Talk about branching out and the passage of time. I’ve known Tobuscus for close to a decade, back when YouTube was still in its “infancy”, if you will. It’s the stage name of Toby Turner, an internet comedian that has been dipping toes into game development as of lately. Fine by me, his “Literal” series in which he spoofs video game trailers is one of the first reasons I began to analyze the game industry and the ways of promoting digital products. Developed and self-published from the looks of it, Wizards: Wand of Epicosity is Tobuscus’ Steam debut and a worthy parody for the tower defense strategic subgenre.

Some games are funny because they’re simply bad, lazy asset flips thrown on the Steam Store for a quick buck. The exact opposite of my aforementioned description, Wand of Epicosity is a genuine effort whose humor stems from well-planned elements combining a wacky story with an equally goofy gameplay that can still put up a challenge. Toby and his buddy, Gabe (AKA Gabuscus) are going through a “zombie game fatigue” phase through the woods, just as they’re stumbling upon a mysterious wizard. The story just keeps getting weirder from that point, as our Youtuber heroes are forced to fend for themselves against magically-infused and seemingly endless hordes of the undead. Their only chance of survival? To learn how to master both magic and dimensional warping. Hey, they never said that pure fantasy was the limit here. The sky could be that and perhaps far more. You’ll need to dig into the story on your own, it’s refreshingly absurd and I applaud its originality above all else.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2229097664

I couldn’t find a lot of information in regards to Epicosity’s graphics engine, so we’ll go with the “standard” Unity3D here. The fact that I encountered no glitches, bugs or any sort of technical issues, strongly hints at an engine choice that’s far more stable than either Cry or Unreal. Resolution scaling was also spot-on to 4K, while the frame rate remained stable as well. A feature of note would be the 2D cartoon-style cutscenes which set themselves apart from the sharp 3D assets found within the title’s gameplay. I regard them as well deserved pauses from the rather difficult skirmishes between a struggling wizard and reletless legions of the walking dead. For the most part, the humor itself is tame, so there shouldn’t be any moral qualms here. The visuals are the ones truly stealing the scenes, colourful effects for equally eye-catching locations.

It goes without saying that this couldn’t be a Tobuscus production without the titular character lending his voice and (animated) likeness into what might be summarized as a coming of age story gone hilariously wrong. Alas, the road from ineptitude towards “epicosity” is a long one indeed. Expect quality voice acting and an adequate soundtrack which won’t become annoying at any given time. You’ll be far too focused on the on-screen sieges, worrying about repetition is the least of your concerns. Here's an eloquent sample of Tobuscus from a long time ago. AC Brotherhood still ranks among my favorites from that series, by the way.

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

That’s not to say that the enemy types couldn’t use more visual variation. As I mentioned previously, the locations shift often enough and I can only say the same about the hero’s inventory, capabilities and even the fortress itself. If you played Tower Defense games in the past, you might be aware that you’re supposed to defend a certain area or object. In Wand of Epicosity’s case, you’re defending Tobuscus’ literal flying fortress from getting breached by nefarious zombies and several other mythical creatures. A key aspect of the gameplay is survival for a predetermined period until you could safely teleport along with your castle towards a safer place…which also gets overrun with monsters soon enough.

Both a rating and an upgrade system have been implemented, as any self-respecting member of this gaming subgenre deserves. Getting those three-stars per level is easier said than done, as you’ll need a combination of quick reflexes and careful planning. The “towers” here are metaphors to how often can you use spells and also counter the ones being cast by enemy sorcerers. It’s definitely not going to work out in a predictable manner, something as simple as spamming high-damage structures in certain choke points on the map. The only certainty here is related to enemy movement as they all converge next to your “sitting duck” fortress as they try to smash its gates and devour you.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2230331608

Fortunately, the levels are filled with bonuses to both mana and monetary stimuli required for unlocking more advanced gear and defensive capabilities. As for the offense, you adapt from your foes, some of which drop powerful spells. For example, casting an “area of effect” to slow down a mob, before picking them up individually with less potent magic missiles. Adapting to your surroundings and the immediate danger allows for plenty of strategic maneuvering, no matter how ironical it may seem, given the immovable nature of your castle until the level’s completion. You’ll only run away until you discover a way to vanquish the evil forces. Even Tobuscus can manage to pull that through.

If you’re tired of fantasy tropes and you’re looking for something funny yet still strategically convincing enough, look no further than Wizards: Wand of Epicosity. Even if it didn’t turn Tower Defense competitors on their heads, Tobuscus’ own brand of humor might just be enough to offer some degree of novelty to an otherwise stale gameplay formula. Not being predictable has its cost though. The final decision rests upon your shoulders: will you become an awesome wizard afterall?

+ Tasteful humor.
+ Original storyline.
+ Steam Achievements.
+ Challenging gameplay.

- Not enough diversity for certain assets.
- No Steam Trading Cards yet.

Rating 75/100

This article was submitted for Imperial Reviews through the generous contribution of the game’s developer. Following my Curator Page, will help me keep publishing new reviews as soon as I can. I appreciate your support!

