A Card-Tastic Quest

I've wrapped up my initial playthrough of SteamWorld Quest:  Hand of Gilgamech.  If you want to read more about the basics of the story and gameplay, please read my intro post (here) where I lay it out.  Now, straight to the reviewing!

Pros:
+ Cute robot cast.  One of the mainstays of SteamWorld is the cast of unique SteamBot characters.  SteamWorld Quest introduces Armilly, the wannabe hero/knight; Copernica, alchemist/mage of knowledge and sidekick; and Galleo, homebody/healer, who decided to leave his Mom's basement and join in on the action.  Each SteamBot has a unique look that reflects their personality.

+ Additional companions that are found throughout the story allow for very customizable gameplay.  You can choose which characters are in your active party and then customize each deck for the abilities you want or need for specific encounters.

+ Gameplay that is deceptively simple, but has depth.  While exploring the world your party encounters various enemies.  Combat takes place in "turns" which consists of your party playing three (or more depending on the cards you play) and then the enemy party playing three.  There are a variety of offensive and defensive cards to choose from as well as "combo" cards which allow for special abilities if played between two specific characters.  Picking the right three cards is very situational and does require strategizing.  Decks need to contain a balance of cards that build steam and cards that spend steam. 

+ A wide variety of enemies which require frequently adjustment of your party/strategy.

+ Unlockable cards.  One of the main goals of exploration is the find the many treasure chests spread throughout each area.  Treasure chests can contain gold, recovery items, weapons, accessories, or new cards.  Cards can be crafted using materials you loot from defeated enemies (at the merchant who is present in each area).  Cards can also be upgraded using those same materials.

+ Deckbuilding options.  Each character in your party can have 8 cards in their deck and you can customize decks at any time while you're exploring.  The nice thing about the cards you unlock is that there are multiple options for the skills and types of damage for each character.  You can craft a deck that's mostly physical damage or one that's more magically based.

+ Kid friendly.  The story is very positive and has a nice message.  I think I remember one swear word (hell) in the entire game.  This would be the type of game you could feel comfortable letting your kids play.  Some of the mechanics might be deep for younger kids, but I think older kids would enjoy the challenge.

+ Replayability.  At the end of each chapter the game tells you the percentage of chests that you've found for each area.  The nice part is that there is a chapter selection option that allows you to go back and replay each chapter to try to find those chests you missed.

+ Equippable weapons and accessories for each character allow for even more customization.  Like cards, weapons and accessories can be found throughout the game in treasure chests or purchased from the merchant.  Each character can choose from multiple varieties of weapons which have a unique "chain" ability which occurs anytime you play three cards from one character.

+ Colosseum offers up special challenges.  Once you've reached a certain point in the game you unlock the wave-based challenge area.  Each battle consists of five rounds against your chosen party (you can't swap out characters during the rounds, so picking the correct party for the situation is key) and each battle has a theme.  Some battles present specific challenges like increased damage or certain debuffs present throughout.  Defeating each round unlocks rewards like gold or recovery items, but the real pay off is unlocking special weapons and accessories.

+ Nice soundtrack that fits the game very well.

+ Fun and challenging boss fights (mostly).

+ Multiple difficulty levels.

Cons:
- Retreating from battle is only possible against lesser enemies and you can't retreat from bosses--this means that you have to either quit and reload your last save or let your party die to reload.  I can somewhat understand the thinking behind this, but it's annoying when you've picked completely the wrong party/cards and can't just simply reload and fix it.

- The last boss in the game took me a ridiculous amount of time to defeat (the battle itself was annoyingly long--this could be mostly due to my poor selection of cards or understanding of its mechanics).  I gave up once because I had been going at it for like 45 minutes and really didn't seem to be getting much closer to winning.

Recommended for:
+ Fans of SteamWorld games.  Another great entry!
+ Fans of card games who want a nice, relaxing, and semi-casual experience.
+Parents who want a kid-friendly game.

Not Recommended for:
-Hardcore card gamers.  There's depth, but you probably want something more serious.
-People who don't like cute robots.

A Quest With Your Robot Friends

Armilly, Copernica, and Galleo are a great squad.

