I was sent the Mutant Year Zero: Ad Astra Campaign for free to cover for my blog. I haven’t had a chance to play the game because I am still finishing up my Dragonbane campaign, but I’ve read through the book. This will be my impressions of the book.
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What is Ad Astra
Ad Astrais the latest campaign book for Free League Publishing‘s TTRPG, Mutant: Year Zero releasing onf Febuary 13th. Ad Astra picks up after The Path to Eden campaign.It is recommended you own the Mutant: Genlab Alphaand Mutant: Mechatron expansions for additional rules and stats. I don’t see why you couldn’t just make up rules on the spot, but it is always nice to have balanced stat blocks at the ready. You’ll also need a copy of the core rule book, although you might get away with just using the starter booklet.
If you’re interested in running a game of Mutant: Year Zero, I recommend you pick up the starter booklet. The booklet provides a streamlined and condensed sample of the game, and it comes with a sample campaign and character sheets to get you started. I recommend you run through the starter booklet before you invest in the system. You can grab your free copy of the PDF on Drivethru RPG, but I’ll leave a copy here for your convenience.
Society has fallen. The planet has become a wasteland. Those who survive on its surface have mutated, and are now unrecognizable to their ancestors. With the resources dwindling, survivors must fight to stay alive. This time, the call to adventure takes our heroes into space. What mysteries lie beyond the stars? What adventures await? Explore the solar system and fight new monsters in this new epic adventure.
Impressions
I love the comic book style of this system, and Ad Astra is no exception. I absolutely love the flavor of this game, and space campaigns are always fun. I am never big on following prewritten adventures, but I am coming around. It is nice to have something already prepared with lore, encounters, and loot. I usually use these as a jumping-off point, but will eventually end up off-book. When that happens, it is nice to have something to fall back on when the story needs a little nudge.
I like how this book feels like a history book. It goes into a good amount of detail about factions, history, and everything you need for World Building. How much I would use it would depend on my players, but I appreciate the book for the resource that it is.
As gameplay goes, I’ll have to run a campaign first. I’ve been having a lot of fun with the Year Zero system, so if this game plays anything like Dragonbane, I am here for it.
If you are interested in a campaign of Mutant, I recommend you run the booklet first to get a sense if it’s the right game for your table. After your table has become invested, move through the rest of the resources until you’re ready to take things into space.
If you’re already playing Mutant and want to take things into space, you should consider Ad Astra. The artwork is fantastic, the flavor is great, and it introduces unique monsters, items, and mechanics you’re going to want to borrow for your campaign.
You can preorder your copy of the Ad Astracampaign on the official site for $41.80 (not including shipping), or from Amazon for $39.99 (free shipping with Prime).
This week’s been crazy, but I’m doing my best to keep up with the daily releases. Make sure you support the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Ryusenji cackles at the threat.
Eiji opens a private chat. “Stay sharp Loogamon. We don’t know what he’s planning” Loogamon nods as he moves to a defensive stance.
METAL CANNON
A cannonball flies towards the pair. Eiji jumps to the ground. Loogamon jumps out of the way, narrowly dodging the projectile. Dorumon stands at the source of the attack and glares emotionlessly at the pair.
“What are you doing?” Loogamon shouts, but Dorumon doesn’t answer.
Eiji turns to Kosuke for answers. Kosuke had broken under the weight of the professor’s revelation. He had become lost in his grief, but Durumon’s sudden attack slowly breaks him free. He lifts his head towards the commotion and mumbles, “Durumon? What are you doing?” He is on the verge of tears.
The Source Domain shakes violently.
“What’s going on?” Kosuke shouts. Dorumon answers with an empty blank expression.
“Dorumon can’t hear you now.”
“But how? We’re still mindlinked?”
“You don’t need to be mindlinked to control Digimon. How shall I put this?… I cracked your connection. Dorumon is mine now.”
Kosuke helplessly looks through this watch and attempts to take back control, but his efforts are fruitless. Words fail him as his world crumbles around him. The great Code Cracker Tartarus was powerless.
“Now Digivolve,” the professor barks. Dorumon nods and digivolves into Dorugoramon.
Dorugoramon
Dorugoramon towers over the pair. Its blank emotionless stare remains fixed on them as it stands at attention, gripping its blade, ready to attack.
The professor smirks as he takes a step next to the Mega Digimon. “This is your last chance your chance Eiji. Join me, and all is forgiven. Work for me and I can promise you a nice apartment, great benefits, and a steady salary. Imagine how impressed Hatsune will be.”
