![]() Cog-based cards can only be played if you have the number of cogs displayed on the card itself, with multi-target or extremely powerful cards usually boasting three-to-four cogs. Cards are split into basic and cog-based types, with basic cards usually possessing a simplistic function in addition to adding a cog (in layman’s terms, a mana point) to a meter that appears in combat. This is largely due to balance considerations, but the specific amounts of each card often say a great deal about their nature and function. Each of the three active party members must have exactly eight cards equipped, though any and all card types come in very limited reserve. ![]() If you’re a fan of any sort of trading card game, you’ll immediately appreciate the deck-building mechanics of Hand of Gilgamech. Though you’ll spend a great deal of your time exploring these areas, combat is the primary draw of the game (no pun intended, I swear), and it is sublime. Likewise, the few puzzles that exist within these dungeons- usually symbol or switch-based, nothing too extreme- become much easier and accessible on a repeat showing. The game alerts you of the chapter completion rate after you’ve taken down the boss or when you’re on the chapter select screen, and although it’s a bit of a bummer to see you’ve missed a certain percentage of goods (which is how the completion rate is calculated, meaning you’ll have to keep in mind the number of chests you uncovered beforehand, as well) the levels breeze by much faster on a second run due to your familiarity with the environments. These either contain resources that are useful for crafting or upgrading new cards, or actual rare cards themselves. What further compounds playtime are the many hidden chests scattered throughout each map. Even so, it’s not hard to get lost, and you’ll usually know where you’re headed and what routes are available thanks to the small, but unobtrusive minimap. This length is mostly due to the non-linearity of the environments- depending on the room layout, there can be multiple exits and routes to take in order to find what you’re looking for. While some of these chapters are longer than others, there’s no doubt that they’re all substantial in length, usually taking anywhere from 45-60 minutes to complete. Despite the world itself being segmented into chapters, most dungeons will begin in a condensed or roped-off room that mimics the end point of the previous chapter, which results in a nice, cohesive feel. Many of these dungeons contain some classic SteamWorld looping routes, which essentially means that it isn’t difficult to backtrack through them due to convenient shortcuts or very deliberate pacing. It’s a formula that echoes the nature of titles like Paper Mario and Child of Light, though the hallway-like terrain of the environments seems more similar to the former. Enemies will often crowd these narrow passages, and coming in contact with them will initiate turn-based, deck-building combat. Hand of Gilgamech has players controlling three playable characters as they traverse a series of interlinked, diorama-like environments that act as chapter-based dungeons. In typical Image and Form… form, SteamWorld Quest shows that this incredible team is more than capable of tackling an all new genre while adding their own unique flair in several places. Ironically enough, the title, which was originally designed to be a a red herring name for SteamWorld Dig 2, went unnoticed for a while until Hand of Gilgamech was revealed in all its copper and cog-studded glory only a few months prior to this review. After all, SteamWorld Heist isn’t necessarily a title that conjures images of turn-based strategy. When rumors of SteamWorld Quest first began rumbling about thanks to keen eyes noticing a trademark registration, there was a great deal of speculation as to what the nature of the game could be. ![]() SteamWorld Heist, their take on 2D Strategy, is proof that the team knows how to make unique character archetypes, all while sticking to their trademark steampunk aesthetic. ![]() While Dig and Dig 2 are action platformers at their core, Image and Form is no stranger to numbers crunching and more methodical, nuanced gameplay. Although the Swedish development studio burst onto the scene proper with SteamWorld Dig in 2013, even their DSiWare title SteamWorld Tower Defense is a great example of their ability to hone positive feedback loops and apply them to any genre. Over the past decade, Image and Form games has set an extremely high bar for themselves, with a quartet of titles boasting addictive gameplay and aesthetic charm. ![]()
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