Wargroove: Fun Based Strategy Game, a Quick Review

Wargroove is a stylish turn-based strategy game with gorgeous pixel art visuals from developer Chucklefish.

Upon loading into Wargroove you are greeted with an anime cut scene that teases the rise to power of a young queen and her dog companion. Shortly thereafter we learn that Queen Mercia is forced to flee her home in the Cherrystone Lands and go on a pilgrimage to save her people and to reestablish her kingdom.

Combat in Wargroove.. #wargroove #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/naV7UV00LQ

— Robert (@fistfullofdice) January 30, 2019

While the game is visually stunning it isn't all flash and no substance. There is a compelling campaign with well-written characters that range from humorous to sullen, and righteous to shifty. There are also a number of optional side missions which progress individual character narratives outside the main story. These side missions once completed unlock options for you to play as different characters in the arcade mode.

Besides the main campaign, Wargroove has a number of ancillary systems as well. There is a map editor and campaign editor. As well as the ability to upload your maps and have other players take part in your content. This user-generated content could lead to Wargroove having a long tail for die-hard and casual fans alike. Online coop play will also be cross-platform between the PC, Xbox, and Switch.

Wargroove has everything you would expect from a strategy game. A large number of different units to select from each with there own strengths and weaknesses. Command units that have special abilities known as grooves that make them more than just another unit with higher than average defense and damage output. Wargroove by default can be a challenging game. Fortunately, Chucklefish built in a number of options to allow you to tune the difficulty of the game. From hardcore down to baby mode. I had to turn down the enemies' damage output on a few missions in order to complete them. 

My only real complaint about the game has to deal with the UI. When inspecting a unit it can be hard to tell what other units they are strong or weak against. This is the only time the game's art really works against it. The game also doesn't have any character development elements through experience gains or a skill improvement system. The only character progression is narrative. 

Combat and troop informatin. #wargroove #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/ccNauNE5cs

— Robert (@fistfullofdice) January 30, 2019

Due out February 1st for the XBox, PC, and Nintendo Switch. A PS4 port is set to follow sometime in the near future. This is one game I can say with certainty that if you are a fan of turn-based strategy or fantastic pixel art Wargroove is well worth your $20. If you are a fan of either Advanced Wars for the Gameboy Advanced of the Fire Emblem series you'll enjoy Wargoorve.

Score: 8 out of 10

A review key for the Nintendo Switch was provided by the Wargroove PR team.

Darksiders III: A Step Back for the Franchise

Like many of you, I've been patiently waiting for the release of Darksiders 3. For the longest time, I didn't think it would happen. With THQ's bankruptcy and the IP acquisition by Nordic. Then when I learned it would I was excited. I could patiently wait to see what the new developer would bring. But now that it has? I almost wish it hadn't.

To begin with the new Horseman, Fury, is a subpar character. It's like Gunfire Games went out of their way to make her unlikeable after giving her such an amazing new weapon. Sure these are the Horseman of the Apocalypse and not the nicest Nephilim on Earth but she comes off as the Starscream of the Decepticons. Whiney, petulant, and self-serving. She doesn't want to save her brothers out of any sense of familial responsibility. She wants to save them so she can be the boss.

It looks good at least #DarksidersIII #XboxShare pic.twitter.com/XxlLNFnJHw

— Robert (@fistfullofdice) November 26, 2018

This newest entry to the franchise undoes a lot of the improvements made in Darksiders 2 over the original. This game is less focused on finding new gear and weapons and powering them up. Instead, you'll focus on gaining new abilities.

The game also places a heavy emphasis on puzzle solving and platforming. However, some of the puzzles aren't intuitive and are just downright frustrating, not fun. Also in the early game, Fury's jumps are awkward and do not handle well. This takes what should be one of the highlights of the game, the environment, and makes it frustrating to navigate around in. 

It's not all doom and gloom though. One nice thing is that within the first few minutes of actual gameplay you'll be in your first boss battle. The bosses are not easy. Some of them are as much puzzle as they are combat. This boss immediately sets that tone.

The two things I enjoyed the most about the game was the aesthetics and Fury's chain swords. It looked like an evolution of the Darksiders Franchise. As soon as I hopped in I felt, yep, this is a Darksiders game. Also playing with the new chain weapon was a lot of fun over just the standard sword. Unfortunately, the rest of the experience didn't pan out. 