“How did.?” Eiji becomes overwhelmed.
“You have ten seconds. Then I’m taking the offer off the table.” He begins counting down.
Eiji wrestles with the offer. This was everything he ever wanted. A steady job, a good college, and maybe even a girlfriend.
“You can’t be seriously considering this,” Loogamon snarls.
“It’s tempting..” Eiji crouches down next to Loogamon and begins petting its head. “You don’t know what it was like before all of this. I’d have stability…I mean I wouldn’t even have met you if it wasn’t for him…”
“Sure, but…”
The professor extends his arm. “I knew you’d understand. Now-“
Eiji shrugs, “But then again, I was never in it for stability.” Eiji stands and turns to the professors. “I came here to make my mark on the world because, at the end of the day, I’m still a code cracker.”
“Well said Eiji.” Loogamon’s tail wags as it perks up enthusiastically.
“How disappointing…”
“Shut up old man,” Loogamon growls.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Eiji adds. “I still respect you as a mentor, but I was wrong to put you on a pedistal. In other words…”
“Get out of our way!” Loogamon barks.
The professor remains silent. His smile had disappeared as he glared at the pair. “Well if you insist on losing, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Eiji lifts his Digilinker and cycles through the commands. “You’re not stopping us.”
“Let’s fucking go!” Loogamon howls.
“Digivolve!” Eiji disappears into the Digicore as Loogamon digivolves into Soloogarmon. Bright flames pour out of his shoulders with great intensity. it groups at its mace and lets out an earth-rumbling howl.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
PROMINENCE LASER
A white-hot beam of plasma erupts from Soloogarmon’s hands and washes over Dorugoramon. Dorugoramon takes the hit head-on without flinching. It remains unphased as its armor loses its red-hot glow.
“What the?” Soloogarmon shouts.
“Very impressive,” Ryusenji commends.
“That was just the warm-up,” Soloogarmon scoffs.
“Careful Soloogarmon, we didn’t see their fight. We don’t know what we’re up against.”
“Durogoramon has a shockwave and charge attack that make it effective at long and short range. There are no obvious openings to take advantage of either attack. In your current form, one hit will likely fry your Digicore.” Yulin interjects.
“It’s taking commands from a tool, there’s no way it can be that strong,” Soloogarmon rebuts.
“You should listen to the captain on this one. Tools or not, the professor is on the other end of the terminal.”
Soloogarmon swings its massive mace as it readies for another attack. “We don’t have the luxury of being catious.”
“Right,” Eiji says, trying to psych himself up. “Let’s give him hell!”
The professor smirks. “I guess I need to start getting serious.” Dorugoramon absorbs Ryusenji’s projection.
DORU-din
A shockwave of energy roars through the Source Domain, but the attack is too slow. Soloogarmon howls as the engines on its shoulders come explode with energy, and shoot him into the air. Soologarmon hovers over the battlefield with a smug smirk as it braces for the next attack.
Dorugoramon stalls for a moment, searching the battlefield. It smirks as it turns its attention to the center of the circle where Pulsemon and Black Agumon remain suspended. It begins charging its next shockwave.
SKOLL RAGE
Soloogarmon shoots toward Dorugoramon without hesitation, leaving a trail of hellfire in its wake. It closes the distance and takes a swing with its mighty Vanargand.
“Predictable,” the professor says. Dorugoramon stops its charge to swing at the charging wolf. The strike sends Soloogarmon flying back. “You have to do better than that.”
Eiji felt the force of the strike, the sting lingers in his abdomen. He peers over his screens. Their levels remain in a normal range.
“What an annoying prick,” Soloogarmon growls.
“Lets try this,” Eiji says, imputing commands into his virtual console.
Soloogarmon releases another laser, but Dorugoramon deflects it easily. Soloogarmon follows with a turret of blasts, slowly engulfing Dorugoramon in flames. The flames never catch. Smoke billows off Dorugoramon’s body.
“Nice try, but you’ll need to be more imaginative than that,” Ryusenji sneers. “But I’ve wasted too much time playing with you, I have to get back to work.”
The smoke around Dorugoramon’s body begins to clear, revealing an empty space where Yulin, Ryudamon, and Black Agumon stood. Only Kosuke and a Tyrannomon stand at the altar.
“Tyrannomon? Where did you come?” The Professor asks incredulously.
Tyrannomon stands next to Kosuke, looking concerned. Kosuke remains frozen in place.
“Kosuke, you have to move,” Eiji whispers.
“Using your little Tyrannomon under the cover of smoke, very clever Eiji.”
