‘Hoard’ Review: Skip It, Even For Free

Putting it mildly, “Hoard” is a badly worded love letter to the era of tabletop RPGs. There’s definitely a lot of care that went into making this game, but none of that manages to make it any fun.

“Hoard” is a tabletop action-strategy game made by indie developer Big Sandwich Games Inc. Originally released back in 2010 on PSN, it is one of three free games available this month on Playstation Plus for PS3 owners.

In “Hoard,” the main objective is to terrorize the map as a dragon. Players fly around, breathe fire, fight off knights, and cause havoc to collect gold and kidnap princesses; the sort of medieval storybook goodness we all grew up with as kids, with a twist: you’re the bad guy.

The game says it features four different game modes, but they’re really all the same. The highlight is that these can either be played independently or with friends, provided you find anyone willing to play. The primary mode, Treasure, has players collect gold from the various villages, castles, and towers that exist all over the map. Treasure is then split into three subcategories: Survival (collect as much treasure until you die), Co-Op (players share one pile of gold instead of having their own), and Princess Rush (players race to see who can create the higher number of damsels-in-distress in the allotted time period).

These can all be played across 20 different maps, though it’s doubtful anyone would take the time to experience them all as it doesn’t really change much of anything. The problem with the game lies at the core of its gameplay, rather than the superficial appearance of the map.

Dull as it may be, this game does contain a little something in its favor. By collecting more and more gold, players have access to a fair amount of powers and upgrades that allow them to customize their dragon based on their desired play style. This strategic underbelly is probably the most compelling argument for playing, if there’s any reason at all.

Simply put, “Hoard” exists as a missing link between video games and tabletop RPGs in a world that doesn’t necessarily need one. With countless games that replicate a similar template and do so much more with the concept, it lives alongside its much more successful brethren destined to be overlooked just as it had been when it was originally released.

Had the game come out earlier in the PS3’s lifespan or perhaps even before it, “Hoard” might have been more successful. However this day in age, it’s just another game to mull over and then ultimately skip, even for free.