Tanares Adventures returns to Kickstarter on June 27th with some much-needed improvements and more minis than you can handle. If you are looking for a dungeon crawler to get into or simply looking to upgrade the copy you already own, go follow the Kickstarter.
Tanares Adventures is a tabletop dungeon crawler that promises hundreds of hours of gameplay through its many quests, choices, and battles. The game is designed for up to eight players, with solo play in mind for those like me who don’t have eight friends. Players control two four-member teams as they go on an epic adventure and meet at the end. The choices you make matter, so make them wisely.
The combat is unique and interesting. Each hero has a unique stat block and access to certain abilities. Gear cards will give heroes access to additional abilities that will recharge after certain conditions are met. There is a level-up system to get you through your adventure. Combat is done by rolling dice and playing ability cards. Enemies have a seemingly well-designed AI, but I would to test it for myself to confirm. The game encourages teamwork and strategy through its many configurations, choices, and skills.
If you a more in-depth explanation of how to play the game and how combat works, check out The Meeple Marathon video on how to play. He does a fantastic job at breaking down the rules and explaining the game in a way that is easy to understand. Make sure you go follow him for some excellent board game content.
What drew me to this game were its minis, but after seeing some of the gameplay, I am interested either way. This game looks perfect for those who want to dive into another adventure, but don’t want to be bogged down by complicated rules. From what I saw Tanares Adventures seems easy to pick up, set up, and play.
If you want to buy the base game with the minis, you will have to back the game at $189. This gets you 100 minis, inserts to store them in, and all the maps and components you need to get started. The more money you throw into this game, the prettier your game will be. Higher tiers will have access to more minis and storage solutions. But if you only care about the gameplay, you can back the project at $129 to get the Standee Edition. The standee edition gets all the maps and core components, and access to stretch goals, but will receive cardboard standees instead of the minis. There are also some upgrade packages available for those of you who already bought the game.
Tanares Adventures looks might be worth looking into if you are in the market for a new dungeon crawler. The art is beautiful, the concept is interesting, and the minis are amazing. I can see myself using the maps and minis for my D&D campaign. Whatever your interest in this game may be, make sure you follow the Kickstarter so you know when it goes live. Backers who pledge at least $89 on the first day will receive a really cool dragon mini as a special gift.
My impressions of the Battle Shapers demo
I was sent the Battle Shapers demo to review, but it is unfair to review a game that is still this early in development. While the game looks fine, it isn’t finished. Instead, I will write about my impressions of the demo.
Battle Shapers is a fast-paced arcade shooter for PC where players fight off hordes of robots as they try to take their city back from the evil overlords that now run it.
This demo is not the best start for this game. If the goal was to spark interest for the game, it fails to do so. I wasn’t able to enjoy the demo because it stuttered so badly that it became unplayable. It isn’t a hardware issue because my computer can easily run this game on the highest settings. I tried playing the game on the lowest setting, but encountered the same issues. It might be an issue with Windows 11, but I am unable to test the theory. I forced myself to play this game as long as possible, but the constant stuttering ruined the experience.
If ignore the performance issues, the game play is okay. I enjoy the fast pace, there is an interesting melee mechanics, but I can see it become a bit repetitive. You make your way through areas, clearing room of mobs, and gathering loot. Unless the full release comes with different areas, mobs, and bosses that introduce different mechanics and require different strategies, this game is doomed to grow stale. It’s a game that sort of reminds me of Borderlands, but I would rather be playing Borderlands. At least based on my experience with the demo, this opinion could change at release.
It is a shame because the game looks cool. I love the art style, I enjoy fast pacing, and it has a fantastic sound track. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend it because it isn’t a good demo. I can only hope that they patch the demo and start working closely with the community to make the game better, or at the very least playable. I’ll keep an eye out for future updates and try to get my hands on the full game, but as it stands, I am not impressed.
You can download the demo now on Steam.
Jury Duty: The wholesome mockumentary that will leave you smiling
If you are looking for a dumb and fun series to get into that doesn’t check out Jury Duty. This quirky and wholesome show is sure to put a smile on your face.
Ronald is summoned to jury duty where he will serve with a collection of quirky characters. What Ronald doesn’t know is that there is no trial, and everyone else there is an actor. Ronald will sit through one of the most ridiculous court experiences ever held, but he also makes some friends along the way.