“Get out of there Tyrannomon!” Soloogarmon orders.
Tyrannomon doesn’t get a chance to react. An attack pierces through its shoulder and brings the Tyrannomon to the ground. It lets out a pain-filled roar.
“Such a weak Digimon,” the professor says. Dorugoramon had refined the shockwave into a fine point, making it like a bullet.
“Tyrannomon!” Eiji shouts.
“Dorugoramon is too powerful.” The professor looks down at the trembling Tyrannomon. It is too terrified to move. “Poor thing. I think I’ll put it out of its misery.”
Dorugoramon launches a salvo of focused attacks. The Tyrannomon shuts its eyes, waiting for a hell of fire that never comes. It hears the attack connect but doesn’t feel it. Tyrannomon opens its eyes slowly and finds itself unharmed. Around it, the earth is filled with clusters of deep impacts. Soloogarmon hovers over the Tyrannomon, its arm hangs limp to one side. Scorch marks run up its arms like a sleeve and steam bellows from the injury. Soloogarmon gives the Tyrannomon a warm reassuring smile.
“You saved my Tyrannomon…” Eiji whispers.
“That’s what packs do.”
Eiji feels the pain running up his arm. Senses the heat of the thrusters from his shoulder. His lunges fill with the scents of the battlefield. Loogamon’s anger, frustration, and determination had become his and Saloogarmon felt the same. At that moment, all their remaining reservation melted away as they became determined to win.
Energy begins to build within their core as the two become one. Soloogarmon begins to glow.
“Lets show this asshole what hell really looks like,” Eiji says.
A bright light engulfs the pair. Out of the light steps out a new Digimon, Fenriloogamon.
I was sent Eresys for free 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, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
What is Eresys
Eresys is a Lovecraftian horror survival game out now on PC. Team up with friends, or brave it alone as you collect clues while a horror hunts you. Do you have what it takes?
Gameplay
There are three different hunts currently available in this game, but one hunt is basically unplayable. The game does very little hand-holding and throws the players into the fray without much guidance, or a tutorial. It is up to the player to read through the comprehensive guide made available from the start. Players spend the hunt sneaking around, looking for magical pages, and avoiding the horror. If the horror catches you, it’s game over unless you have friends to revive you. I never did, so it meant I needed to restart a lot. The game runs great, but I felt like the AI was a bit unfair. It always knew where I was, no matter what I did.
Thoughts
This game looks so good. I love the aesthetic, the environment is spooky, and I like the art style. Eresys has the bones of a solid horror game, but the game isn’t fun. I felt like no matter what I did, I couldn’t win. The AI felt unfairly omnipotent, and the few times I was able to survive for longer, it felt like I was wandering aimlessly. The game has seen some improvement, and it looks like it will continue to get more, but I don’t have it in me to wait for a better version.
If you love the Lovecraftian aesthetic and don’t mind the roughness of the game, you might have a better time with this title. Otherwise, I can’t recommend this game. It’s not the worst game I’ve ever played, but I just don’t see it being worth the trouble.
Eresys is available now on Steam for $8.99, but I’d at least wait for a sale.
I’m going to try to keep up with the daily releases, but it’s looking like it’ll be a busy week. Make sure you support the official release. If you enjoy this project, please leave a like, comment, follow the socials, and share this with your friends!
“You’re lying!” Kosuke shouts. I saw the facility. I saw her…” His voice trails as he is overcome by emotion.
“Such a predictable reaction. I needed you to believe she was alive. How else was I going to get you this far?” A smile creeps up on his face.
Shock sets in and brings Kosuke to his knees. The world around him starts to spin as he feels the warmth of vomit creeping up his throat.
“Isn’t this, the Black Agumon you’ve been looking for?” Eiji says as he makes his approach to the suspended Digimon. “So you’re the Digimon everyone’s been looking for.”
Eiji’s words pull Kosuke from his trance. He turns his attention to the black Agumon. There it was, the Digimon he spent half his life looking for. He was so close, he could reach out and touch it. Kosuke shakes off the shock. “I don’t believe you!” he growls.
“Hm”
“I refuse to believe Saya is dead. Not until I see her with my own two eyes.” He walks towards the Black Agumon. A virtual syringe materializes in his hand. He grips it tightly.
“Go ahead,” the professor adds. The professor’s sudden encouragement stops Kosuke. “That Black Agumon is hers, there’s no doubt about it. But that medicine can’t cure death. Are you willing to face those consequences?”
“What consequences?”
