Recent reviews by turtledactyl

i don't know what it is about Estonia but it seems like the only games with great writing come from that country. this is one of them

Game-breaking bug in chapter 3. Renders all Spandau missions inaccessible. Complaints on forum since May 2020. No dev response.

This game was released Jan 2020. Last update was March 2020. Ie. It's probably abandoned in this state. It's a shame because there are some great ideas here, but it needs polish such as this to even be playable. Why bother setting up a bug report forum if you're going to ignore it 5 months after release?

Highly recommended, but a little rough around the edges in terms of UI. A lot of the mechanics aren't explained super well, and if you miss the one time they're explained at all, good luck. This is especially bad with the map interface in Act 2/3 and the new mechanics. I had no idea how some of them worked even by the end of the game, or whether it was doing anything when I spent influence on the building actions.

That being said, the core trial mechanic is really good, the trials are interesting, the setting is amazing if you're into French revolutionary history. Fantastic art and music. A worthwhile experience.

The story goes completely off the rails in Act 3, tossing away all the stakes it has already built up and those of the French Rev for a surprise twist.

invented a genre and hasn't been outdone yet.

outstanding roguelite. the art and music are standout elements. the whole aesthetic is perfect for demonslaying. i want more content.

buy it if you liked dead cells.

7/10

A Spire-like with enough uniqueness to stand out. Adds a story, RPG elements, parties, and great art to the Spire formula. I had fun and it's challenging in a good way.

Pros:
The mechanics are very good. The card-specific XP system forces you into interesting decisions constantly. The character and animation design is really beautiful, top notch work. Having two different decks makes the game more interesting and this mechanic is thematically worked in very nicely.

Cons:
The card design falls a bit flat. Cards lack the personality / flavour you see in Magic, Hearthstone, or even Spire. Everything from the naming, to the art, to the way the cards are laid out, the mechanics... When you upgrade a card it changes the name. Afterward, I would often be unable to recognize the new card at a glance. I think that speaks for itself.

Most of the negative reviews concern the Council system, so I'll address that:

The Council system is actually good. If you try to play the same way you currently play, you'll probably find it frustrating. If you take it into account strategically, you'll find it adds another layer of depth to the game. It's strategic, thematic, well-designed, and not too burdensome in terms of micromanagement. I find it gives my kingdom way more individual "personality" of the type that's actually reflected in game mechanics. Just make sure your Council is mostly happy.

The education system is also vastly improved via the Childhood Focus / Education Focus mechanics. I wish there were a few more events but you can add these via mods. Also the dialog for choosing an Education Focus is really bad and doesn't explain the mechanic properly - remember that the game takes into account Childhood Traits previously held by the child which have already "evolved", even though these aren't shown in the dialog.

Overall this DLC has significant additions which make CK2 a deeper and more interesting game.

Pros:
-Core gameplay is incredibly fun, simple to learn yet hard to master
-Graphics are perfect, art is well-done
-Dismemberment is disturbingly satisfying and also core to the mechanics
-I can play with my non-gamer GF and neither of us are bored
-No microtransactions!
-The music is stuck in my head rn

Cons (minor):
-controller menu implementation isn't good (controller acts as mouse)
-Unlocks only come via single-player, which sucks if you buy this for the multiplayer
-Wish there was more variety in game modes

so 9/10 buy this RN

A very fun third person action game. Simple but not casual. Takes the cool parts about movie action scenes (flipping around in slow motion, shooting guys, looking bad-ass) and just makes them into a video game. It works.

i can't remember the last time i enjoyed a game's writing this much. especially when it's presented in a dynamic and captivating way, not planescape-style walls of text. absolutely brilliant, i only wish it was 100x as long.