Last month it was announced that the new game from Image & Form Games (makers of the SteamWorld series) would be released on PC.  SteamWorld Quest:  Hand of Gilgamech was initially released on consoles and I had anticipated a somewhat long wait before it made the magical trip to the land of the PC.  I decided to grab it at full price (something I rarely do, but I have greatly enjoyed the other games in the series) and have been enjoying my new adventure with my steambot friends.

If you're unfamiliar with the SteamWorld series, I would highly encourage you to check them out.  They are indies, so there's a good chance that you might have missed them.  One particular aspect of the games that I personally enjoy is the fact that they are technically in the same "universe" but that the way the games play is vastly different from game to game.  The "universe" I am describing is filled with cute robots powered by steam and their adventures vary greatly.  The first two games in the series are the SteamWorld Dig games (2).  These games are reminiscent of the classic arcade game Dig Dug but are much deeper than simply digging a bunch of holes.  They have RPG elements and a fun little story.  The next game in the series is SteamWorld Heist which is more of a turn-based strategy game that takes place in space.  All three games are relaxing and fun--they would be great games for younger audiences (definitely very kid friendly) or older games looking for a more casual game that is still challenging and fun.

The fourth, and newest game in the series, is SteamWorld Quest:  Hand of Gilgamech.  The characters in the game are steambots from an earlier, more medieval inspired era (in fact, the character telling the "story" is actually from SteamWorld Heist).  Armilly, the main protagonist, is a steambot who desperately wants to join the ranks of the local chapter of the Heroes Guild.  Unfortunately, the guild has mostly ignored her pleas and don't seem all that interested in allowing her to join.  Her sidekick is a magically inclined steambot named Copernica.  The story follows Armilly and Copernica as they find themselves pulled into greater adventures thanks to a mysterious attack on their hometown.

Gameplay in SteamWorld Quest is in the style of a card game/deck builder.  As Armilly and Copernica explore the world, they are confronted by various enemies.  The gameplay consists of "turns" where your squad can play three cards from your deck and then the enemy squad can play three.  Strategizing during your turn is mandatory--basic attacks build a power known as "steam" which is indicated by little gears at the top of the screen; more advanced attacks require a certain amount of "steam" to play--you have to plan out your attacks based on how much "steam" you have.  Things get much more complicated as you find and craft more cards for your deck--some cards are more powerful if used in combination with cards from different characters; there are cards for offensive and defensive buffs/debuffs--you gotta plan and strategize!

As you explore the map you fight various groups of lesser enemies which reward gold and crafting materials.  Exploration is a simple matter of point and click through a grid-like map.  Scattered around the map are various treasure chests which can contain equippable accessories which grant special buffs (like greater health, attack power, etc.) or new cards for your deck.  There is some strategy involved in exploring due to the fact that your heroes don't automatically regenerate health between fights--you start your next bout of combat with the health remaining from your last bout.  The only place available to save and restore the health of your heroes is a "hero statue" which is usually located directly before the end of an area, which directly precedes a "boss" fight.  The downside of using these statues is that whenever you save, all the enemies in an area will respawn.  There is some strategy involved in deciding when or if to save and restore health.  (There are also items that you can use to restore health--on top of certain character abilities that heal--but those items are fairly rare or can be purchased which costs some of your precious gold).

The deckbuilding aspect of the game is novel.  Each character in your party has a deck which contains 8 cards.  As you explore you can find new cards or you can craft them at a merchant wagon.  The next challenge is figuring out the best cards to stick in a deck or to build a deck that is the best option for the enemies that you are currently facing.  You have to make sure that you're keeping enough basic attack cards or buff cards that build steam as well as cards that do damage.  "Boss" enemies provide an extra challenging fight that might require tweaking your decks to accommodate their special abilities.

I've played several hours of SteamWorld Quest and I've been having fun.  Like the other games in the series, the combat seems deceptively simple, but actually has quite a bit of depth.  You really have to pay attention to enemy weaknesses and the best way to utilize your three cards.  Playing three cards with abilities from one character will unleash a special ability unique to that hero.

