Tag: Card game »

Steam Link Spotlight is a feature where we look at PC games that play exceptionally well using the Steam Link app. Our last entry was XCOM: Chimera Squad. Read about how it plays using Steam Link's new mouse and keyboard support over here.

For this entry, I took a look at a fascinating game about communication. Signs of the Sojourner by Echodog Games examines how traveling and connecting with other people can change you in the process. While this has been explored in plenty of other games and media before, what's remarkable about Signs of the Sojourner is how it translates this message so elegantly through simple card game mechanics.

If you’ve been following 148Apps.com for a while, chances are you’ve seen me talk about Faeria. I reviewed it when it initially came out on iOS, and again when The Adventure Pouch: Oversky came out. I also put the game on my best games of 2017 list.

It may go without saying that I really, really like Faeria. Its mix of turn-based strategy and collectible card-battling is unique, and the game itself is gorgeous. Since its release, I don’t think I’ve played a card game that grabbed me in quite the same way.

TEPPEN’s unique take on the collectible card game genre is exciting. It’s just over a week old, but that isn’t stopping lots of folks from speculating about the long-term viability of the game, as well as changes and additions that will happen over time.

In the days since release, though. One thing is becoming clear. TEPPEN’s first set of top tier decks have emerged, and boy are they dominant. In checking out any community talking about TEPPEN, there are three main deck types that anyone is talking about, and it’s because they’re extremely powerful, to the point that many think some rebalancing is in order. See below for which decks we’re talking about:

TEPPEN is a wild game that nobody asked for, but I’m sure glad it exists. Who would’ve thought that a CCG featuring Capcom characters could be so cool and weird?

In case you’re not completely sure what TEPPEN is, make sure to check out our review where we explain this wacky game. Then, come back here for some beginner tips that might help you as you start playing the game.

Void Tyrant is a card-based dungeon-crawler that doesn’t fit in the mold of other games in the genre. Between the Blackjack-style combat and strange gear system alone, you’re left to your own devices to figure out how best to use everything to your advantage to go on a deep run.

It doesn’t have to be this way though! I’ve been playing Void Tyrant constantly both before and after release. Here are some good general tips I’ve learned after many, many hours with the game:

Slow down

Battles can take a long time in Void Tyrant. Even with all the animation and dialogue skip options turned on, everything in the game can feel like it plods along. This is especially true if you’re in a rush to get back to where you died on your last run. Because of this, it can be tempting to try and minimize combat time by tapping quickly through turns.

Avoid doing this at all costs! It’s so easy to make a careless mistake if you’re just trying to rush things along, and a single bad turn can end your run. Always check to see what your opponent has, what cards you can potentially play, and what you can afford to discard before deciding to hit or stand. Taking the time to do this will let you make much better decisions and—believe it or not—allow you to progress more efficiently.

Use ‘em if you’ve got ‘em

On any given run in Void Tyrant, you’ll likely get some consumable cards added to your deck. These special cards usually do not cost much EP to play, with the downside being they disappear from your deck when you use them.

You may be tempted to save and use these cards for when they could really make a difference (i.e. a boss fight), but that is potentially dangerous. As great as consumable cards are, they bloat your deck and make it less consistent. They could even lead to your downfall if you just hang on to too many of them for too long. Instead, just use consumables whenever they seem helpful, and your deck will stay lean and mean (not to mention that you'll also be alive).

Managing EP

Your energy—or EP—in Void Tyrant is perhaps the most valuable resource you have. It lets you pick and play all kinds of cards that can let you overcome the variability of the base combat system.

You should use this resouce as early and often as it is available, but you also shouldn’t squander it. This is to say you should never try to be “saving” EP, but you also should only spend it on cards that will actually give you an advantage in the moment. This might mean discarding more than just the one free discard you get on a turn to find exactly what you’re looking for.

If you do this, you’ll win a lot more rounds of combat, which restores your EP meter with every hit. Whenever things turn south, always remember you can play conservatively and defend against attacks, which allows you to earn back a good chunk of 10 EP.