so I haven’t gotten to running a session of Pathfinder. I have read the book, and these are my honest impressions. 

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What is Pathfinder?

To put it simply, Pathfinder is the version of Dungeons and Dragons you play when you need something more technical. The amount of rules and details loaded in this book can seem overwhelming to the casual TTRPG enthusiast, but it does fit in its niche nicely. If you’re looking for an alternative to D&D, Pathfinder is a solid option. The game is familiar enough for an easy transition but with its unique vibe. This is a fantasy TTRPG that gives GMs everything they need to run their own campaigns, but there is quite a bit of prewritten content for those who need the help. 

Impressions

I’ve read through a few different rulebooks, and the Pathfinder GM Core for 2nd Edition is by far the most detailed. This book goes into great detail on how to properly run every single mechanic of this game with tables, charts, and beautiful illustrations. This almost 400 book may seem daunting, especially to new GMs, but you aren’t reading this book cover to cover, and you aren’t going to use all the rules. This is a terrific reference, and you always have the freedom to run Pathfinder in the way that best fits your table. The book gives alternative rules so that you can run your game as casual or hardcore as you want. 

What I loved most about the book is how it dedicates its first few chapters to onboarding new GMs to roleplaying games. I know most experienced GMs will skip through this section because it feels like common knowledge, but there is some good advice that translates beautifully into other RPGs. 

Pathfinder seems like a solid fantasy RPG with an incredible amount of content. If you’re thinking of running this system, the GM Core has absolutely everything you need to run a successful campaign. It’s going to seem like a lot, especially for the more casual players, but it’s not that bad. Most of the book is spent on item and monster starts, charts, and ideas for settings, encounters, and plot hooks. Pathfinder is the game you get when you want everything spelled out, just in case you need it. 

You can pick up your copy of the Pathfinder GM Core 2E hardcover off Amazon for $59.99 (Currently $44.70) using my affiliate link. If you don’t care about physical media, or want the ability to search, you can pick up the PDF on the official Paizo website.