I played an advanced review copy on the XBox One X provided by the developer and the game suffered from unsteady frame rates. I also had the game crash after defeating a sin and I had to replay the entire stage, which while not too difficult is a bit of a gut punch. It goes from a triumphant to a defeated moment in the blink of an eye. Hopefully, this is something they can patch in the near future.

6/10

Dead Cells: I'm Up, I'm Dead, Let's Do it Again. A Quick Review

I hate to die in games. I know I'm not the only one that shares in this frustration. It's why I find my fascination with Motion Twins new roguelike platformer Dead Cells so interesting. It's a game where you have to die, and I've become okay with that.

#DeadCells #XboxShare pic.twitter.com/5e7Re8IFTO

— Robert aka Grakulen not @ GenCon, is in a basement (@fistfullofdice) August 4, 2018

Don't get me wrong. When I'm on a deep run and have collected 20 to 30 cells and assume I'm close to making it to the collector and die... well, that still pisses me off. But I find myself sucked back in each time.

From the Ramparts, we watch, what was so gallantly streaming (the banners).

The outstanding pixel art was the first thing that gripped me. The character model of the decapitated protagonist, the prisoner, is well designed; tall, slender, and graceful. The animations are fluid and add personality, even humor (wait until he flips you the bird). The stages are varied beginning with the prison. You'll traverse sewers, castle walls, and even fishing villages. The color palettes for each stage are varied and feel different from any place you've been before.

These sewers don't have sharks, but they do have scorpions!

Combat is fast, fluid, and smooth as glass. There are a variety of different weapons, from swords to bear traps, that let you fight in a myriad of different ways. Even with a lot of enemies on the screen and effects taking place the frame rate never fell. The controls are also precise. Even when double jumping through wide spaces I felt like I had control over where my character would land. Barrel rolling through enemies, throwing traps, and blocking with a shield all happened when I wanted them to.

Like any good roguelike once you die it's back to the beginning. Your mass of goop of a character will spawn back in the prison. The layout of the stages will change from the previous run. The only thing you'll keep is certain bonuses that you can buy from the collector, like the ability to use potions, or runes that you'll collect from killing minibosses, one of the earliest is a rune that allows you to grow vines to climb to higher areas. As you unlock these runes you'll also open up the ability to access different stages. Instead of going through a promenade you can cut through the sewers.

Mixing it up with the undead in prison.

You'll have competing interests as you progress through a stage. If you kill the bad guys you'll earn cells and coins. You can buy better weapons with the money. You can buy bonuses from the collector with the cells. As you make your way through a stage you don't have to kill the enemies, you pass by them and press on. The reason this is important is that some doors are locked on timers. Typically there is a lot of items stored in those rooms so you have to decide is it worth skipping enemies in hopes of finding one of these rooms or do you want to farm bad guys for gold? You can also discover plans for powerful weapons as drops from enemies that you then turn into the collector and have to unlock with cells. This sense of micro progression in each successive run keeps you invested each time you die even if you don't make it all the way to the end.

What Dead Cells lacks in story it makes up for in character. From the prisoner to the enemies to the NPC's you'll meet along the way. The game is gorgeous, the protagonist handles like a finely tuned machine, and the system never feels like it cheats you when you die. It is a solid platformer and a great roguelike.

Score 9/10 The game is Fantastic!


A review copy of Dead Cells for the XBox One was provided by Motion Twin's PR team.

Diablo 3 Headed to the Switch? Look for Blizzcon Announcement

Remember when Blizzard teased the world with this tweet?

Sweet dreams. pic.twitter.com/tZvCnjjzWb

— Blizzard Entertainment (@Blizzard_Ent) February 28, 2018

It's hard to believe but that was almost 6 months ago. Everyone at the time thought they knew what it meant, and they were probably right, they just were not clear on the timing.

Blizzcon is 90 days from now and I can state with some certainty that Diablo III on the Nintendo will be one of Blizzard's big announcements. Hopefully, it isn't THE big announcement or even the big Diablo announcement. Sure this game will sell, but at this point, I doubt even I would buy it. It would be awesome if the announcement tied in with a simultaneous release on the Nintendo eShop.

Hopefully, we will get some other news about a new Diablo game but other than the job postings I haven't heard any rumors about Diablo 4 or World of Diablo. However, I'll take bets that Nintendo Switch Diablo III will be part of the buzz.

