Senaste recensioner av StratX

A good middle-ground Roguelike with an excellent User Interface. While it's not incorrect to call it a simplified Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, it also isn't simplified at the cost of fun or depth.

Ananias is extemely accessible and quick to get started with an interface that is clear, concise and doesn't leave you with a lot of questions as to how the game operates. You'll be playing in seconds.

Procedural dungeons and multiple classes should provide a decent amount of replayability. Online leaderboards let you compare your overall achievements with a community.

This is a roguelike that tried to streamline the process of playing by allowing quicker movement between rooms whenever enemies aren't present. While leveling is streamlined as well and based simply on making it to the next foor, players still have a wealth of weapons, equipment, familiars(pets), bandages mixable potions and more to give more player-choice. Leveling-up also comes with a choice of how one wishes to build their character as you delve deeper into the dungeon.

For $4.99US, I think this is a fun contribution to the roguelike genre that does a great job of being a little simpler than a "hardcore" roguelike, but not at the expense of fun - and it still has some welcome RPG-like depth

You can see my casual video review on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pCN2l1i-Vdw

Not bad. Interesting, arcadish brawler. Utilizes unit types and a very mild amount of troop management. The chaoticness drowns out the troop management, but only a little. Recommend for those looking for quicker, jump-in-jump-out gameplay sessions for some quick, easier fun as compared to other RPG/troop management games that tend to be deeper and require more strategy, planning and devotion.

Here's a look at the first 20-ish minutes of gameplay
https://youtu.be/NeecbccYldM

I want to bring up a point that perhaps no one else will. Duskers is yet another great addition to the indie landscape, but it has an invisible immersive side that it asks you to participate in that is a bit refreshing in the world of game-design. There's a lot of real, added gameplay depth on top of the hard-coded rules the game sets forth for you,

But it provides an optional layer of immersion that it politely asks you to take part in, to sustain some of its gameplay.

You can read my review and watch a video where I heavily edited my voice to sound like I was on board the ship in Duskers at: http://www.zero-friction.net/2016/05/24/duskers-asks-you-to-isolate-yourself-in-its-dead-universe/

Turn off the lights, bump up the audio and get into it, like a good movie.

"Flamberge is a strong candidate to be a refreshingly unique RPG typically published by the likes of Atlus and NIS."

My full review and video http://www.zero-friction.net/2016/04/08/flamberge-synchronous-turn-based-rpg/

It looks like and sounds like a beautiful game. Hats off to the devs. It has spawned some debate over difficulty and I've made a video showing gameplay and reading an article I wrote about my feelings toward this.
http://www.zero-friction.net/2016/04/01/hyper-light-drifter-and-the-growing-problem-of-indie-games-being-too-hard/

I like to recommend lots of wonderful indie games - with the caveat that many of them are just too hard.

I'm pretty smitten with Balrum so far. It seems like a great attempt and take on maintaining a robust cRPG, while still injecting it into an open world with activities, building and survival. Some have initially expressed concern over thirst and hunger which the developers addressed. I like the outcome, but even with the new mechanics, players may still feel under pressure as they just try and figure out how the game works, what they can do and learn it's intricacies.

With that in mind, I created a small video: 5 tips for getting started in Balrum
http://www.zero-friction.net/2016/03/07/5-tips-for-starting-out-in-balrum/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNLsSuYWXGI
I'm not a Grand Strategy veteran, but I've done a bit of research, read a lot of other reviews and comments and came to a middle-road conclusion; that this game is easier to grasp and a lighter version of Crusader Kings 2, but on its own, it still has a lot of depth, scope and fun. I think it's a lot of fun and the niche location of Feudal Japan is a fun grabbing point as well in a genre choked with Euro-centric games.

It also has the niche-advantage of being about the only game of its kind as a realistic grand strategy game set in Feudal Japan.

It was built on an early version of the same engine eventually built for Crusader Kings 2, so you'll feel similarities. Like CK2, it focuses more on the people, whereas a game like Europa Universalis focuses on nations, but when strictly compared to CK2, it actually has a little more focus on combat, while CK2 has more focus on the individuals.

Charmig aesthetic. Fights that juggle power-bars & points in a tug-of-war fashion like a CCG, but in an RPG with skills, abilities, puzzly spots & story.

Think ahead a little to judge when to build up Power over Tact or unleash tact to move the "conversation" and gain points towards winning the Discourse.

Juggle your decisions of whether to use strong or weak Power and Tact with whether those same choices are aligned to hurt your oppenents Composure.

Along the way, discover Topics, win Bows and buy conversation enhancing Abilities as you talk to everyone and advance the story.

Check out what the game looks like and feels like to play and see how a battle works in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7-HxCG0vE4

I'm immediately pleased with the core of this game that is solidly built with full combat and many other management features to enjoy. I'm looking forward to this game growing and providing even more content in the near future.

Heavy Turn-Based tactics for anyone familiar with the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea, but on hex-grid maps. But it has the twist of using procedurally generated content to supply the player with a large, open-world where you can go where you want, when you want. Management in hiring many types of units and keeping track of food and money.

It's a great twist that makes it feel like a large, immersive open-ended world that is more than a gimmick, but a fresh enhancement on top of a solid Tactics game that also utilizes some unique and fun mechanics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTrmky_wmVY

Don your Kimono for tense, first-strike, 2D battles inside lush Japanese paintings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Luw8rsTkmU