Deck of Souls is an early-access deck-building roguelite. It’s a tried and tested formula, and while Deck of Souls doesn’t do anything particularly innovative, it does what it does well. The art style is simple but consistent, the sound effects and music are excellent and unobtrusive, and the gameplay has enough variety and replayability to immerse you. Let’s get into it!

What’s the skinny? How does Deck of Souls work?

In a series of turn-based combats, you draw and play cards against a variety of well-drawn enemies. You get to play one card per enemy, so combats feel pretty fair and balanced. Like many games in the genre, success in Deck of Souls relies on building a repertoire of cards that synergise with one another.

For example, on one of my more successful runs, I managed to make a build that relied on piling on armour and block to take enemies down. Of course, it’s all luck of the draw – but isn’t that what makes roguelites fun?

Combats and encounters are linked together on an FTL-style map. You can see what flavour of encounter is ahead – be that a fight, a random encounter, a chance to level up etc. – and choose your optimal path.

Defeating enemies grants you souls of various flavours, which you can use to level up your character’s stats or equipment. Bit grim. But we love it.

Story & Art

I’m a big fan of the art style in Deck of Souls. It’s pixelated, but more than detailed enough to know what you’re looking at. It’s colourful without being overwhelming and super consistent.

My one qualm with the art, however, is the UI. It feels a bit programmer-art, a bit placeholder. I can’t be sure if that’s a stylistic choice or if it’s due to be revisited, though. For now, it’s a bit lacking.

The music is great, really helps to set the grim fantasy vibe.

The story is hidden in dialogue with NPCs you encounter and beat the crap out of. There’s a tale of divinity, rebelling agents of higher powers, and redemption. The joy for me in Deck of Souls was discovering the story as I went and figuring out my own character’s motivations, so I won’t be spoiling it here. Suffice it to say, I really like the writing in this game!

Final verdict: Is it worth a go?

I would say if any of the above appeals to you at all, give Deck of Souls a chance. In places, it still feels a bit unpolished, but overall, it has promise. If roguelites or deck builders are in your wheelhouse, this will be a good entry. It fills a Slay the Spire-shaped hole. At less than a tenner, the price is great too.

As the developers move through early access, they have a roadmap of features that, refreshingly for an early-access game, seem realistic and achievable. I’ll certainly be sticking with the development of this one and returning for future updates.

Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post Deck of Souls Early Access in Review appeared first on GamEir.

Spooky season has come and gone, but the horror queen is still here! I hope everyone had a safe Halloween! Things were quiet on my end, mostly because I’ve been playing horror games! And friends, it was only a matter of time before I started talking about World of Horror. I’m super excited about this one, especially as it’s a little different to my normal gaming endeavours. Let’s jump right in!

What is World of Horror?

World of Horror is a 1-bit roleplaying game, developed by Paweł Koźmiński and published by Ysbryd Games. The pixel art style is inspired by legendary mangaka Junji Ito and Eldritch horror master H.P. Lovecraft. World of Horror is very much a roguelite, featuring turn-based combat and choices with rippling status effects.

Set in a small seaside town in Japan, The Old Gods are reawakening. Sanity is depleting, and grotesque, otherworldly creatures are terrorising the population. It is truly the end of the world as these people know it. You must confront these horrors head on, tackling mysteries within the new apocalypse.

There are five playable characters, with their own stories and perspectives on what’s happening in the town. Playthroughs are tackled through decks of event cards. Different cards and combinations will lead to different outcomes, and may even unlock new mysteries or clues.

World of Turns

Turn-based combat and roguelites in general have never really been my style. Despite this however, World of Horror enthralled me. Admittedly, it was the Ito-inspired art style that caught my interest initially. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a deep love of Junji Ito. He’s one of my artist idols. So to see something inspired by his work, I couldn’t help but want to play. Plus, I am trying to branch out a little bit.

Admittedly, it took me a little bit to get the hang of the combat. Even with the little tutorials, it just didn’t click in my brain. Some of the choices along the way were a little confusing for me too. This isn’t a reflection on the game however. It is completely down to my lack of knowledge and experience in this kind of game. Once I got the hang of things, it got pretty fun.

The art style is very well thought-out, and makes sense with the universe. The inspirations are clear with additional stylistic decisions heightening the atmosphere. It makes for a very well rounded horror experience.

Final Horrors

Despite the art style, I was a little skeptical about World of Horror at first. I’m a little set in my ways when it comes to gaming, mostly because it takes me a while to adapt to new things. I am very glad I gave this game a shot. The only thing that could have made this whole experience better for me would fall back to genre. I love the whole concept and the story, but I would love a more linear experience. That is very much personal preference, because even though I loved this game, the turn-based roguelite aspects still don’t click with me.

