Core Defense
Very well-designed Tower Defense game that also incorporates active elements (abilities which you can “cast” after a cooldown) and a random reward mechanism (“choose 1 out of 3”) after each wave of enemies.
This means that all upgrades and additional abilities/towers are basically randomized but you get to choose one out of a random selection (which still allows for a lot of choice), and the randomness is also tailored to what you already have,
so there won’t ever be a completely useless upgrade up for selection.
– Real player with 92.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best Difficult Tower Defense Games.
So adding a review after testing a bit of the new DLC.
The game is difficult, punishes small mistakes immediately and is addictive to a point. The amount of hours I have despite the lack of content beyond “now do it again but slightly harder” speaks to how quick it is to fire up a new game and carry on.
Prior to the DLC an update added a feature I’d been looking for to speed up to 5x so I could quickly go through waves where I don’t have to take an active part, but along with this patch the game has started to run very slowly. Not something I’d expect from something that looks like a decade old flash game.
– Real player with 49.7 hrs in game
HELLCARD
Hellcard is a cooperative roguelike deckbuilder that can be played in both Singleplayer and Multiplayer modes. The game takes place in the paper dungeons known from Book of Demons, but its main mechanics revolve around deckbuilding and fast-paced tactical turn-based card battles.
What makes HELLCARD unique and different from games such as Slay the Spire is that monster placement actually matters and can be used to your advantage.
In HELLCARD we’re planning to support co-op battles with up to three heroes facing Archdemon’s hordes. You’ll be able to descend into the dungeons solo, recruit computer-controlled companions or join your friends or strangers in their battles against the hordes of hell.
If the above features get you excited, be sure to wishlist the game now on Steam. Otherwise consider wishlisting anyway - who knows, maybe we will get you excited along the way!
About Return 2 Games series
Return 2 Games is a series of unique mid-core games inspired by the golden days of PC gaming. Each R2G title is a tribute to a single hit game from the ’90s: a reimagining of a single universal story for a brand-new audience, using modern means and innovative, often vastly simplified gameplay mechanics.
HELLCARD internally started as an idea for a new game mode inside Book of Demons (the first game in the R2G series), but we soon realized that it’s a much bigger design and that it should be executed as a separate stand-alone spin-off game. If you want to learn more about Return 2 Games or support us in the development of the series, visit the Supporter Pack store page. On release, HELLCARD will be a part of it.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/706770/Return_2_Games_Supporters_Pack/
Book of Demons, the first part in the series is already here, be sure to check it out as it includes a free demo.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/449960/Book_of_Demons/
Also, be sure to check out Book of Aliens, the second book in the series and a tribute to MicroProse’ UFO: Enemy Unknown that’s also in the works:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1196230/Book_of_Aliens/
Read More: Best Difficult Co-op Games.
Vivid Knight
This is a cute roguelite and auto-chess crossover. It’s very strategy-focused, and the difficulty makes it quite addictive, but some balance issues begin to detract from enjoyment once you’re deep in the game.
The Good
The core game play is roguelike, with your character exploring a maze and fighting monsters in turn-based auto-chess-esque combat. Each step consumes mana, a limited resource that refreshes on each floor, and your team begins taking damage when you run out of mana, forcing you to be efficient in your exploration.
– Real player with 62.5 hrs in game
Read More: Best Difficult Roguelike Deckbuilder Games.
Welcome to Auto Chess Darkest Dungeon, But Cute.
Jokes aside, this little game so far is one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. I do quite like the auto chess formula, but this game takes a quite unique spin on it which makes it really enjoyable for me.
I’ve seen a lot of reviews making comparisons to TFT and they’re not entirely wrong by drawing the said comparison.
That said, if you’re familiar with games like Auto Chess and TFT, there’s a few things this game does a little different.
– Real player with 32.4 hrs in game
One Step From Eden
the dark souls of rockman.exe
– Real player with 120.3 hrs in game
Takes a few hours to get used to but it’s great afterwards
– Real player with 116.0 hrs in game
EllrLand
This game has been abandoned, no sign of developer or any substantial mean to follow with update.
This game had some potential, but sadly the dev prefered to dump and go with this bare minimum of a game with poor translation
– Real player with 28.4 hrs in game
NO UPDATE, very irresponsible
– Real player with 18.8 hrs in game
A Long Way Down
As it sits right now, A Long Way Down is an incomplete game that is hampered by bugs - but this is an Early Access title so I can forgive this. That said, I can’t say I was particularly all that interested in this game; nor was I particularly interested in the element of ‘farming’ that this game seems to encourage.