“I thought you were smarter than this,” Ryusenji shakes his head. “Suppose you wake her up inside Black Agumon’s core, but she has nobody to return to. What do you suppose would happen then?”
The syringe falls from his hands, landing with a hollow clang. Kosuke had clung to the hope that Saya was alive. The hope that he could bring her back. But here he stood with a choice he couldn’t crack. The medicine would either save her life or seal it. It was too much to bear.
“Data Sector Decryption Complete” the Source Domain’s voice announces.
An anguished scream rips through the air. Dorumon bends backwards, its head snaps violently until it collapses. Kosuke rushes over. “Dorumon!” he shouts as he drops to his knees beside his partner.
“Kosuke….”
“Forgive me Dorumon. You deserved better.”
“It’s not your fault. We chose the right path… I never suspected Ryusenji would betray us….” its voice trails off as it offers a weak smile. The glowing gem on its forehead continues to fade.
“How touching,” the professor says with a dry laugh. “And what were your plans with the data?”
“I would have given you all the credit. All I cared about was getting Saya back.” Kosuke’s voice trails.
“I appreciate your love for my daughter,” the professor says flatly. Kosuke groans and clutches at his chest. “I’ll make sure you look good when all this is over. I don’t want to lose you just yet.”
“Why bother?” Kosuke asks bitterly.
“You’re my prodigy. You still hold some value. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must get back to work.” He summons his virtual console and begins typing in commands. A code stream flows from the vaccine object into Ryudamon’s interface.
“Decryptin Vaccine Sector” the metallic voice announces. Ryudamon begins to convulse. It’s too weak from the battle to struggle. Yulin sits helplessly. She no longer has the energy to Mindlink.
“Why are you doing this? How can you abandon your daughter so easily?”
“What happened to Saya was…unfortunate,” Ryusenji’s response is clinical and without emotion. “But it will all be worth it when I find the Source Digimon.”
“What’s the Source Digimon?” Eiji asks.
“The Digimon born at the same time as our world. It is the seed from which all other Digimon come from.” Ryusenji’s fingers move quickly across the keyboard.
“You can’t…. it’s too dangerous!”
“You’re quite right.”
“Then why not leave it alone?”
“Because I’ve come too far. I’m going to make contact with the Source Digimon, communicate with it, and…become one with it.
“You want to take the most powerful Digimon for yourself and then what?” Eiji’s voice shakes with anger.
“Progress,” Ryusenji sneers.
“I thought I had found the chance of a lifetime when you offered me this job. I thought I had finally found something worth fighting for. You gave my life purpose!” Angry tears begin pouring down his cheek. “I would have followed you anywhere…”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t fill you in sooner but…”
“Yeah yeah, d4 classified.” Eiji wipes the tears from his eyes. “Was I just a convenience?”
“No, you had some aptitude in code cracking, and your compatibility with Loogamon didn’t hurt. But had I told you everything from the start, you and Loogamon wouldn’t have grown.”
“Whatever.”
“Do you ever shut up old man,” Loogamon snaps as it rises to its feet.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
“You were watching when we fought Kazuchimon, weren’t you? When Loogamon turned into Helloogarmon…You could have stepped in, but you didn’t.”
“Loogamon’s Digivolution was more important than Leon’s life. Rather, it was more interesting.
“He was your student! He trusted you.. we tursted you.”
“Insulent boy! You were nothing when I found you. I pulled you from that squalor. I gave you purpose, and this is how you repay me? You betray me?”
“That’s rich coming from you. After everything you’ve done to Leon, Kosuke, and Yulin…” Eiji’s voice shakes with anger. He takes a soothing breath. “You know? I used to want to be just like you. I respected you…”
“Do you hate me now?”
Loogamon’s restraints begin to tighten. He stumbles as he resists the pressure.
Eiji shakes his head. “Ready Loogamon?” Eiji touches the gem on Loogamon’s forehead. The gem lights up as an invisible code flows between the two. Loogamon gains a sudden burst of strength. With a quick flex, it breaks through the restraints, sending bits of broken chain in every direction.
“How?”
“I’ve got hellfire flowing through my veins. Your little virus didn’t stand a chance.” Loogamon sneers. The pair begins to glow as an aura of magical flame surrounds them. “This isn’t going to end well for you,”
I was sent the Pyrene demo to cover for my blog. It is a little too early to review it completely, but I will be as honest as possible with my impressions. If you enjoy my reviews and content, please leave a like, comment, follow the socials, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
What is Pyrene
Pyryne is a deck building roguelike coming to Steam. Monsters have destroyed your village, and it is up to you to rebuild and save the towns people. Do you have what it takes to restore Pyrene to its former glory, and rid the land of its evil?