Something else that I really love is the fact that World of Horror is getting a physical Nintendo Switch release in December. I already have it on pre-order. The art-style and story make this game very well worth playing, and I think it would go over very well with lovers of roguelites!

Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).
I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post Let’s Talk About World of Horror appeared first on GamEir.

A total of 4,000 copies total will ever be printed, which go on sale on January 5th at 6 pm GMT (10 am PT/1 pm ET) – available worldwide exclusively at superraregames.com. The game will be available in both Standard and SteelBook editions. There will be 2,000 copies of both editions. The standard releases come with all the current content on their cart, a full-colour manual, interior artwork, an exclusive sticker, and trading cards.

The SteelBook editions come with all of the above as well as the stunningly nightmarish steelbook case. And in typical Super Rare fashion, fans won’t be waiting for long as Super Rare Games titles ship shortly after release.

What is Source of Madness?

Take on the role of a new Acolyte as they embark on a nightmarish odyssey in this side-scrolling dark action roguelite set in the Loam Lands, a twisted Lovecraftian-inspired world. Uncover the cosmic secrets of the Loam Lands and The Tower of Madness, the moon’s mysterious Citadel.

Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post Limited physical copies of Source of Madness announced appeared first on GamEir.

The Dragoness: Command of the Flame is heavily inspired by the Heroes of Might and Magic series. Combining base building, exploration and strategic turn-based combat. However, adding a roguelite twist to it also. Throwing you into the Drairthir Peninsula, a land totally ravaged by warring factions of dragons. Now you must take on the role of commander as appointed by the mighty Dragoness herself. Do her bidding and conquer the factions to bring peace to the world.

Starting off in the ruined capital of Níwenborh, you must now rebuild the city to the high and mighty standing it once had. Recruit powerful beasts to add to your army and manage your resources strategically. As a result, only the wise and those tactical in skill will emerge victoriously. 

The Dragoness: Command of the Flame will be arriving on PC on Steam sometime in 2022, with more details available on the Steam page. For more updates stay tuned to GamEir and check out our Facebook page for everything gaming!

The post The Dragoness: Command of the Flame Announcement & Demo appeared first on GamEir.

Break down the NEOVERSE

NEOVERSE is a time-warping multiverse game consisting of thrilling adventures that are packed with exciting challenges. Combining roguelite, deck-building and strategy gameplay together, NEOVERSE puts your skills to the test. Embark on an adventure with a cast of unique heroes to save the living realms.

Be the Saviour of NEOVERSE

• Create your own Strategy with 300 cards and over 100 skills.
• Choose from three Charismatic Heroes, each with their own unique abilities and specialities.
• Over 70 types of Monsters to battle, each with their own skills, techniques and fighting styles.
• Multiple skill Combinations for each Hero. Play your way.
• Play for fun and adventure or take on challenging levels for more hardcore players.

Start your Journey Across Time and Space

• Every adventure is different! Customize your experience with new cards each time you play.
• Your future destinations will depend on every decision you make.
• The future and beyond are legendary tales yet to be told!

Endless Gaming Experience

• Strategy customization is your key to saving the Neoverse.
• Weave your talent tree and create your own skill combination.
• Switch between gear options to master the game.

Immerse yourself in a journey through NEOVERSE and find yourself transcended to the future. NEOVERSE is available now for Nintendo Switch at £17.49/$24.00/€19.49.

Stay tuned to GamEir. Come talk with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

I promise we’re nice! Keep up with our streams over on Twitch (GamEir) and our videos on YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post Get ready to Transcend Time and Space in NEOVERSE appeared first on GamEir.

2020-08-19

When I first read about Dreamscaper, I’ll admit I was a little sceptical. As a topic and a game mechanic, dreaming has often been hit-and-miss in the history of game design. Only a few games have really done dreams and trips into the subconscious well – pieces like Psychonauts, Among the Sleep, and Catherine. It’s easy to slip into clichés, hollow tropes or, worst of all, Alice in Wonderland references. I’m happy to report that Dreamscaper has avoided all of the classic pitfalls. Despite being an Early Access release, Dreamscaper feels polished, rich, and well-realised.

The star of the game is Cassidy – Cass – a small-town girl who has recently moved to the big city to work in corporate marketing. Reserved and unsure of herself, throughout the game the player guide’s Cassidy through her waking and dreaming lives to fight her demons and integrate herself in her newfound home. Afterburner‘s debut title is, in this writer’s opinion, a resounding success already, despite technically being in early access.