Ronald thinks he is in a documentary, the series is cut like a very silly one. The actors all do a fantastic job of staying in character, although there are a few moments in the series that almost break them. The concept is interesting, and surprisingly, it works great. The characters are quirky and fun, the situations are awkward and hilarious, and Ronald is a wholesome guy that brings it all together. As good as the actors in this series are, this show wouldn’t have worked without Ronald. He is kind, easy going, and he rolled with whatever wacky scenario they threw at him. The show will throw some ridiculous curves at Ronald, but he rolls with them in the best possible way.
The unpredictability of Ronald gives this series its charm. In other shows, you can kind of guess the direction the jokes and plot will go. In Jury Duty, you never know what hook Ronald will take, how he is going to react to the situation, or if he will figure it out. I enjoyed this spontaneity because it created some hilariously dumb moments.
This series is dumb good fun in the best way. If you haven’t watched it yet, check it out on Prime Video if you have a membership.
Fubar: The worst Neflix action series I couldn’t finish
Neflix’s Fubar is so bad that I couldn’t bring myself to finish it. I finish everything I watch, but this series took a toll on my soul that I don’t think I can ever recover from. I sat this wishing I was watching Citadel, and I hated Citadel. Who is this show even for? You have to sit through two insufferable people bickering about nothing the whole time, and sometimes comedy and action happen. Do yourself a favor and watch anything else.
The world’s greatest spy is about to retire after a lifetime of accolades. He has plans to live a quiet life and try to mend the relationships he’s severed over the years. But America has other plans for our hero. Before he even has a chance to retire, he is placed on one more assignment. A villain from his past returns to wreak havoc. Our hero must extract a compromised agent from the villain’s clutches and save the world once again. The problem is, the agent is his daughter. Now the two must work through their relationship and save the world. Can they do it before it is too late?
This series is worse than you think because nothing it tries to do works. The little action it has is boring, the humor it tries to pull off rarely lands, everyone in this series sucks, and the writing is terrible. Most of the time, the series deals with family drama no one is going to care about, and they fill the rest with forced romances. If you cut out all the pointless filler plot, you have no show. The series has a solid cast, but it wastes them.
Between the sudden tonal changes and the annoying bickering, I just couldn’t convince myself to finish. I tried my hardest to make it to the end to see what stupid plot twist they would throw in to sequel bait, but I don’t have it in me. This series broke me. I am glad people got paid to be in this terrible show, I would have taken the job too, but I just hope it doesn’t kill any careers. You can stream it on Netflix, but your time is too precious to waste on this terrible series. Thanks for reading. I need to reevaluate some of my life choices.
How to play Blue Protocol outside of Japan
Shrinking: One of the most wholesome series on Apple TV
I have to say that Apple TV has figured out the formula for wholesome television. I find that their programming is always hit or miss, but the stuff I love is done spectacularly. My latest obsession is with the series Shrinking. If you haven’t already watched this series, I urge you to go watch it now. It is amazing!
Shrinking is the story of a shrink who hits rock bottom after his wife dies. At the bottom, he finds he has become estranged from his daughter, isolated himself from his friends, and has been spiraling for the past year. He decides to do better and start participating in life again. As he learns to take care of himself, he teaches others to do the same. The series becomes this collection of stories of broken people trying to become whole again. It is a quirky and wholesome experience worth every minute of your time.
The concept is a bit over the top, but it works. Some of the psychoanalytical stuff is exaggerated, and some plot points are pandering, but the series is solid throughout. The acting is fantastic, the writing is mostly solid, and the concept is interesting. The actors do a fantastic job of giving this series its charm. While the writing is solid, the actors do a fantastic job of earning your love. Not all of the characters are well-rounded, but that doesn’t matter. You need to watch this series, at least to appreciate the performances.
The series does go into heavy issues like dealing with death or divorce. They touch on a lot of topics about mental health, but it never gets too sad or serious. The series has the perfect balance between sad and happy moments to keep the series feeling wholesome.
The series has a similar tone to Ted Lasso, and I would argue that it is just as enjoyable. You can stream it on Apple TV if you have a subscription, or start the trial if you don’t.
Nocturnal, the puzzle platformer where you get to solve it with fire!
I was sent Nocturnal as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will keep my review honest.
Nocturnal is a unique Metroidvania game with an interesting mechanic and a beautiful art style. You play as a soldier who returns after years at war to find his home afflicted by an evil darkness. As you investigate the cause, you will face off against the monsters that now inhabit the island, dodge deadly traps, and fight citizens afflicted by the darkness. Will your flame be strong enough to rid the land of this darkness, or will you fall victim to its inescapable allure?
What makes this game unique is its light and dark mechanic. You have learned to wield the flame as your own. Use it to light your way through the shadow, fight shadow monsters, solve puzzles, and even heal yourself. But beware, your flame isn’t permanent. If you don’t tend to your flame, it will go out. Stay in the dark too long, and the shadows will consume you.