The Banner Saga 3: A Quick Review

The Banner Saga 3 brings to close the epic tale steeped in Norse mythology that Stoic Studio began to spin with the original Banner Saga in 2014.

The end of the saga. #BannerSaga #BannerSaga3 #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/RwPf64TR90

— Robert 👾🎲🎮 aka Grakulen (@fistfullofdice) July 30, 2018

The Banner Saga trilogy has always struck me as a re-imagining of the schoolhouse classic Oregon Trail. Only instead of caulking the wagons and fording the river hoping not to drown or later down the road be killed by dysentery, you're pushing from one town to the next trying to outrun the darkness, and not be killed by the Dredge.

Your Banner grows long on the Oregon Viking Trail.

The Banner Saga 3 begins where your adventure in the Banner Sage 2 ended. While you can play Banner Saga 3 without having played any of the previous entries (there is a short catch up video you can watch) it's really not worth it. I'd recommend you wait until the Banner Saga Trilogy is released in a few days. The game does little in the way of world building and leans heavily on you having played the previous entries.

This is not Frozen the Tactical RPG.

The art style of the Banner Saga is fantastic. From the battle maps to the small vignettes that push the story forward. There is also active art that has slight movement to keep scenes from becoming stale while your characters converse.

Great animation style of vignettes.

Your choices in the Banner Saga 3 continue to have consequences that you'll be held accountable for later on, much like the earlier entries in the saga. To show mercy or to kill a rival? Whether to participate in a battle or not? The outcome is not always what you hoped it would be. This also offers a level of replayability to the game.

The majority of the game plays out with you either on the battlefield or caravanning across town or in the darkness. The caravanning aspect is why I always draw the parallel to the Oregon Trail. Along your way, you can meet people that can join as clansman or fighters. However, these choices will impact your moral and your food reserves. You don't always want to bring everyone along. Sometimes you'll also be forced to leave people behind to reinforce strategic positions.

In combat, you'll position your players along a square grid and attack your enemies with different skills based upon your class. Kill the enemies and earn renown. As you gain enough renown you can promote your characters. One of the key aspects of combat in Banner Saga is whether you attack your enemy and deal damage to their health or break their armor. If you choose to break their armor you can thenlaterr attack them with another character and deal more damage to their health than if both characters did normal attacks against a particular enemy.

Good luck trying to read that small black font on the red background in handheld mode.

For those of you that are going to play the Banner Saga 3 on the Nintendo Switch beware that their are some screens that are difficult to read in handheld mode. Take a look at the last screenshot for an example. Two other minor annoyances for all systems have to deal with the camera. The first being you cannot rotate the camera around the battlefield and this can make it annoying or even difficult to select a target or move without running over a hazard. The second is the camera isn't active and won't move to a character your enemy has targeted and chosen to attack. If you are looking at the wrong part of the screen you can miss it.

The Banner Saga 3 is a good tactical RPG and does a fine job closing out the Banner Saga. If you enjoyed the previous 2 games this is a definite purchase. If this game strikes your fancy but you haven't played any of the others yet wait a few days and pick up the trilogy instead.

7 out of 10.

A review copy of Banner Saga 3 was provided by Versus Evil's PR team for the Nintendo Switch.

Titan Quest: A Quick Review

Over the last 15 months, there have been almost 1000 games released on the Switch eShop. That's a staggering number. However, there is a drought of ARPGs. Blizzard teased Diablo and the other giant ARPG on the market, Path of Exile, is grinding away on the PC and XBox, but still, no mention if either is headed to Nintendo's knockout platform. That leaves Titan Quest uniquely positioned to take advantage of that genre gap.

#titanquest #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/KObipRC91D

— Robert 👾🎲🎮 (@fistfullofdice) July 26, 2018

Titan Quest isn't a new game. It is a refresh of the ARPG released all the way back in 2006. The problem is the game still feels like it is from 2006. That's not to say it's bad. It's just dated and it feels like an old game with a new coat of paint. Particularly when it comes to targeting enemies and player combat animations.

Most modern ARPG controls are intuitive. Sure there will be some special functions that are unique to the game but the ability to switch targets should be something easily done. I could never find this information in Titan Quest's tutorials or help functions. I had to search the internet to find if it was even possible. And before you say "Oh no Rob, you had to look something up on the internet!" yes I understand it wasn't that difficult to do, however; good games are designed well enough that I shouldn't have to. It turns out you can select a new target and you don't have to run away to do so. But it does require you to have to hold down your attack button and then push a direction with your left thumbstick and a wedge will appear highlighting an area. You can then rotate and select an enemy to target. It's not the most convenient.

