Combining elements from “Pokemon†and Hearthstone†is Counterplay Games’ “Duelyst,†a tactical RPG with staying power that feels more like a portable game for its accessibility and addictiveness, but ultimately has the depth and polish to make any PC gamer happy.
Card-collecting games have been done to death, but where “Duelyst thrives is a rich art style and over 300 units to battle with, making for a deep tactical RPG experience. With so many combinations of troops, it’s easy to be an individual and create wild teams. While each faction has characters that are specific to them, there are a plethora of unaligned or neutral characters that you can add. While battling in “Duelyst†is fun, there’s just as much fun to be had when creating your deck.
Regardless, the real meat of the game are in the battle modes. Described by Counterplay Games CEO Keith Lee as a variety of “Holo Chess,†from “Star Wars,†“Duelyst†battles take just a few minutes to complete, but are frenetic and fierce. It also helps that there’s a story here and the wars raging between the factions has a lineage and clear purpose. Obviously to be fleshed out more int he future, “Duelyst†has plenty of room to grow, but the foundation is already present in the gameplay engine.
Adding daily challenges and several different modes of play and “Duelyst†is able to connect you for just a few minutes at a time, or even a few hours. Thanks to that accessibility, it’s a wonderful game that deserves a release on the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS as well.
The Good:
Strategic Action: The characters all play different and their actions, every one, matter. That’s exactly what you want from a tactical RPG.
Tons of Characters: With over 300 units, it’s a blast to put a deck together and enjoy the possibilities.
Awesome Art: From the hand-drawn characters during cut-scenes to the 16-bit sprites, there’s a lot to like visually in “Duelyst.”
The Bad:
Not Much Explanation of Unit Powers: Although it’s easy to jump in and play, there’s not much in way of getting to know the power of your units before you employ them although you can see the damage their cause before you attack, it would be more useful to see their strengths and weaknesses while assembling your deck.
Final Thoughts:
With plenty to see and do, “Duelyst” is a catchy and charismatic card game that begs to take the show on the road. Although a great addition to anyone’s PC or Mac game collection, seeing it on the PlayStation Vita or 3DSÂ is an exciting notion.
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