Like any other Metroidvania game, you have to memorize enemy locations, attack patterns, and trap locations. What makes Nocturnal unique is that you also have to memorize fire sources. Your flame is on a timer. The only way to recharge it is by hitting lit torches. Torches are scattered throughout the levels, but not all of them are permanent. Some traps and monsters will snuff out your flame, leaving you helpless. I loved this mechanic because of how creative it is implemented, and how intense it makes certain moments of the game.
There is a story to this game, but you won’t need charts to keep it straight. I enjoyed the flavor it adds to the world, but I enjoyed the gameplay more. Even though I am bad at this game, I had a lot of fun with this game. The art is beautiful, the music is fantastic, and the puzzles were creative. The combat can feel a little repetitive at times, but I didn’t find it to be an issue. If you are a fan of the genre, Nocturnal needs to be in your library. If you have never played a game in this genre, this is a great place to start. If you are a veteran of the genre, there is a harder difficulty, permadeath, and some nifty speed run features you might want to check out.
You can pick up your copy of Nocturnal on Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox for $19.99, and Steam for $16.99.
Deck Wolf of Friendship (ST-16) deck list revealed!
The decklist for the upcoming Deck Wolf of Friendship (ST-16) has been released, and I am very excited about this one. I love purple and there are some beautiful pieces I need for my collection. If you are a fan of the Garurumon line, you might want to get ready for the preorder.
Inherited Effect
[When Attacking] If you have 6 or less cards in your hand, ＜Draw 1＞ (Draw 1 card from your deck).
Card Effect
[On Play] ＜Draw 1＞ (Draw 1 card from your deck). Then, trash 1 card in your hand.
Alt. Digivolution Requirements
[Digivolve] : 0 from [Tsunomon]
Card Effect
[Start of Your Main Phase] If your opponent has a Digimon, gain 1 memory.
Inherited Effect
[When Attacking] [Once Per Turn] ＜Draw 1＞ (Draw 1 card from your deck). Then, trash 1 card from your hand.
Inherited Effect
＜Retaliation＞ (When this Digimon is deleted after losing a battle, delete the Digimon it was battling).
Card Effect
＜Retaliation＞ (When this Digimon is deleted after losing a battle, delete the Digimon it was battling). [Your Turn] When this Digimon attacks your opponent’s Digimon, lose 2 memory.
Card Effect
＜Blocker＞ (When an opponent’s Digimon attacks, you may suspend this Digimon to force the opponent to attack it instead).
Card Effect
[On Deletion] Gain 1 memory.
Alt. Digivolution Requirements
[Digivolve] : 2 from Lv.3 w/[Gabumon] in its name
Card Effect
[Security] You may play 1 [Gabumon] or Tamer card with [Matt Ishida] in its name from your hand or trash without paying the cost. [When Digivolving] ＜Draw 1＞ (Draw 1 card from your deck). Then, trash 1 card from your hand.
Inherited Effect
[When Attacking] [Once Per Turn] ＜Draw 1＞ (Draw 1 card from your deck). Then, trash 1 card from your hand.
Card Effect
[On Play] You may play 1 purple level 3 Digimon cards from your trash without paying the cost.
Card Effect
＜Blocker＞ (When an opponent’s Digimon attacks, you may suspend this Digimon to force the opponent to attack it instead).
Inherited Effect
＜Retaliation＞ (When this Digimon is deleted after losing a battle, delete the Digimon it was battling).
Alt. Digivolution Requirements
[Digivolve] : 3 from Lv.4 w/[Garurumon] in its name
Card Effect
[When Attacking] [Once Per Turn] By trashing 1 card from your hand, unsuspend this Digimon.
Inherited Effect
[When Attacking] [Once Per Turn] By trashing 1 card from your hand, delete 1 of your opponent’s level 4 or lower Digimon.
Alt. Digivolution Requirements
[Digivolve] : 3 from Lv.5 w/[Garurumon] in its name
Card Effect
[Hand] [Counter] ＜Blast Digivolve＞ (Your Digimon may digivolve into this card without paying the cost). [When Digivolving] By trashing up to 3 cards in your hand, gain 1 Memory for each card trashed. [When Attacking] [Once Per Turn] By trashing 1 card from your hand, delete 1 of your opponent’s Digimon with the lowest level.
Inherited Effect
Ace Overflow ＜-4＞ (When this card is sent from battle area or under your card to another area, lose 4 memory).