Don't be deceived by the seeming simplicity of the series--it's absolutely great for gamers of all skills and backgrounds.

It's a Long War--Valkyria Chronicles 4 Review

I finally finished Valkyria Chronicles 4!  I am extremely surprised because it turned out to be much longer than I expected.  My very robust playthrough clocked in at 59 hours.  Every time I felt like the story was winding down toward a resolution, some new crisis would pop-up and I would find myself pursuing a brand new set of bad guys.

If you're unfamiliar with the Valkyria Chronicles series, here is a link to my review of the first game.  If you want a quick overview of the basic story/squad in the fourth game, read this.

As a note, so far only two Valkyria Chronicles games have made the transition to the magical world of PC.  I don't know anything about the games that haven't made it over to PC--some of the features I am touting as new might be old hat...but they're new to me!

The Hafen (tank), with squad leader Claude and grenadier Riley.

Pros:

+Follows same format as earlier games.  The story is told through a "book" that presents a series of animated cutscenes with dialogue between the various characters in the game.  Each chapter also usually includes at least one combat scenario.  There's lots of storytelling and character development with bouts of turn-based combat sprinkled throughout the game.  This combination makes for a nice experience--there's the lighter material related to the story and characters--and there is also the challenge of combat.  These factors mean that there's a little bit of everything for people to enjoy.

+Maps/combat is more challenging and more varied than the first game.  I felt like many of the maps in the first game were fairly flat with a few obstacles sprinkled throughout.  The new maps feature all kinds of terrain--narrow pathways, high cliffs (perfect sniping ground if you can get to it), icey overhangs, etc.  There are tons of factors to consider in each combat mission.

+New class--the grenadier.  The grenadier class can lob shells at a fairly long distance and can be specced out to become an armor crushing tank killer or to be a long-range infantry annihilator.  I enjoyed using my grenadier to lay waste to infantry in cover (who can be a huge PITA to kill).

+Ability to appoint "leaders" and utilize squad grouping.  One of my biggest gripes about the OG VC was how long it took to move units into position.  Now, you can group up to three infantry units together once a turn.  The grouped units will move together and can attack a target.  This feature is extremely nice when you want to move units that have low AP (lancers and grenadiers in particular).

+New APC provides mobility.  A new armored unit, the APC can carry a small group of soldiers and is useful for transporting units safely across the battlefield.  The downside of the APC is that it is fairly fragile and if it is destroyed, so are the units inside.

+Lots of side content.  Most chapters include optional skirmish battles that are great opportunities for earning extra experience points and currency.  There are also "squad stories" which help tell the stories of the unique individuals who make up Squad E (your group of Gallian heroes).  Completing these stories also provides XP and cash, but will also help squad members overcome their negative potential.  The stories are generally goofy, but do give you more insight into squad members.

+Tons of research options for each weapon type.  As you progress through the story the research option branches out and offers players the ability to upgrade squad weapons in multiple ways--one branch provides accuracy upgrades; the main branch provides a balanced upgrade to both personnel and armor damage; and the last branch provides and upgrade to clip size which allows for more shots to be fired.

Cons:
-Story felt a bit too long.  Major events kept happening and I was sure it meant the end...but it didn't and the story just kept going and going.  I mostly enjoyed the story, but felt like there were just a few too many random variables thrown in that stretched things out more than it might have needed to be.  I also felt like parts of the story were fairly predictable.

-Female gamers might be turned off by some of the dialogue and characters.  I have read multiple comments on reviews about the fact that there are several male characters who act in a sexually harassing manner.  I did find myself cringing at the stupid things that Raz says and I thought the enemy character of Walz was a bit much (he's presented as lothario type of character who's classified as a "womanizer."--he's pretty cringey as a villain).  The dialogue in the series has always been a bit on the cheesy side, but I wasn't a big fan of Raz/Walz.  It might be too much for some people--you've been warned.

Verdict:
Get it on sale.  The combat has been improved from the original game and manages to be challenging and fun.  I didn't feel quite the same level of warm and fuzzy that I did with the crew from the original game, but Squad E does grow on you. If you're familiar with the Valkyria Chronicles style mash-up of story-based anime elements and (not the greatest, but mostly fun) turn-based strategy, I would recommend VC4.

