A Review of Spectromancer

[RedMint]

I don't usually take the time to write a review, unless the game is particularly good or particularly bad. Spectromancer is particularly good.

It's certainly not flashy. There are no awesome graphics here or stunning visuals. But it can hold its own against more popular, technically-advanced games like MtG: Duels of the Planeswalkers for one simple reason: its minimalistic game mechanics work, and work well. The game is fun.

It's a trading card game, so if you're not familiar with the genre and have never picked up a pack of Pokemon or Magic: The Gathering cards, I suppose you'll be at a slight disadvantage. On the other hand, this would be a great game to start with, because of its relatively simplified nature.

What I most appreciate about this particular game is that it is a total package. There's a good campaign mode, multiplayer, and other various modes, all of which are fun. The game mechanics are easy to pick up but their simplicity mask how deep the strategy can go. There are a lot of different 'classes' (necromancer, golem master, cleric, etc.), each with its own special set of cards, and this special set is essentially a column added to the four 'normal' columns of cards everyone plays with (Fire, Water, Air, Earth). Each of those have a wide selection of cards. So no two matches ever play the same.

The addictive factor of this game is high. The replayability factor is very, very high. That's a winning combination.

The DRM thing is troubling, but hasn't affected anything about the game for me ... yet, and the developer seems receptive to making changes in that area.

If you are a fan of computer trading card games, this one is a no-brainer. If you're unfamiliar with that territory but love strategy and are willing to spend a few minutes learning the ropes, you can't go wrong etiher.

Nice addition to Steam. The game I'm playing the most nowadays, while my big pile of triple-A titles sit there feeling ignored.

[Stephanie the Angel]

Originally posted by RedMint:

It's certainly not flashy. There are no awesome graphics here or stunning visuals. But it can hold its own against more popular, technically-advanced games like MtG: Duels of the Planeswalkers for one simple reason: its minimalistic game mechanics work...
The DRM thing is troubling...

In these 2 things I don´t agree, but I like your review...Magic is one of the worst games on Steam, great game but very noobish programmed by Stainless Games...Spectro is awesome good programmed...and for the DRM, you said self, it hasn't affected anything about the game for you...(If the game becomes a Steam-only-game one day, it will be removed!)

[RedMint]

Yeah we'll have to agree to disagree on Magic. I think it's absolutely fantastic, almost not a day goes by I don't play it, and now with 2014, I'll never see the light of day. But I still find myself playing Spectromancer as much as the new Magic (which just hit yesterday) - and that's about the highest praise I can give Spectromancer.

[Stephanie the Angel]

Offline it´s great, I agree (great music!), but after 5 days I have completed nearly all offline stuff...but I have no idea, how to get the last Avatar-picture "Caution, risk of infection!". Do you know, how to get it?
I will not go for #1 in all again, like I did in the other versions, because, aside from some new features like an attack-all-button, it´s still exactly the same broken game lol...Wizards is so rich, so I don´t understand, why they not hire Cooler and let these noobs (Stainless Games) program it...
Also they are kidding us with each year all new...(They just want more and more and more money!)
Long live Spectromancer!

[RedMint]

What is it about Magic that's broken? I've run into a few odds and ends that are strange and buggy, but it seems remarkably stable and balanced to me, especially for how much is going on under the hood. Spectromancer feels super well-balanced and designed to me as well. Just different approaches - the yearly Magic games are glitz and glam, but limited in their scope (once they figure out how to combine the wow factor of the yearly games with the ongoing MtGO, which is pretty drab - they'll have the ultimate online trading card came).

I've always liked the genre. I play MtGO still from time-to-time, but no longer invest in cards. Used to love the old Etherlords games and even Marvel: The Trading Card Game. I guess I love the combo of skill and chance, but am bored by traditional card games.

[RedMint]

Oh and no, sorry, don't know how to get that avatar yet.

[Stephanie the Angel]

Yes Etherlords was great!
Yes Wizards has so much possibilities...but they will always focus on money and never make a really good game like Spectromancer, I think.
Totally broken is the leaderboard, for example in the 2013 Singleplayer, 2 Player and in 2HG the first 12 scores (I´m #1 on place 13 lol!). In the 2014 there are already 2 broken scores in Singleplayer...You don´t even need to start playing 2 Player, because soon the leaderboard will fill up with broken scores...In the 2013 a lot of frozen games also or other bugs...can´t say at the moment, if it´s same in the 2014, maybe it´s a bit better lol...
You can say Magic is basically an awesome game, but the game (all versions) is just a big bug (online), and yes MtGO is much to old...
The reason for this is, that the support is a fake, and the reason for this is, that they just want money and not speaking with players!
Spectromancer is the complete opposite to this, because Cooler fixes bugs mostly very fast, and we also have a very great Forum...it´s a bit like a very big family, and Cooler is our father xD...

[RedMint]

Well you certainly have a strong opinion about Wizards of the Coast. haha I've always come at it from the other angle with them - they are providing an amazing rendition of their game (especially easy to pick up the mechanics for new players) for only $10, and basically updating it every year with better graphics and all new sets of cards, again for only $10. I mean, $10 a year, that to me is a ridiculously good price point for this game. Not to mention for people who get in early, they get an actual collector's item card for free. And although MtGO isn't the most exciting, it has been constantly maintained and updated (and upgraded, in miniscule amounts). Just got off there and it's still a buzz of constant activity. And it's a free piece of software with a pay-to-win model that mirrors the real life Magic experience of trading and playing. So from my perspective, Wizards has been doing pretty well. You want to talk about a money-grubbing, horrible company that only has money in mind at the expense of the player - that's Electronic Arts.

[Stephanie the Angel]

I agree on EA, and I see your view of Wizards...Well, I never play or even download a "free" game, the only exception was MtGO, but just to see it. All with more than 3 braincells know now, that you have to be very rich, if you want to play a "free" game like Entropia Universe for example (With 100.000 you are in game!). So all can decide self, if they want to invest thousands of Dollars in a game, that is definitely not up to date (not only my opinion!)...
Yes the prize for DotP is ok, but it´s at least 23 bugs each year, because you need all stuff, if you want to be competetive...Spectro is here out of range, imo Cooler should take more money for it...DotP has a realistic (and yes good!) price with 23 bugs each year!
But my opinion is still, that they focus on money, because I, the Queen of the game, have written 4 very long and detailed posts to them, and they have ignored me completely, also they ignore permanently all others, that want to help them to make Magic better since the first version in 2009 came out!
They have lost me forever on Cooler, I have no trust in them anymore, but I would always do all for Cooler. There´s no question, that Magic is the better game basically, because it has a lot more potential than Spectro, but Wizards doesn´t use this potential at all, and Cooler gets out 1000% on a game, that normally would have no chance against Magic!
So I will maybe pay my 23 bugs to them each year but not 1 cent more, and if Cooler ask me to send him 100 bugs for Spectro (He doesn´t even need to mention the reason.), I will also pay it (send him the money)...
Btw, thanks for your nice review (also in the name of Cooler)!
One more thing: The DRM is absolutely np, because you get a new code from Cooler, if you have changed your PC to often!
Welcome in our family (dangerous cult!) xD! (joke)

[RedMint]

I am defintiely addicted to this game. =) It's awesome.