Card Effect
[When Digivolving] ＜Draw 1＞ (Draw 1 card from your deck). Then, trash 1 card from your hand. [All Turns] [Once Per Turn] When a card is trashed from your hand by your effect, you may play 1 purple level 4 or lower Digimon card from your trash without paying the cost.
Card Effect
[Start of Your Turn] If you have 2 memory or less, set your memory to 3. [All Turns] When you trash a card in your hand using one of your effects, by suspending this Tamer, gain 1 memory.
Security Effect
[Security] Play this card without paying its memory cost.
Card Effect
While you have a Tamer with [Matt Ishida] in its name, you may use this card without meeting its color requirements. [Main] Return 1 Digimon card from trash to your hand. Then, 1 of your Digimon with [Garurumon] in its name gains “[On Deletion] Play this card without paying its cost” until the end of your opponent’s turn.
Security Effect
[Security] Activate this card’s [Main] effect.
Card Effect
[Main] Delete 1 of your opponent’s level 5 or lower Digimon.
Security Effect
[Security] Activate this card’s [Main] effect.
There is a lot of nice flavor to this deck, especially if you are a fan of the original series. I think I prefer the this deck to the Greymon deck because of the aesthetic, but it is going to be hard not to pick up both. With a bit of tweaking, this will be a fun deck.
This week in the Digimon TCG 2023: June 11th
We’ve had another exciting week of reveals for the Digimon TCG. I have done my best to organize the reveals and announcements in a way that makes sense. I love the art of this set. The colors and the art style are really going to pop in my binder! Maybe I’ll even make a blue deck. There were also a few tournaments that might have shifted the meta.
Alternative Being Spoilers (EX4)
This set will be in stores June 23, so make sure you put in your pre-orders in and check to see if your LGS is running any pre-release events. The set is also introducing a new ability Alliance which might be worth reading on:
Alliance: When this Digimon Attacks, by suspending 1 of your other Digimon, this Digimon adds the suspended Digimon’s DP and gains <Security Attack +1> for the attack
This is a super cool ability to beef up your attacks. Check out the FAQ for more details:
This Terriermon is so sick! It has a search ability and it is eating a burger? I need it!
I love the art style for this one with all the divine Digimon fighting with Cherubimon. The color scheme is very serene, and the Alliance ability is a very nice touch for flavor and gameplay. You also get access to a nifty little debuff for using your Alliance ability? Sounds good to me.
This Renamon is so cool. I love the big full moon in the background and how it casts such a dramatic light on the figure. The smoke and energy coming off her as it fades into the dark is such a cool effect. I love the pinch of green she holds with her energy, it really makes this image pop. Not to mention that it has a solid on play effect and Inherited effect.
I love the painted style of this Gaogomon. The subtle colors and soft background really do it for me. That bounce ability and inherited memory gain on doesn’t hurt the appeal either.
This has a really nice bounce ability, but the vibrant colors and the art style are just so cool!
This is a such a cool looking card. The colors, the Digimon, the background! You get removal and either a discard spell or memory gain for a 3 cost? That’s a solid add to any green and purple deck.
Events for June – September 2023
Its going to be a busy couple weeks as the road to the 2023 Championships and the Ultimate cup continues. Make sure you check out the official page for events close to you! And make sure to check with your LGS to see if they are running the Store Championship.
Regionals Prize Support
Canoweissmon is the latest card to be announced as prize support for participating or being the top players in regional. Make sure you check the calendar for events near you!
Ultimate Cup Meta
And for those who enjoy keeping up with the meta, here is what has been shaping the Ultimate Cup. I always find it interesting how the meta shifts between regions.
Europe
Latin America
Oceania
Regionals
Here how it is shaping up in regionals!
Europe
Upcoming Releases
Bandai has graciously given us a roadmap for what is to come in the future. Lots of exciting releases, I can only hope my wallet can handle them all.
Thanks again for tuning in to enjoy the hobby with me. If you have been enjoying these updates, don’t forget to like, comment, subscribe, and maybe share this with a friend or too. I think I’ll be doing these every Sunday. See you then!
Pokemon 151 set list revealed!
Pokemon has officially announced the complete card list for their upcoming Pokemon 151 set releasing in Japan on June 16th. The Western release is scheduled for September 22nd, so make sure you start saving up now! This set is simply beautiful. The regular set is nice, but the alt arts are amazing! The set will feature the original 151 Pokemon, including Kadabra which hasn’t been available in a card for 20 years. There are 165 cards in this set with a few alt arts to pad it out. I will have to try my hardest not to collect them all. I don’t normally buy Pokemon cards, but I might have to snag a couple of packs on my trip to Japan for the nostalgia.