The gimmick of this card rogue-like is that you are given an incomplete dungeon layout - a lot of tiles will be floating in, well, Limbo, and you will ‘build’ your path through the dungeon with tiles you can set down. There are many event tiles that you can come across and interact with - as well as of course enemies to encounter.
– Real player with 16.7 hrs in game
I completed the game and earned all achievements in the game. I believe, that I experienced all the content and so I can share my experiences about this game.
– Real player with 10.1 hrs in game
Banners of Ruin
I do not play deckbuilders if I can help. I’m not really down for the whole card system usually and I think Slay the Spire was the only exception. I’ve tried others in the past and none of them really stuck. This one was baller, I dig the art style and the card system isn’t overBEARing. I’m sure some folks that play this games primarily may find it easy but for a noob, it’s awesome. Even the music gets you pumped and it is very much like a choose your own adventure.
That being said, there’s not really a lot of content to the game and I kinda wish there was more to it. I didn’t even know I beat the game, I thought it was just the first part or something and then abruptly ended. Still, that didn’t keep me from coming back and playing it again and again.
– Real player with 40.0 hrs in game
TLDR: If you don’t have enough patience to read this review then you don’t have enough patience to play this game I assure you. That being said, it has a LOT of redeeming qualities and is worth a look for anyone who likes deck builders or games similar to Slay the Spire.
Let me start off by saying that I REALLY want to love this game and it is pretty good in spite of its faults. I was raised on CCGs and the advent of deck builders has given the genre a fresh and new take that I thoroughly enjoy and Slay the Spire, a game which I have played into the ground. (Ascension 20 on most characters) Ever since I have been looking for the next StS and there have been some decent offerings, but none have managed to capture my attention in quite the same way. Because of this when I saw this game come up on my store page and watched some gameplay I was immediately sold.
– Real player with 27.2 hrs in game
Artifact
Valve got greedy.
Apparently Valve forgot everything they learned from TF2, CS:GO and Dota2. Making fun games fully accessible to everyone. Online games without players and communities are destined to fail.
But… Nope. Valve decides to exclude 90% of the World.
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Pay for the game.
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Pay for cards to play the game, making the best cards the rarest and therefore most expensive. (when they said power level wouldn’t be related to rarity)
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Pay to enter prize modes.
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Take a % cut of prize mode entry fees.
– Real player with 102.0 hrs in game
Valve has literally abandoned the game…
Edit: 13/03/2021
This game was so hyped at the time, and for me, the gameplay lived up to it for me when it launched, it was so different from everything that I’ve tried before and I did not even know Dota 2 universe… But after years waiting for something, it’s finally Official, both versions of the game, Classic and Foundry, will not be in further development… Here is some of the main things that were impactful during all this time being a casual player.
– Real player with 64.7 hrs in game
IMC
A realtime, roguelike, card game. Traverse planets, build decks and earn riches while battling to the extraction point. Some will make it, most will die…
Dwarven Skykeep
Dwarven Skykeep is a building strategy RPG where you’re a mage building a magical tower. Goblins will burn your books and break your rooms while rain will flood your basement. Tune your deck to cast spells, improve your tower and solve all the hitches.
Build, Improve and Protect Your towers
Draw your cards and put into play your building tactics in real-time. Create rooms and generate resources, plan your strategy and solve all the hitches, craft Spells and defeat Goblins, then repair what they’ve destroyed. And don’t forget to give beer to Dwarves!
Tune Your Deck Wisely
Build your deck to face up all the challenges. Choose cards from Blocks, Rooms, Tools, Improvements, Combat Spells, Support Spells and Creatures to create and defend your magical towers based on situations.
Dive into the City and Live Its stories
Visit Dwarven City in between levels, then listen to folk’s stories to unlock new quests and world’s areas of which discover the lore behind. Collect cards, awards and items by going deeper into the story to improve your skills and increase strategies at your disposal.
Weight Up Your Choices
Oh no, your basement is flooding! Will you pump out the water, pour it out with smart digging or use fire to evaporate it? Which will be the consequences? There are multiple solutions for every problem and no obvious decisions, will you be a wise mage?
Say Goodbye to Gameplay Routines
Every gameplay throws you into unique situations with high replayability, where different draws and different random events require a different use of resources. Play with skills, and a bit of luck, to win challenges or improve your tactics while trying.