Selecting new targets isn't as easy as a piece of pie.

The graphics look decent on the big screen, but they are clearly lacking modern textures. They look even better in handheld mode and the UI holds up. There are a lot of pop-ins though in handheld mode. I had a lot of "Oh look! How did that shrub just magically appear there?" moments. It definitely wasn't to scare the satyrs away because there are a ton of them. Waaaaaaaaaay too many in fact. They could rename the early stages of this game satyr quest because for the first two hours that feels like the only thing you kill.

Inventory Tetris engage!

When I first sat down to play Titan Quest I almost immediately regretted my decision. There was something just off about the game. After loading it back up and playing for a second, third, even sixth time (I know right? I guess it grew on me, or I wanted to see it threw to save you pain) it became quite evident the issue was the character animations. You swing at the enemies (satyrs) and you don't really connect with them but their health goes down. It just looked awkward.

I got the skills to pay the bills because this blog sure doesn't. :)

The game has all the tropes and trappings you'd expect in an ARPG: copious loot, deep skill system, a throwaway story. However, this one is based on human history and mythology. It even has local and online multiplayer which is great.

Overall though I can't escape the feeling that unless you are a gamer that is really jonesing for an ARPG on the Switch or you have fond nostalgic feelings for Titan Quest, in particular, you might be better served by passing on this game. For $20 it would probably be worth it but for $40 it's hard to recommend.  

6 out of 10. It's not bad, it's just meh. :|

A copy of this game as provided by THQNordiq's PR team.

Octopath Traveler: A Super Short Review

I have a soft spot in my heart for old school JRPGs. Final Fantasy IV, and VI, or II, and III as they were known then in the west, are two of my all time favorite gaming experiences. Heck, I even loved Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. I even have the SNES cartridges for them still. With that knowledge it should come as no surprise that I found the aesthetics of Octopath Traveler very intriguing when I first saw them on a teaser reel demonstrated when the Switch was being revealed.

Yep. I like Final Fantasy Mystic Quest. Fight me!

When Square Enix launched the first demo for Octopath Traveler I wrote a little post about it here. Turns out I nailed it when it came to the name. My first impressions carried forward too so if you want some more words go check it out. I love the art style. The pixel graphics are great. But make no mistake, this is NOT a retro art style. The particle effects employed by the Unreal Engine would bake your SNES. 

Not gonna lie. This boss took almost an hour to kill. I may have been under leveled. It was a pain in the ass. I didn't feel threatened like I would die. It only felt really, really bored.

Each character has their own unique style of fighting. After completing the first chapter for a character you'll find a shrine that will make their job available as a support job for another character. This ability to mix and match will make sure that you can get all 8 unique combat styles in a fight with only four playable characters. One of the first jobs I unlocked was the scholar so I could inspect enemy weaknesses and break their armor.

Combat in Octopath Traveler takes place in turn based battles. While JRPGs started to employ active time battle systems in the 90s there is none of that here. Enemies have armor that is represented by a shield and are weak to certain attacks. Hit them with their weaknesses and eventually their armor will break. Breaking the armor of bosses later in the game will become paramount to your tactics. It will interrupt their most powerful abilities. Left alone these attacks could wipe out your party. 

The biggest criticism against Octopath Traveler is that there does not appear to be a singular unifying big bad that threatens the world and pulls all the characters together. Frankly I don't find that the game needs one. It's refreshing to take control of these 8 different characters and see the world through their perspective and deal with problems that are important to them. Not everything has to be of such proportions that it threatens the world's existence to make you want to get off the couch and do something about it.

It's great. 9/10.

Phase Pine

I posted the Reaping Willow on reddit and received some great feedback. One of the redditors, however, was sad that I didn't make a single kite joke.

Challenge accepted!

Phase Pine

The Phase Pine is a mythical tree notorious for causing mischief across the planes. This trickster can be found in all different climates and usually stands out for its odd placement. The Phase Pine teleports to the middle of large open fields. Its goal is to capture children’s kites. It does this through a combination of smart placement and innate magic that acts as a magnet for these airborne objects. This magnetic pull appears to unsuspecting children as a light breeze. After the tree has captured its fill of kites (no more than 3 or 4) it will teleport to its next location before the local adult population becomes wise to its presence.