Shanking Demons and Making Pals: Gameplay in Dreamscaper

Combat

The gameplay loop in Dreamscaper is simple but compelling. Each night, Cassidy falls asleep in her bed and disappears into the world of her subconscious. Once Cass has entered the world of dreams, you must fight a series of monsters in a randomly generated dungeon, building up your equipment as you go. It is incredibly satisfying to find new combinations of ranged, melee and “Lucid” attacks and defeat enemies. The descriptions on the equipment are always brilliant as well – many give a glimpse into Cass’s past or subconscious. For example, several pieces of equipment are inspired by games of D&D Cass has played, while others draw from her favourite video games, movies or hobbies. These little glimpses into Cassidy’s personality and history are always worth a read.

The combat itself is satisfying, if uncomplicated. Lucid attacks, which are essentially spells, give some flavour and variety, but ultimately it’s a game of hack, slash, shoot and dodge. Later fights and bosses get a little bullet-hell, but that’s about as complex as it gets. Ranged combat doesn’t feel quite as polished as the melee and Lucid attacks. That said, you have to love any game that lets you blow enemies away with finger-guns. Dodging and blocking/parrying are both matters of timing and are super satisfying to pull off successfully.

Throughout the dungeon levels, Cassidy collects 3 crafting materials – Insight, Solace and Bliss. You can use these in one of two ways. Firstly, you can use them to craft equipment to guarantee you start with that gear on your next run. Secondly, you can use them to craft gifts. We’ll get to gifts, and their receivers, in a moment. Cass wakes up either when you finish a stage or die.

The Waking World of Dreamscaper

Once your time in the dream world is finished, Cassidy awakens in her bed. A good night’s sleep the night before – meaning you finished the stage – means Cass is well-rested. A poor night’s sleep – that is, one that ended in dying – means Cass didn’t get a good rest. This affects how much time you have to live your waking life before Cass needs to return home to sleep. This section is much slower-paced and more intimate than the combat-heavy dreamworld. Cass walks quite slowly, her animations are demure, and fixed camera angles give a sense of stillness. In this game mode, Cass has the opportunity to meet the residents of Red Haven. Through conversation and homemade gifts, these characters slowly open up, revealing more of themselves – and Cass does the same.

The dialogue and characterisation of these NPCs are absolutely stellar. Despite having no faces – everyone in Dreamscaper is rendered as a sort of mannequin – the residents of Red Haven are each unique and distinctive. That’s not to say they’re cartoonish – with the possible exception of Bruce, the historian. Dreamscaper‘s NPCs feel like real, living people. People of the kind you’ve met a thousand times before in real life. It may seem counter-intuitive, but they are refreshingly mundane in a medium that frequently bombards players with larger-than-life characters. The cast includes a sketch-artist barista, a bartender with travel stories to tell, and a local news writer. As mentioned above, Cassidy can craft various homemade gifts to present to her new friends, as well as just chit-chat to slowly grow their relationship.

Friendship Isn’t Just Its Own Reward

Beyond their compelling dialogue and refreshing realism, befriending these characters will unlock “Influences”. Influences are equippable aspects that improve Cassidy’s combat skills in some way in her dreams. “Eve’s Perception”, for example (the first you will unlock) improves your ranged combat skills. These bonuses are powerful buffs that allow you to specialise your build. Metaphorically, I love this idea – as Cassidy gets to know these characters, she learns from them and grows as a person. It’s a wonderful mechanical expression of character growth.

Once Cassidy has spent a few hours socialising, she must return home to sleep, and her run either continues (if last night, you completed a stage) or you begin a new run from the beginning. This refreshing take on the rogue-lite genre lends a sense of progression and persistence that is often missing from the genre.

Click to view slideshow.

The Sights & Sounds of Dreamscaper

As you can see from the screenshots above, Dreamscaper is breathtaking. The waking world of Red Haven, especially, is gorgeous. The lighting, the use of colour and detail, and the level design are all masterful. It feels real. There this sort of watercolour quality to the textures that gives Dreamscaper a beautiful and unique visual quality. What you can’t see from the screenshots is the soundtrack. Afterburner has composed a simply astounding OST. The music is rich and euphonious with a consistent thematic core. The animations and sound effects are spot-on. I’d particularly like to call out the transition from the waking world to dreams and the reverse – the camera work and animations there are very well done.