New Faces, Better Missions--Valkyria Chronicles 4

My recent purchases in a Japan themed Steam sale included the very fun and mind-boggling Nier:  Automata (I would recommend it) and Valkyria Chronicles 4.  I decided that I was done trying to re-play through Nier after I unlocked the last of the four major endings.  Switching over to Valkyria Chronicles was a marked change from button-mashing, robot-slashing.

Not all the Valkyria titles have made the transition over to PC so we have to settle for what we can get.  The first game (Valkyria Chronicles) came to PC several years ago and I snapped it up not really knowing much about the series  Here are some basics if you're like me and are unfamiliar with it too--Valkyria Chronicles is a turn-based strategy game that tells the story of a group of soldiers fighting in the ongoing fictional wars that take place on the continent of Europa.  The games hinge on a blend of story-based elements--much of the story is told through short cutscenes and dialogue between squad members--and combat missions which place you in the role of commander and requires you to strategize troop movement and actions.  Valkyria Chronicles is a great fit for someone who doesn't want a strictly combat focused strategy game and enjoys story and character-related elements.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 follows a new squad of soldiers from the oft targeted realm of Gallia--Squad E is a talented group of rangers who find themselves fighting in the second Europan war. Similar to the story in the original game, many members of the squad come from the same hometown and have very close ties.  In true Valkyria fashion the members of the squad have their own quirks, strengths, and weaknesses that they must learn to use or overcome.

The core of Squad E poses with the Hafen.

The core members of Squad E are:

--Claude Wallace--the young, but brilliant tank commander.  Claude has the unique ability to read the weather and use it to his advantage.  He also has to overcome a reputation for being a bit of a coward during his childhood days.

--Raz--a Darcsen (a fictional ethnic group that is frequently the target of much malign) rowdy who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks.  Raz is written as a very over-the-top kind of "bro" character who is hot-headed and frequently going off on his own and ignoring orders.  (I've read several reviews which specifically mention the fact that Raz is basically sexually harassing women and people feeling unhappy about this fact.  I agree with those views and wish that they had re-written Raz without all the ridiculous ass-grabbing and whatnot).

--Miles--he is the quiet, but smart, tank driver of the Hafen, the tank for Squad E.  Miles is a bit socially inept, but is a genius when it comes to tank driving and repair.

--Kai/Leena--there's a bit of mystery around the story of the squad sniper.  She goes by the name of a different soldier (who is notably absent for reasons that I haven't quite gotten around to figuring out yet) and is a crack shot.  Her character is the level-headed strategist who helps balance out Raz's stubborn stupidity.

--Riley--although she doesn't start off with Squad E, Riley is introduced in an early mission.  She was a member of a different squad, but comes from the same hometown as the other members of the Squad.  She and Claude were close friends as children, but a tragic event caused her to grow distant from Claude and distrust his abilities to lead.

--Ragnarok--he's a cute dog and member of Squad E.  He's not actually playable and just appears to be part of the game for cute dog reasons.  Who doesn't like cute dogs though?

Of course, these aren't the only members of the squad and the roster fills up with others as you progress through the story.  In fact, there are a ton of side characters added in--way more than in the first game.  I usually have a very core group of 10ish characters that I use consistently and the rest remain primarily on the sidelines.

Many of the gameplay elements from the first game remain core parts of VC4--the story is told through a storybook with short cutscene episodes and one (or more) combat missions per chapter.  There is the option to go to headquarters to train, spend resources gained from combat to develop new gear/tank parts, and learn new orders.  There are also squad-based story chapters that tell the stories of the various members of Squad E as well as skirmish missions.

I still have quite a bit of story to play through, but so far I am enjoying VC4.  The combat missions are much better than in the first game and there is a ton of variety and challenge.  Similar to the first game, my one major gripe would be the overarching cheesiness of the dialogue (it's an inherent part of the series unfortunately).  Overall, the positives outweigh the negatives and I hope to wrap up my first playthrough soon and write up a review.

Happy weekend gaming!