Recent reviews by Slamoo

Why you reading? Just buy.

Another instance where I wish there was a "NEUTRAL" rating.

Don't let the negative review fool you. This is an enjoyable game. That is, if you're only interest is single player. It scratches that HoMM itch quite well and for an EA title, has had very few issues on my end.

The reason I am marking this as negative at this time is the MP. This is straight out of the mid 80s or 90s. If you intend to play any sort of MP at the moment, you will be locked out and staring at the screen until your turn comes around. Simultaneous turns would be an ideal implementation here but at the very least, being able to check your troops, buildings/upgrades, research, and/or magic quickslots would break up the tedium. If there is no plan for Simultaneous turns.. some sort of PBEM system would likely improve the longevity.

Being an EA title, there is also the issue of balancing. The AI naturally cheats as is the case in all these types of games. If you're going to play, I would advise "Easy" instead of the "Normal" option for the time being. On normal, the AI just runs circles around you're potential to snowball. Granted, I'm still learning and will likely improve my efficiency and better understand unit combos. Consider this a "pro-tip" instead of a complaint.

There's enough content to justify a $15-20 price tag at the moment. With the other planned content, I wouldn't hesitate to suggest the asking price of $30 (or $50 for the supporter pack). In the current state, there are limited campaign options, limited "official" skirmish maps, and 4 factions. Which is again, not a complaint but worth mentioning for potential buyers. On the plus side, the community has put the included map editor to work and there are a plethora of fan made maps to pad the current offerings. I've logged enough hours to feel like I've gotten my money's worth and am sure anybody would.

The art style is pixel graphics (which you can easily see from any of the screenshots/videos). This does lend to some inherent issues such as when you move a Wielder towards a pickup, it is above them and you run out of movement that turn, it will almost always be obscured by the model. A liberal use of (I think its the ALT key by default) is highly advised to avoid missing some of the items you intended to snag.

I'll be coming back to update this review as development continues. As things continue to get fleshed out, I'm confident this will move towards a more positive rating.

TLDR: Very positive review for single player. Mostly negative review for anything Multiplayer.

6/29 UPDATE:
The devs have added a roadmap which includes plans for Simultaneous Turns. This should improve the MP experience and I have updated my review to positive. Will update again once things start getting fleshed out and implemented.

Even though it is still fleshing out content, there is plenty here to sink your teeth into. If you liked the first, you'll (likely) like this installment. It will take some adjustments coming from the 2d to 3d, but after you retrain the brain.. it is more of the same.

It gets a thumbs up from me for now. I may do a more in-depth review later as things get more fleshed out.

This just ticks all the right boxes while also having some great atmosphere.

Don't think.. just buy and enjoy the suffering

Bonus.. Deus Vult
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj2HvGPv0XM

It's quirky, unrefined, and clunky in areas. This, however, does not take away from it being strangely addictive and potentially a great game.

PROS: Addictive gameplay ("One more door")
Unique concept

CONS: Game-breaking bugs still linger
ALOT of DLC
Saves can be iffy and runs can be long

There are some major bugs still lingering in multiplayer games which are game breaking. Most notably is the save functionality. Multiplayer saves seem to be more susecptible to the crippling breakage than singleplayer ones. The netcode can be sketchy at times, but overall functinal.


Final Verdict: Play it if you can snag the base game + most/all the dlc for under $5. With some polish it could be a funky little gem, but as it stands... you will be sore if you drop full price.

Probably the worst controls I've experienced in a game in the past 10 years. Mouse and keyboard support being an after thought and requires you put alot of self help into the game to learn to work around the nuances of a poor port. You will never be able to see what your mouse and keyboard binds are as all prompts are for the xbox controller. On its own.. this would be a minor gripe and not worth mentioning. However, there are glaring issues when using a mouse and keyboard that you will need to investigate to find rough workarounds to (IE, parry attacks using a mouse and keyboard are sketchy and it is best to simply rebind this solely to the keyboard). There are a list of other nuances, but this one stuck out particularly to me. Seeing as how it was going to be a chore to work around all the mouse/keyboard issues.. I got out my trusty dusty xbox controller to alleviate these worries. In this instance, at least the tutorial was helpful identifying the proper controls. However, severe input lag seemed to plague me and (being a spoiled master race gamer) the camera controls using a controller were simply wretched and painful.

In a game such as this where precision, timing, and reflexes are the bread and butter of the game.. having such glaring issues with either style of supported control scheme really turns what should have been a nail-biting, hard as hell, skill based game into a clunky mess. I'm sure given time, I could adapt and overcome these limitations, but I expect much more from a AAA release in such a basic level of game development. I'm sure some fanboys will come along to Praise the Sun and tell me to git gud, but it matters little to me. There are better games out there and I think I'll invest my time elsewhere.

Roguelike done right. Just play...and die..alot.

RATS RATS and MORE RATS!! If you were a fan of L4D or Dynasty Warriors... then this is the game you've been waiting for.

If those two games had a baby.. it would be this. Imagine the horde/special system from L4D series and the random loot from say Dynasty Warriors 3 boxes on the battlefield. Then you'd have a vague notion of what you're getting into.

There -is- a loot system but you should not go into this with a loot-minded mentality. It will only set you up for aggrivation currently. The loot system is still very much RNG-y and unless you got that magic mojo.. you can expect to be disappointed repeatedly. However that is a good thing because once you've earned your first "orange" or "red" weapon.. it makes that moment that much more memorable. The devs have made some good tweaks to the loot system and have some impending updates as well that will smooth things out abit.

All in all, despite early release bugs (most of which have been patched), this has been a fantastic trip down to rat town.

9/10 would throw barrels at Rat Ogre while yelling "Donkey Kong *****" again

Fallout 3.5 engine with a pretty lackluster storyline (thusfar). I'm holding out for a better storyline, but it functions just as well as a big ole sandbox (mostly). So even without a great story.. it will provide hours of entertainment in silly or maniacal exploits across the land.

7/10

FPS tower defense? Yes! You will either love or hate this blend of different game elements. There will be little to no middle ground.

Your "maze" and towers are primarily to support you in your fps activities. To funnel and weaken your enemies while you blast them down. That's a very basic breakdown of what to expect but it should provide insight as to whether you will enjoy this style of game.

This got my vote of confidence.