Gameplay
Pyrene is a unique deck builder because it involves movement. Each encounter has a board that fills with randomly generated monsters, items, and artifacts. The RNG is relatively fair, but I did have a couple of runs where the odds were stacked against me. The goal is to clear the win condition without dying. The game feels like a puzzle because the game rewards efficiency.
Like most roguelikes, the more you play Prylene, the stronger your character becomes. You get access to new power-ups, buildings, and cards to help you with your journey. This also means the loop is somewhat repetitive, but it doesn’t feel like a grind. The game is very relaxing but with enough of a challenge to keep things engaging.
Impressions
This is a good demo that paints a solid picture of what to expect from Pyrene. It looks great, plays well, and most importantly, the demo is fun. I loved that every encounter felt like a puzzle, and each puzzle had enough of a challenge to keep me wanting more. If you are in the market for a new deck builder, I recommend you pick up the Pyrene Demo. I’ll be working on getting the full version for review, but so far, I am impressed.
I’ll do my best to keep up with the daily releases, but it’s going to be tricky. I usually post on my socials when the chapters are up if that’s easier to keep track of. Make sure you support the original. If you enjoy this project, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends!
Eiji searches fruitlessly through the dark for the voice, but his vision fails to grasp anything tangible. For a few moments that followed, there was nothing. No sounds, smells, or light to tease the senses. Shock overwhelms the panick as Eiji continues to fight through the daze.
Just as quickly as they were enshourded by darkness, the lights flicker, illuminating the void. The sudden bright light forces Eiji to squint. He begins to feel the coold smooth stone pressed against his back and sares up onto an inverted wall. “What?” he lets out, as he begins to come to his senses. Eiji realizes he is no longer standing.
“Rrgh,” Loogamon grunts.
Eiji turns to his partner and gets up as quickly as he can. He fights through the faint dizziness and makes his way towards the wolf. “Loogamon! You okay?”
Loogamon lays on the ground, making weak twitches with its paws. “I…I can’t move,” it manages to say.
Eiji looks around and finds the rest of the group in a similar state spread across the circle. Scattered and unconscious. The interface on the prototype Digimon glow dimly but begin to fade with each passing second.
Eiji reaches for his partner, “Loogamon!?!” he shouts as his arms wrap around the wolf’s neck. The interface on the prototype Digimon go dark for a few seconds before rebooting.
Kosuke sits up and pulls up his console and virtual monitor. “What?” he murmers as an endless stream of unintellible code floods his screen. Kosuke begins typing desperately at his keys, but his console seems to be stuck in an endless reboot loop. The source code decryption had been canceled without warning.
“Good morning friends,” a familiar voice says softly. Eiji instantly recognizes the voice. He turns quickly in disbelief, but finds the professor standing in front of him. “Professor Ryusenji?” Eiji lets out softly.
With his back turned to the pupils, the Ryusenji says “I’ll take it from here.”
Yulin begins to regain consciousness. Through her fog, she can make out the professor’s silhouette. “Professor?” She says weakly as she slowly comes to consciousness. “What are you doing?… Why?”
Kosuke stares at the professor incredulously as his console continues to reboot.
“Why are you so surprised?” The professor says as he turns around to address his pupils.
Kosuke and Yulin quietly get to their feet. Their balance wavers, and they fail to find the words to respond.
“After all,” the professor continues. “I’m the one who asked you to raise these protype Digimon for me. Now if you don’t mind,”
RESTRAIN
“Gah!”
“What is this?!”
Loogamon and Dorumon fall to the ground as they become restrained by the same tool used on Ryudamon.
“How did you do that?” Durumon shouts.
“Did you really think I would just give you my Digimon?” Ryusenji says sternly.
“He had it…programed into us,” Loogamon shouts. Dorumon’s eyes grow wide in disbelief as the truth begins to sink in.
“Did you tamper with Ryudamon too?” Yulin is finally able to say.
“It’s a little…safety feature I installed in each Digimon and Digimon linker. Did I not mention it when I gave them to you?” The professor’s voice is cold. “I can also take control of the Digimon if I need to. Progress requires these types of safeguards, wouldn’t you agree?” He turns around and continues towards the center of the circle. “These Digimon are my tools, and I will use them as I see fit.” The Digimon continue to struggle in their restrains.
The group notices as a strange shimmer occasionally run across the professor’s hologram. His hologram was a mere projection from the three Digimon linkers. It was clear at that moment that everything was by his design.