[h1]Introduction[/h1] Talk about branching out and the passage of time. I’ve known Tobuscus for close to a decade, back when YouTube was still in its “infancy”, if you will. It’s the stage name of Toby Turner, an internet comedian that has been dipping toes into game development as of lately. Fine by me, his “Literal” series in which he spoofs video game trailers is one of the first reasons I began to analyze the game industry and the ways of promoting digital products. Developed and self-published from the looks of it, Wizards: Wand of Epicosity is Tobuscus’ Steam debut and a worthy parody for the tower defense strategic subgenre. [h1]Story [/h1] Some games are funny because they’re simply bad, lazy asset flips thrown on the Steam Store for a quick buck. The exact opposite of my aforementioned description, Wand of Epicosity is a genuine effort whose humor stems from well-planned elements combining a wacky story with an equally goofy gameplay that can still put up a challenge. Toby and his buddy, Gabe (AKA Gabuscus) are going through a “zombie game fatigue” phase through the woods, just as they’re stumbling upon a mysterious wizard. The story just keeps getting weirder from that point, as our Youtuber heroes are forced to fend for themselves against magically-infused and seemingly endless hordes of the undead. Their only chance of survival? To learn how to master both magic and dimensional warping. Hey, they never said that pure fantasy was the limit here. The sky could be that and perhaps far more. You’ll need to dig into the story on your own, it’s refreshingly absurd and I applaud its originality above all else. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2229097664 [h1]Graphics[/h1] I couldn’t find a lot of information in regards to Epicosity’s graphics engine, so we’ll go with the “standard” Unity3D here. The fact that I encountered no glitches, bugs or any sort of technical issues, strongly hints at an engine choice that’s far more stable than either Cry or Unreal. Resolution scaling was also spot-on to 4K, while the frame rate remained stable as well. A feature of note would be the 2D cartoon-style cutscenes which set themselves apart from the sharp 3D assets found within the title’s gameplay. I regard them as well deserved pauses from the rather difficult skirmishes between a struggling wizard and reletless legions of the walking dead. For the most part, the humor itself is tame, so there shouldn’t be any moral qualms here. The visuals are the ones truly stealing the scenes, colourful effects for equally eye-catching locations. [h1]Audio[/h1] It goes without saying that this couldn’t be a Tobuscus production without the titular character lending his voice and (animated) likeness into what might be summarized as a coming of age story gone hilariously wrong. Alas, the road from ineptitude towards “epicosity” is a long one indeed. Expect quality voice acting and an adequate soundtrack which won’t become annoying at any given time. You’ll be far too focused on the on-screen sieges, worrying about repetition is the least of your concerns. Here's an eloquent sample of Tobuscus from a long time ago. AC Brotherhood still ranks among my favorites from that series, by the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKrtbUinWOU [h1]Gameplay[/h1] That’s not to say that the enemy types couldn’t use more visual variation. As I mentioned previously, the locations shift often enough and I can only say the same about the hero’s inventory, capabilities and even the fortress itself. If you played Tower Defense games in the past, you might be aware that you’re supposed to defend a certain area or object. In Wand of Epicosity’s case, you’re defending Tobuscus’ literal flying fortress from getting breached by nefarious zombies and several other mythical creatures. A key aspect of the gameplay is survival for a predetermined period until you could safely teleport along with your castle towards a safer place…which also gets overrun with monsters soon enough. Both a rating and an upgrade system have been implemented, as any self-respecting member of this gaming subgenre deserves. Getting those three-stars per level is easier said than done, as you’ll need a combination of quick reflexes and careful planning. The “towers” here are metaphors to how often can you use spells and also counter the ones being cast by enemy sorcerers. It’s definitely not going to work out in a predictable manner, something as simple as spamming high-damage structures in certain choke points on the map. The only certainty here is related to enemy movement as they all converge next to your “sitting duck” fortress as they try to smash its gates and devour you. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2230331608 Fortunately, the levels are filled with bonuses to both mana and monetary stimuli required for unlocking more advanced gear and defensive capabilities. As for the offense, you adapt from your foes, some of which drop powerful spells. For example, casting an “area of effect” to slow down a mob, before picking them up individually with less potent magic missiles. Adapting to your surroundings and the immediate danger allows for plenty of strategic maneuvering, no matter how ironical it may seem, given the immovable nature of your castle until the level’s completion. You’ll only run away until you discover a way to vanquish the evil forces. Even Tobuscus can manage to pull that through. [h1]Verdict[/h1] If you’re tired of fantasy tropes and you’re looking for something funny yet still strategically convincing enough, look no further than Wizards: Wand of Epicosity. Even if it didn’t turn Tower Defense competitors on their heads, Tobuscus’ own brand of humor might just be enough to offer some degree of novelty to an otherwise stale gameplay formula. Not being predictable has its cost though. The final decision rests upon your shoulders: will you become an awesome wizard afterall? [h1]Strong Points[/h1] + Tasteful humor. + Original storyline. + Steam Achievements. + Challenging gameplay. [h1]Weak Points[/h1] - Not enough diversity for certain assets. - No Steam Trading Cards yet. [b]Rating 75/100[/b] [quote]This article was submitted for [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/ImperialReviews]Imperial Reviews[/url] through the generous contribution of the game’s developer. Following my [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/25802515-Imperial-Reviews/]Curator Page[/url], will help me keep publishing new reviews as soon as I can. I appreciate your support![/quote]