The character designs for Cassidy as well as each of the NPCs is distinctive and unique, visually, without being caricaturish. The decision to not include faces for any of the characters may seem strange, but it just works with Dreamscaper‘s unique visual style and highlights other unique design choices for the characters.

In Conclusion

Overall, Dreamscaper is a brilliant, well-realised design. It’s clear that it is a labour of love. The level of polish and sheer joy of playing the game is above the level of some AAA games on release. That’s saying something for a brand new indie studio’s debut game – particularly a studio of just 4 people. Dreamscaper is in early access, but as far as I can see, the only reason for that is for Afterburner to engage with the community on continued fine-tuning and additional content. I have spent some time on their Discord server, and the level of responsiveness is exemplary. If you’re interested in engaging with the developers, or just see how people are enjoying Dreamscaper, you’ll find their Discord server here.

I will absolutely continue to play Dreamscaper as development continues, and I am eager to see what Afterburner comes up with next. TL;DR: Dreamscaper is a dream come true.

Stay tuned to GamEir. And if you’re interested, come converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content!

The post Dreamscaper Early Access – Rich, Engaging & Heartfelt appeared first on GamEir.

Inspired by ancient Chinese culture and deities, Zengeon is a challenging anime roguelite. Uncover the mystical story by collecting Memory Fragments in levels that change every time you play. Featuring random enemies, power-ups, bosses and puzzles every time, you can look forward to endless unique runs, both solo and via online multiplayer!

Players who pre-order with Funstock will receive a Rice Digital exclusive art card set.

Six Unique Characters

Each student of the Celestial College controls a Guardian spirit with amazing abilities and features! Find the pair that appeals most to your playstyle and fight your way through the hordes of darkness!

Experience the Roguelite Thrill in Zengeon

Dying to one of the many hazards makes you lose everything except for the Memory Fragments you collected. Adapt to Zengeon’s challenges on your own or with up to three party members online!

Dynamic Power-ups

Randomised power-ups give your hits a chance to summon minions like lightning elementals, cause blizzards or heal you. Find your favourites as you mix and match!

Tradition meets Anime in Zengeon

The beautiful anime art style reimagines ancient Chinese culture in a super stylish way. Explore mystical levels, strange dimensions and impressive arenas full of passion for detail.

Click to view slideshow.

For more information and the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, Instagram and the official website.

Stay tuned to GamEir. And if you’re interested, come converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir).

Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content!

The post Anime ARPG & Roguelite Zengeon coming to Nintendo Switch appeared first on GamEir.

2020-03-05

Nom Nom Apocalypse is an indie, top-down shooter with rogue-lite elements. Developed and published by Deadleaf Games. The game offers a mix between playing Overcooked and Enter The Gungeon with a twist of gourmet to it. While not delivering a kick when played solo Nom Nom Apocalypse can, however, provide you and a friend some fun when played together.

From Bland to Salty and Back Again

In the world of Nom Nom Apocalypse sentient, mutant foods have brought the apocalypse upon us. It is up to you and possibly friends if you have them, to save the world. Like any other rogue-lite, you progress through the levels, earn some goodies, weapons and currency. When you die you start over from level 1 but get to keep what you’ve earned in the previous playthroughs. This adds a decent push to do a little better each run through the levels.

A Recipe for Apocalyptic Disaster 

Nom Nom Apocalypse allows you to pick from 4 characters, each with their own traits and abilities. As you play you can unlock other characters and as they say, variety is the spice of life. Each character plays a little different so play around with them all see which you like the best. You can spend your money on buying perks and this helps to increase your survival. However, I found I spent most of my money on ammo and health. Could have done with a little more ammo drops in the playthrough as it is a twin-stick shooter after all.

If you like puns then you’ll love the way Nom Nom Apocalypse overfeeds them to you. When I say that, I honestly don’t mean that in a bad way either. I found myself enjoying the puns and expecting them around every corner. I was pleasantly impressed with the boss battles too. Finding myself constantly looking forward to seeing what tasty dish I would come up against next. I just wish I could play as a Gordon Ramsey styled character.

Food is always better with friends

Click to view slideshow.

While Nom Nom Apocalypse is just like any other top-down shooter when played alone. However, when it’s played together with a friend it becomes rather fun. I can’t really put my finger on it either. I think it’s the mash of colourful character and foods. The thousand different projectiles on the screen and the constant grunting and huffing from getting hit and near misses. We found ourselves laughing over and quoting the array of puns to each other whenever we had the chance. 