“What the hell are you going on about!” Kosuke shouts, slamming his virtual monitor away.
The professor stops at the center of the circle. Without turning says, “Let me put it simply. Your story is now mine. Now watch closely.” The professor begins typing at his console. Dorumon’s interface begins to glow as a beam of data begins flowing through it.
“What are you doing?!” Kosuke shouts.
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m decrypting the Source Domain’s code. It’s only fair that I do it.”
Kosuke stands helplessly and watches his Digimon be hijacked.
“Accessing source domain code,” comes an announcement from the cold robotic voice of the Source Domain.
“Loogamon!” Eiji shouts as he slams his fingers through various commands in a feeble attempt to regain control of his partner.
“It’s not looking good,” the wolf replies. Eiji continues to struggle, looking for any way to sever the connection and take back his friend. What if they couldn’t stop the professor? A cold shiver runs down his back.
“We’re supposed to be on the same side!” Kosuke cries desperately. “I want to save Saya too!”
“Why are you doing this? Why put us through all this trouble? We’re on the same side. Don’t you want your daughter back?”
The professor smiles. “I’ve always liked you Eiji, so I’m letting you in on a little secret. I’m not really interested in finding her.”
“But then…why did you make the stimulant?” Eiji feels the weight of the world crashing into him. He stumbles and almost falls to the ground.
“Not…interested?” Kosuke clenches his fists tightly.
The professor shrugs. “What’s lost is lost. This whole plan you’ve dedicated your whole life to, Kosuke, it is a monument to wasted effort.”
“Don’t let him…get to you Kosuke,” Dorumon shouts.
“I…I always had my suspisions,” Yulin manages. “but I didn’t want to believe them. I couldn’t”
Professor Ryusenji smirks, “You should have listened to your gut, Captain.”
Without warning, the infinite space around them fills with an endless stream of data. “This is it. The universal directory,” the professor says as he sifts through the data.
“Search Complete,” the Source Doman’s voice announces.
Bit by bit, a small yellow Digimon begins to appear before them, occasionally letting off small strikes of lightning.
“Pulsmon!” Loogamon shouts, reigniting his struggle.
“What’s it doing here?” Eiji asks with delight.
“And there you have it boy, the Pulsemon you and Loogamon were looking for,” the professor adds.
Eiji takes a hard swallow.
“This is but a taste of what can be done with the control of the Source Domain’s data.”
Another Digimon begins to materialize. A small black dinosaur appears next to Pulsemon. Kosuke lets out a gasp, “Black Agumon!”
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
“Just as I suspected,” the professor continues as he examines the Black Agumon. “Even if the mindlinker perishes, the partner Digimon doesn’t suffer the same fate.
“Wait..what did you say?” Eiji stammers as tears fall down his face.
“Saya’s..” Yulin’s heart drops. The sudden pain of realization almost knocks her off her feet. “Saya’s dead?!” She can’t hold back her tears.
“Oh, yes. For quite some time, now,” the professor answers coldly.
I was sent Enshrouded to review for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.
What is Enshrouded?
Enshrouded is a sandbox survival game out now in Steam early access. The game supports single and multiplayer gameplay, but I like to play my survival games alone. This review will be on the solo experience only, but hosting and joining a game isn’t difficult. I recommend joining the official discord for news, tips, and to find new friends.
I got to play the demo for Steam’s Next Fest earlier this year and enjoyed it. If you are looking for a new survival game to sink some time into, Enshrouded is a solid choice, but know that the game is a little rough because it is still in development.
Players wake up in a world in a depressing state of destitution. The Shroud plagues the land. Bloodthirsty monsters and marauders roam its hills. The only sense of civilization you’ll find is the one you create with your own two hands. How far can your determination take you? Can you rid the world of its blight, or are you merely prolonging complete demise?
Impressions
The game is still in early access, so I’ll try not to review it too harshly. The game runs well, but there is some noticeable roughness. Monsters get stuck, frames drop, and artifacts sometimes don’t render correctly. None of the issues are game-breaking, but they are noticeable.
The game itself is fun, and a solid title to add to your collection. There is a good amount to do without it ever feeling overwhelming. I like that there is a quest line that guides players through the fundamentals. You will eventually need to reference a guide for farming locations and recipes, but the solo experience is pretty beginner-friendly. I went without a guide and while I do see the benefits of having a guide, it never felt like I was locked out of content for lacking one.
