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.