Can I Get The Check, Please

Playing through Nom Nom Apocalypse I experienced virtually no bugs. Which is rare enough for an indie game. The colourful enemies, puns and challenges push you to keep playing on. I will say the soundtrack gets a little bit repetitive. Also, I heavily recommend playing the game with snacks next to you. Seeing all the tasty mutant dishes on your screen makes you so hungry so quickly.
If I had to boil this game down, I would say play with friends.

For more updates stay tuned to GamEir and check out our Facebook page for everything gaming!

The post Nom Nom Apocalypse – Salty Yet Sweet appeared first on GamEir.

As mutant monsters from the grocery shelves descend upon the city, humanity bakes a last-ditch bid to save the world. Suit up as one of many trigger-happy chefs with character-specific powers and prepare for a showdown with ferocious food in this love letter to classic monster movies.

Survive the foodpocalypse with an arsenal of over 30 culinary weapons, like the rapid-fire Ketchup Squirter, shotgunning Mustard Blaster, and as-seen-on-TV Fork Crossbow. Master twin-stick controls as cooks run-and-gun their way through hand-crafted levels with spicy procedural surprises like greasy oil slicks, sticky candy puddles, traps, and other hazards.

Nom Nom Apocalypse all the livelong day

Defend the homefront against a host of mutant munchies by bringing along a hungry friend in couch co-op, or recruit allies from afar with Steam Remote Play Together. Mix and match 45 game-changing perks like Iron Aprons, flame-trailing dodgerolls, and kill streak bonuses to compliment abilities like giant rolling pins and bubble gum shields. Wage war against surprise mini-bosses and fast-moving enemy hordes. The longer chefs survive, the more frantic the feast becomes.

Josh Sacco of Deadleaf Games brings years of experience from beloved Dreamworks game titles to this homage to kaiju films and creature features of the 1950s. Enormous bosses emerge with Hollywood flair to epic theatrical tunes. From towering breakfast skillets with fangs and bacon arms to sentient sugar-coated nightmares, Nom Nom Apocalypse pops off the screen with all the bombast and terror of its forebears.

“There’s an earnest creativity behind classic monster movies I find truly inspiring, said Josh Sacco, owner, Deadleaf Games. For my first independent game, I wanted to channel this campy history with creepy yet cute monsters and eye-popping art, but these dressings bely a tough-as-nails arcade shooter demanding focus, precision, and perseverance.”

Stay tuned to GamEir. Also, be sure and converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post Unleash frightening food in Nom Nom Apocalypse appeared first on GamEir.

The Schools of Magic’s arcane arms race nearly resulted in the complete destruction of the world. This calamitous spell enveloped the land in a mist-filled with hellish monsters. Everything and everyone touched by the mist was killed, driven mad, or transformed into abominations themselves. The only solution is to cast one last spell to utterly eradicate all magic from the realms.

To cast this final spell, those left alive must band together to protect magicians as they attempt to break seals protecting monstrous bosses. Prepare each day by building new defenses, setting traps, replacing any mages devoured by the beasts, and equipping weapons. The Last Spell’s class-less characters have a high degree of customisability weapons determine their abilities, and each hero can equip two instruments of death.

Where do we go from here with The Last Spell

By night, eradicate the onslaught of horrors with devastating area-of-effect attacks and spells before they can reach the magicians. Hundreds of enemies can swarm the heroes every night, so fight each battle like it’s the last. Fast-and-furious grid-based combat encourages party optimization and aggressive play instead of hunkering down and anticipating each move the demons make.

Pluck the very souls out of enemies by dealing mortal blows to them. Striking down multiple creatures in a single combo earns more souls. Beware, each character can die permanently. Upon death, Beings of Light and Darkness will exchange harvested souls for permanent boons that will help in the next attempt.

Witness the grim hopelessness of humanity through The Last Spell’s high-quality pixel art. An electronic soundtrack fusing heavy metal with dark synth punctuates the medieval post-apocalyptic fantasy horror atmosphere. Grab an axe, hurl a fireball, and save the world or die trying.

“We love tactical RPGs, but sometimes they get bogged down by playing the waiting game, said Matthieu Richez, founder of CCCP Entertainment. We designed the world of The Last Spell to thematically encourage desperate determination in the face of horrific odds.”

Stay tuned to GamEir, and if you’re interested, converse with us on Twitter (@gam_eir), Facebook (@GamEir), and Instagram (@GamEir). Check out our videos on Twitch (GamEir) and YouTube (GamEir) and we’ll give you all the latest content.

The post Protect Humanity in The Last Spell appeared first on GamEir.