Aside from a few kinks, combat feels good. There are a good amount of weapons to help players have the adventure they want. I was a huge fan of fighting with magic, but I didn’t mind when I was forced to switch to my secondary. The boss fights in this game was perfect for my skill level, and beating them was satisfying.
What I liked most about this game is how much there is to do. If I wanted to relax, I could farm or build my base. If I wanted to fight, I could find shrowded zones and kill monsters. If I got stuck, I could follow the quest line. Most importantly, the game is fun. I love that I can sit back and enjoy the game at my own pace.
If you’re thinking of getting Enshrouded, do it. Aside from a bit of early access roughness, it is a solid survival sandbox. It looks good, feels good, and sounds good. I’ll be coming back to it from time to time, and reviewing it again when it comes out of early access. Stay tuned for that. Until then, you can pick it up on Steam for $29.99, or at the very least, add it to your Wishlist.
The Altered TCG Kickstarter was fully funded in only two minutes. Since then, it has continued to see support, and I can see why. The art is beautiful, the concept is neat, and the gameplay seems fun. I think it can break two million.
‘ve listed the starter deck lists, now let’s move on to the rest of the set. There are a lot of cool and interesting cards in this set, so let’s kick things off with Muna:
If you want to try the game, the starter decks are available for print and play in both letter and A4 format. PnP support for the rest of the set is on the way. Looks like I’m going to need to buy a printer.
If you enjoy these updates, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. Don’t forget to back the Kickstarter and join the Discord!
I’m going to do my best to keep up with the daily releases, but it’s going to be tricky with my schedule. I’ll do my best and appreciate your patience. Make sure you support to original. If you like the project, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Loogamon falls to the ground. Its crash echoes over the void. Three strange shapes materialize before the group: a blue raindrop, a purple sun, and an orange cube. Each shape glows brightly as it begins a slow orbit in the space Loogamon once stood.
Loogamon’s heart races. Attempting to catch its breath, Loogamon tenses up and moves into a defensive stance. “What the heck is that?” It shouts, eying the strange display cautiously.
The others have begun a slow retreat and watch the orbiting shapes suspiciously. “You’re the one who activated,” Eiji replies.
“By accident, I don’t…” Loogamon’s voice trails as one of the carvings catches its attention. “I think I’ve seen this thing before.”
“Now you’re just making things up, it’s okay to be scared buddy,” Eiji replies with a nervous chuckle. He studies the objects carefully. They feel familiar somehow.
“It’s the three types!” Yulin blurts out suddenly.
Eiji focuses on the strange shapes and recognizes the letters written between the shapes. “Oh yeah! The things in the lobby.” Eiji recalls the three hologram objects he passed before every visit with the professor. The shapes represented the three types of Digimon taxonomy: virus, data, and vaccine. The objects spin for a moment before each makes their way to their respective Digimon.
“These are the terminals that control this fortress, and we are the intereface,” Dorumon says, breaking the silence. “We made it. This is where we’ll find the Sacred Chalice.”
“It’s been quite a journey,” Kosuke responds.
Dorumon nods. “It’s not over yet.”
“Commence phase four,” Kosuke says as he takes a step forward.
“We’re so close!”
“Now we have to access the source code.” Kosuke turns to Eiji, “Do you still have mindlink time left?”
“Of course I do!” Eiji says, putting his hand on Loogamon’s back. “Readyu buddy?” Loogamon’s tail begins to wag slowly.
Yulin is stunned. She attempts to process the events unfolding around her. “The …source domain…” Yulin was a gifted coder, but this was outside her knowledge base.
“I doubt you’ve even heard of this place Yulin,” Kosuke says. “This place is what the professor what all those expeditions have led up to. This is all of the professor’s research, but now it is no longer just theories. This is how we save Saya!”
Something clicks for Eiji as he takes it all in. Suddenly, his involvement with the Sons of Choas wasn’t wasn’t random chance. Standing here in the Source Domain with Ryusenji’s two former students was by design.
“I get it now,” Yulin says, grabbing one of the Ryudamon’s clawed paws to help it up. “You want to crack the Digital World!”
Kosuke smiles, “That’s right. We’ll surcumvent the Royal Knights, slip past the system admin, and take control.”
“That’s too dangerous!”
“I’m not here to rule the Digital World, I just need to controll it for a moment. Just enough to do what I need to.”
“No! You can’t! If you put the Source Domain to the whims of man and….”
“These are no mere whims,” Kosuke says coldly. “This is to save Saya and nothing more.
“That doesn’t matter. We shouldn’t even be here. We can’t risk destroying the fragile connection between humanity and the Digital World. You don’t understand the forces you’re dealing with!” Yulin’s words echo through the void.