I never said I could draw.

Phase Pine
Large Plant, Chaotic good

Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points  138  (12d12 + 60)
Speed 30 ft.

STR     DEX   CON     INT      WIS     CHA
23(+6)  8(-1)   23(+5)   12(+1)  16(+3)  12(+1)

Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing
Damage Vulnerabilities: fire
Senses: passive Perception 13
Languages: Common. Druidic, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge: 9

False Appearance: While the Phase Pine remains motionless it appears as a normal pine tree.

Actions

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 16 (3d6+6) bludgeoning damage.

Phase (1/Day). Once a day the Phase Pine can teleport anywhere in the known multiverse as long as it is an open, sunny, field. It will do this immediately if engaged in combat.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

System Reference Document 5.0 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

The Phase Pine Author: Robert Lashley. © 2018 Moon Sea Studios, LLC.

The Reaping Willow

The other day while commuting to work I listened to Dragon Talk, the official Dungeons and Dragons podcast. It was not a recent episode. It was probably from December at the earliest. During the "Lore You Should Know" segment resident D&D lore expert Matt Sernett, @sernett on twitter, expressed his displeasure for monstrous trees. That got my mental gears going and I created this goof on the fly. So thanks Matt for planting the seed of creation in my mind and that seed giving birth to this gem, or is that mixing my metaphors and I should say sapling? Regardless, at least it's not a wandering cactus. You're welcome!

Reaping Willow

A tall slender tree that can reach upwards of 40 feet with a lifespan of 125 to 150 years. This deciduous tree can be found in temperate climates but can also thrive in arid soil. The Reaping Willow uses it's long tendril like branches to ensnare unsuspecting victims and wrap them into a cocoon. These tendrils have an extremely high tensile strength yet are susceptible to being severed by sharp objects. If an animal is ensnared and tries to resist by pulling away from the tree it risks severing their appendage before it could possibly break the willow's limb. Once encased a food source is slowly broken down by the acidic excretions in the willow's limbs. After all the soft tissue has been completely digested the bones are absorbed into the trunk and become a part of the tree's structure. The Reaping Willow is non ambulatory and depends on catching it's prey through the element of surprise. This carnivorous plant is opportunistic and will eat any animal that it is capable of laying a branch on. While it prefers to prey on small mammals, birds, and reptiles the Reaping Willow will eat a humanoid if it is desperate, and lucky enough, to catch one.

Courtesy of Getty Images and a few filters.

Reaping Willow
Large Plant, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points  103  (15d10 + 20)
Speed 0 ft.

STR     DEX   CON     INT   WIS     CHA
16(+3)  8(-1)   14(+2)   3(-4)  12(+1)  12(+1)

Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing
Damage Vulnerabilities: slashing, fire
Senses: passive Perception 14
Languages: -
Challenge: 3

Actions

Multiattack. The Reaping Willow makes two attacks per turn. If successful on the first Snare attack it will attempt to Encase its victim. If unsuccessful it will attempt to snare the victim again. The Reaping Willow can have up to 6 targets encased at once.

Snare. Melee weapon attack. +5 to hit. Reach 30 feet. 1 target. Hit 12 (2d8+3) slashing damage. If a character is successfully hit they are knocked prone and suffer from being grappled.

Encase. Melee weapon attack. +5 to hit. Reach 30 feet. 1 target. Target must be grappled. Hit 12 poison (2d8+3) damage. The Reaping Willow is starting to digest the target. The target will continue to be encased until they makes a successful DC 10 (strength) check on their turn. Each round after the creature has been encased it will take an additional 12 (2d8+3) until it is freed or dead. This does not count as an action by the Reaping Willow.

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

System Reference Document 5.0 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

The Reaping Willow Author: Robert Lashley. © 2018 Moon Sea Studios, LLC.

Project Octopath Traveler: What’s In A Name?

Earlier this year, before the release of the Switch, Nintendo and Square Enix teased everyone with a snippet of information about a new Switch exclusive RPG from the venerable game developer. The only thing I could take away at the time was the game had an interesting 16bit era aesthetic and one weird name. Project Octopath Traveler. What kind of name is that?

Turns out it might not be much of a name at all. After the recent Nintendo direct on Wednesday (9.13.17 for those of you reading this far, far into the future) a demo of Project Octopath Traveler was released on the eShop. We also found out that POT is just a working title. But that doesn’t mean it can’t stick around. It really just alludes to what happens in the game.

