Developer: Manalith Studios
Publisher: DANGEN Entertainment
Genre: Mystery Dungeon, Tactical RPG, Old School, RPG,
Where to buy: Steam!
Release Date: April 27th 2023
Price: $24.99
Card games are beloved by many people; whether it’s the excitement of opening booster packs or trying out a new deck, there are numerous facets to what makes them so interesting. Cards have been employed as a tool to test out novel gameplay mechanics in the world of video games, particularly independent games, with varying degrees of success.
Manalith Studios’ Dungeon Drafters, a roguelike that notably draws inspiration from the Mystery Dungeon series, aims to merge the greatest elements of card games and roguelike gameplay. Combining these two ideas could be a winning strategy, but there’s also a chance that something might be lost in the mix.
You may choose from six characters at the start of Dungeon Drafters, and each has a different beginning deck. You can better comprehend the four archetypes by using this deck as your starting point. Each archetype basically has a distinct playstyle, and while your pick puts you on a particular course, you are free to experiment as much as you wish with them as you collect additional cards. For instance, green ‘Traveler’ cards frequently affect your mobility during combat, blue ‘Oracle’ cards specialize in inflicting indirect damage, and yellow ‘Warden’ cards concentrate more on defense and healing. Red ‘Raider’ cards, on the other hand, tend to focus on doing direct damage.
No matter the archetype, there are hundreds of different combinations to experiment with that give you plenty of room to practice making original combos. A single-floor beginning dungeon is the ideal location for experimenting in addition to the bigger dungeons. The game offers plenty of useful and beneficial information for those who are unfamiliar with the genre, even if it is the perfect plaything for everyone who enjoys card games. You can understand the rules with only a button or click because there are many carefully prepared tool tips and a very user-friendly UI.
It’s time to enter the dungeons after building your deck. Outside of battle, you are free to move and attack, but as soon as you come into contact with a group of adversaries, you are thrust into a turn-based battle. You must carefully consider your alternatives when faced with an unfamiliar opponent because each turn only allows you three movements.
Like in a game of chess, one false move might put you in a sticky predicament, and because dying returns you to the hub and destroys whatever riches you may have acquired, you really can’t afford to be reckless. As a result, the game becomes extremely difficult, however most of the time, errors are due to strategy rather than unfair methods.
In Closing:
It features all of the hallmarks that classic tile based tactical rpg fans love from games of yesterday/today that offer a timeless experience, of which gamers will find a unique and fun experience under the pages of this thick volume of game play. From the colorful, beautiful sprite work on display, you feel a craft of love went into this project. From the original kick starter beginnings, to its Itch.io life in demo form. If you love Shiren the Wanderer, or Rogue based games, then this one will touch your heart, and fingertips!