The group stands in silence for what seems like an eternity. Kosuke is the first to break the silence. “…This is for Saya. If it brings her back, it will all be worth it.”
“I don’t give a crap why you’re all here,” Loogamon interjects. “We made a deal, and we’ve got people to save here. So if we can move it along…”
Yulin turns to Eiji. “Are you willing to take responcibility then? Are you okay with this Eiji?” Her voice pleads desperately.
Eiji sighs as he thinks for a moment. “Look. I hear you, but we didn’t come all this way to just turn around. We came here to rescue our friends, and we’re so close.”
The three shapes begin to spin and rise, slowly coming together and rushing into one blinding orb of light. Around them, massive stone pillars shoot out from the ground, reaching up until disappearing past the eye line. Stone begins to pile around them, forming a large circle around them.
“This looks like some kind of alter.” Eiji finally adds. “How big is this going to get?” No answer. He looks over to Kosuke, who watches as the ancient structure continues to form around them. The temperature drops suddenly, forcing the group into a shiver.
“Can’t you light us a fire?” Durumon’s asks with a tremble.
“I’m not a space heater?” Loogamon snarls.
The structure stops shuffling, sending everything into silence. “When you’re ready Loogamon, commence Phase 4.”
Loogamon takes a step towards the floating object. Durumon takes hold of Ryudamon’s restraints and drags it behind. The half-conscious Digimon mutters under his breath. “You awake back there?” Durumon asks mockingly.
“You’ve…made your choice.” Ryudamon manages. Its voice is frail.
“I’m here to back up my partner,” Durumon begins. “I’ll help him free the Digital World, and whatever happens…happens.”
The stone circle begins to glow.
“Hey, Kosuke?” Eiji asks, his gaze fixed to the center of the fixture.
“If you have questions, keep them brief.” Kosuke types away furiously at his console.
“When you access the source code, can you do a search of Leon’s Pulsemon?”
“I only have the identification code for the Black Agumon,” Kosuke says coldly.
“I know the scent,” Loogamon adds as he sends over the identification code.
“Now all we need is the Ryusenji’s treatment,” Kosuke says as he pulls up the data.
Yulin’s heart stops. The professor not only knew, he was behind this whole operation.
“There’s no turning back now,” Kosuke says.
The air around them grows colder as a stream of light from the floating object reaches towards each Digimon.
“Woah,” Eiji lets out, overwhelmed by the sight.
Strange, glowing symbols fill the wall around them. “Decryption in progress,” the three Digimon say in sync. The whole structure glows bright for a moment before ending in a flicker. Kosuke’s monitor shuts off. Everything around them goes dark and silent.
“Good morning friends,” an unfamiliar voice says softly.
The Altered TCG Kickstarter launched recently, and it was fully funded in two minutes. The campaign has blown well past its goals, and continues to gain traction. Altered attempts to redefine the TCG space with its creative gameplay and expansive world-building. I’m a huge fan of the art, and am curious to see how it plays. Check out my previous post for more details.
The Kickstarter introduces six distinct starter decks based on the factions that exist within the Asgartha peninsula. Let’s kick things off by looking at the Ordis starter deck! Note that you’ll only be able to get Adventure cards from the starter deck at launch, so it be a good idea to grab a couple.
If you want to try out the Axiom starter deck, take advantage of the generous print-and-play feature on the official website. Join the Discord to stay up to date, and even make some friends. The campaign ends on February 28th, so don’t forget to back the Kickstarter!
If you enjoy these updates, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Deck List
1 x Sigismar & Wingspan
1 x Foundry Mechanic
1 x Ratatoskr
2 x Ordis Trooper
1 x Ordis Trooper (Alt)
3 x Ordis Cadets
2 x Monolith Rune-Scribe
1 x Monolith Rune-Scribe (Alt)
3 x The Frog Prince
3 x Ordis Gatekeeper
2 x Ordis Spy
1 x Ordis Spy (Alt)
2 x Kokoba, Legion Commander
1 x Kokoba, Legion Commander (Alt)
2 x Jeanne d’Arc
1 x Jeanne d’Arc (Alt)
3 x Charge
3 x Sticky Note Seals
1 x Open Gates
3 x The Monolith, Ordis Bastion
3 x Ordis Carrier
3 x Ordis Recruit (Token)
3 x Ordis Recruit (Alt – Token)
Print and Play
If you want to try out the Ordis deck, you can download the PnP file from the official website in A4 and Letter format. I’ll also leave the files here for your convenience.