You can start your adventure as one of 8 different characters. In the demo you can only choose from 2, Olberic the knight, and Primrose the dancer. Eventually each of these characters will meet up and tell a larger tale but in the demo you only experience the introductory chapters of these characters. So now at least we understand the “Octo”.

Each of the characters also have their own path ability. Olberic can challenge people to a duel. If he is victorious he is rewarded with experience and items. Primrose can charm people and move them around the screen. She can also call them in for an assist during combat. Both of these abilities are handy if a NPC is blocking your character from going through a door or hallway. That clears up the whole “path” thing.

The last one is easy. They travel. So Project Octopath Traveler has gone from one of the most convoluted names to being right on the nose. They are also going to distribute a survey and solicit feedback from players. This really is a game still in development and because of that we won’t see it until later in 2018. I for one can wait because this was a really solid demo.

The pixel art is top notch and combat abilities are enhanced with modern particle effects for a truly dynamic look. The developers also use a field of focus technique which places your character and the center of the screen sharply in focus while leaving the outlying areas of the screen fuzzy, much like a high end portrait effect. This leaves the game with a mash up of old school and new school art for a look that is truly its own.

Combat is turn based with a focus on tactics. After each turn you’ll earn a point that you can use to buff your following attack. Attacks and abilities can also be buffed more than just once. If you have 4 points you can use 4 points to make your attack stronger. You can accumulate up to 5 of these points. The question is do you use one each turn or do you stack them? Each enemy also has a certain level of guard before they are weakened. You’ll have to find the type of attack that lowers their guard. Some enemies are weak to spears, others to swords, while others are strong against both but weak to magic. Typically it works best if you break your opponent's guard and then then unleash powerful abilities that you spend points on to buff to the max, but sometimes you can’t wait long enough to build up max points before you have to break your enemies guard. It sounds suboptimal but sometimes the other alternative is your character's death.

The only thing I didn’t like about POT was by the time I reached the first boss I was underleveled and had to grind. I’m hopeful by the time the game is released you don’t have to level grind just to fight the first boss. Other than that minor annoyance if you love RPGs and have a Nintendo Switch you should download this demo as soon as possible.

Kamiko: The Best $5 You'll Spend on the Nintendo eShop

The Switch has fast become my favorite mobile game device of all time. Apart from the design of the hardware the flow of indies that are releasing on the device have made it my go to console. The most recent gem to be released is KAMIKO, and for $5 it's money well spent.

Developed by FlighHigh Works in KAMIKO you'll play as one of three princesses. Yamato with her two handed sword, Uzume with a bow and arrow, or Hinome with her sword and shield. You'll lead your princess through a series of 4 stages. In each stage you'll unlock for shrines. Once the shrines are unlocked you'll be able to encounter the final boss of a stage.

As you make your way through each stage enemies will be spawned when you reach certain trigger points. You can move in and out of areas to spawn waves of enemies to fill a blue resource you collect by killing them. This blue energy is used to break seals on treasure chests and other secrets and locks you'll encounter throughout the game.

Each stage has a number of puzzles which aren't overly difficult but offer a slight challenge. The main draw to the game is the aesthetics and the level design. You'll probably be able to beat the game in under 2 hours your first time through. This game invites you to play again and again to improve your time. If you were never interested in speed running before KAMIKO just might be the first game to scratch that itch. Apparently some players have the game down to 15 minutes already. It's pretty amazing.

The main draw for KAMIKO is its gorgeous pixel aesthetics and serene music score. It's also a very approachable adventure game that offers mild challenges while not being overly difficult. I even managed to miss a power up along the way and I thought I had checked every nook and cranny. While KAMIKO may be lacking a bit of depth you get what you pay for with this title and $5 dollars is definitely worth 2 hours of fun. 

8/10

If I Were the Nintendo Strategy King For a Day

We are about 6 weeks into the life span of the Nintendo Switch and I’m really enjoying it so far. Sure it has its warts but what system doesn’t? One thing I’m doing more than I thought I would is playing the system in handheld mode. I’ve played it in parks, hotel bars, and even an airplane. I’ve inadvertently turned into a Switch evangelist with my love for Zelda and how well Nintendo pulled off a mobile console that allows for deep meaningful game play heretofore unheard of.

Along the way it did something else. It ruined the 3DS for me. I mean just flat, “I don’t want to play on it anymore.” It’s a shame too because there are some gems of games on there. It’s like intentionally handicapping myself. Why would I want to? And it’s not just that the games don’t look as good. I do play retro games so that has only marginal impact on me. [Heck I even hosted a retro MMO gaming series for MMORPG.com before retro gaming was cool.] It’s just not as complete of a gaming experience and I can now have complete gaming experiences on the go.

The Neon One is All the Rage

I’m now going to put on my corporate strategist hat and talk about what I would do if I was left to set the strategy for big N for the next few years. They may even have a plan like this in place already and just aren’t ready to talk about it (I’d put money on it they do). But regardless, this is what would happen under my watch.

First I’d sunset the 3DS. As part of this process I’d evaluate all the first party games that are currently in development and see if they could pivot to Switch. If they couldn’t transition and we still had a projected return on investment, I’d continue the production on the 3DS version and release it if they could come out before the end of 2019. If development could make the pivot, I’d have the game release on the Switch.

I’d notify all third party developers that we planned on discontinuing production of the 3DS by the end of 2019. They in turn could continue to make new games for the 3DS (and with a giant install base that could be very possible) but that as a company Nintendo would shift their sites solely on the Switch.

Production would cease on all new 3DS (and 2DS) devices during the middles of 2019. I don’t know how quickly the inventory on a DS churns so I can’t say and exact date here. I would make sure that Nintendo produced enough retailers could have inventory to make it through the holiday season but not so many that there would be any left going into 2020.

To correspond with the sunset of the DS system of devices we’d announce the Switch 2.0. This would have an improved processor, better battery life, and increased internal memory. The increases of each would match the curve of the increase in technology. I would speculate that there would be at least 128g of internal memory and battery life would see a 10 - 20% increase. The target price for this console would still be $299.99. Switch 1.0 would have a price reduction to $199.99. This would align it with the current price of the New Nintendo 3DS.

From this point Nintendo should plan on releasing a new Switch every 24 months. The new Switches would release at roughly a $299.99 price point and push the previous switch to a $199.99 or possibly even $149.99 price point. If stock was still available from two generations previous that would be discounted to $99.99 creating three distinct price points for consumers to gain access to the Switch.

Peripherals for the different versions of the Switch would stay consistent across the generations. While the screen size of the Switch might grow (Think Galaxy or iPhone + size compared to their base model) Joy-Cons would still attach to them on the side like they do the current Switch. Sure this might make for some interesting aesthetics but it insures that consumers feel safe buying expensive peripherals and don’t have to worry about buying into an entirely new ecosystem every two years. It would also allow Nintendo to continue to create colored variants and themed Joy-Cons and controllers and consumers maintain that higher level of comfortability that these devices wouldn’t be out dated in the next 18 months.

Because of the continuity with peripherals it would also open up the avenue to only sell the tablet portion of the Switch to consumers as an upgrade. This creates an ideal win / win for Nintendo and the customers because Nintendo could sell the upgrade at a reduced cost i.e. $250 or even $230 which would have a higher average revenue per unit that if Nintendo sold the tablet with Joy-Cons at the $300 SKU. It would allow the consumer to purchase just the tablet if that’s all they wanted and save money in the process. Everyone is happy.

Nintendo could also realize giant costs savings in manufacturing and development by moving to one ecosystem and no longer having to split their focus between the two. The virtual console could also be used to make beloved 3DS games available on the Switch, albeit with slight modifications to work on a single screen.

This Switch is doing things we haven’t seen since the Wii. It’s crossing demographic lines. I’ve seen a lady buy one for her three-year-old son. I’ve also bought one at the store for my mother. Demographics that don’t typically appeal to the PC, Xbox, or PS gamer. With an entry point of $99 I believe this could become one of the greatest selling consoles of all time easily giving the Wii a run for its money. It might take a decade or two but it could even catch up to the DS or PS2.

You may be looking at my website right now and confusing it with a Nintendo fan site. I really couldn’t blame you for that because of all the content surrounding the Switch. But hey, it’s the hot new thing so of course I’m going to talk about it. It’s what gets me excited. Just ask my wife. Don’t worry though. I’ll get back into other stuff soon enough. I plan on putting up and Orcs Must Die Unchained video later this week. Until then.

The Talented Mr. Shifty

Hey everyone. Here is my video review of Mr. Shifty for the Nintendo Switch.

Enjoy!

For those that just like scores I gave it a 7 out of 10.