User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 69 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 69
  2. Negative: 8 out of 69

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  1. Oct 27, 2015
    10
    A turn-based battle of wizards! Slay dragons! Summon the hydra! This is Chaos Reborn.
    Updated for version 1.00.
    Summary: Fast-Paced Wizard Chess With RNG You start in an arena with one to three other wizards. You have one of several staffs and a plethora of spells. You can summon hordes of creatures and send them into battle while you support them with your magic. Or cast Divine
    A turn-based battle of wizards! Slay dragons! Summon the hydra! This is Chaos Reborn.
    Updated for version 1.00.

    Summary: Fast-Paced Wizard Chess With RNG
    You start in an arena with one to three other wizards. You have one of several staffs and a plethora of spells. You can summon hordes of creatures and send them into battle while you support them with your magic. Or cast Divine Blade, hop aboard a manticore, and challenge the enemy wizards in personal combat. You can bluff by summoning creatures as illusions. Entrap hostile monsters with the gooey blob. Singe your opponent's eyebrows with a magic bolt. There is a great deal of strategy involved, but luck also plays a big role in the game, making every match unique.

    The Luck Factor
    Every spell you cast has a percent chance to succeed. Every attack you make has a percent chance to kill. There are no hit points in Chaos Reborn. An action is either wildly successful or a dismal failure. This makes for exciting swings in fortune! One moment you might be sitting on top of the world because you've cornered your opponent with a sapphire dragon, unicorn, and giant spider. Suddenly, your opponent's magic bolt kills your spider, your opponent runs the unicorn through with her sword, and your opponent's rat somehow manages to slay your dragon (an 8% chance!). Now you're on the back foot and have to do some fast thinking to salvage the situation.

    The luck factor can create some ridiculously funny situations in Chaos Reborn. My most fun and memorable games have involved wild swings in fortune. That being said, careful planning is still a very important aspect of the game. You must be constantly aware of your chances, maximize your odds, and prepare a backup plan in case lady luck doesn't go your way. Bluffing can also help control the influence of luck. (See below.)

    Bluffing!
    Although all spells have a percent chance to fail, you can choose to cast any creature as an illusion and automatically be successful 100% of the time. An illusion behaves precisely like a "real" creature: it can attack, defend, fly, and carry you around on its back if it is a mount. But perhaps an enemy wizard suspects that huge dragon you summoned last turn is an illusion. He casts Disbelieve on your dragon and it vanishes in a puff of smoke. That's the downside to using illusions. If the dragon had been real, the Disbelieve spell would have failed and your opponent would have wasted his turn! If you are a great bluffer, you can probably get away with summoning lots of illusory creatures. If you are a very perceptive person you can probably deduce which creatures your opponents have summoned as illusions and Disbelieve them!

    Graphics
    I am a big fan of the graphics in this game. The art direction is distinctive and avoids the typical visual cliches associated with well-known fantasy creatures like unicorns and dwarves. Spells and creatures identifying with the concept of Law tend to have cool colors and a rigid crystalline appearance. Spells and creatures identifying with the concept of Chaos tend to have warm colors and an "entropic" aesthetic. If you like unique art direction, you will love this. If you prefer predictable visuals that you can easily associate with character models from other games, this will probably not be your cup of tea.

    More to Come!
    There is a great deal more to be added in the coming months. There will be a social rank system with orders (guilds), demi-gods, and gods. Have you ever wanted to be a God? Well start gathering your worshipers because you will have that chance in Chaos Reborn!

    What the Game Is Not
    Some folks seem to be under the impression that this is a deck-building game similar to Magic: the Gathering. It really isn't. Chaos Reborn does not have thousands of spells to choose from, and you will probably never have full control over the "deck" of spells that you bring into duels.

    While this game is clearly a "10" for me, I also realize it is not for everybody. If you do not like turn-based games, or you dislike random number generator mechanics, this game might not be your cup of tea.
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  2. Oct 27, 2015
    10
    It's a must have for turn based games lovers. Fun and very polished, and without nasty micro-transactions.
    With a price under 20$ it's one of the best value-per-dollar games out there.
  3. Oct 27, 2015
    10
    An exceptional game of turn-based tactics, built around a unique mechanic of casting creatures and other magical spells to combat other wizards, where you control and influence casting chance and even whether to deceive your opponents using illusions. Robust multiplayer options, plus a solid single player experience give this game enormous longevity. This is from the same designer as theAn exceptional game of turn-based tactics, built around a unique mechanic of casting creatures and other magical spells to combat other wizards, where you control and influence casting chance and even whether to deceive your opponents using illusions. Robust multiplayer options, plus a solid single player experience give this game enormous longevity. This is from the same designer as the original X-Com game, and he knows how to design compelling games that you'll be playing years from now. Highly recommended. Expand
  4. Oct 27, 2015
    9
    Just a great game and I hope more people discover it. My only complaint is that as someone who likes a solid single player experience I would prefer if it had a properly scripted campaign on top of everything else. However, I don't think even this would matter to 90% of players.
  5. Oct 27, 2015
    10
    Turn based tactics game with a very unique game system that's designed for easy to get into, fast playing turn based fun! Comes with a well balanced multiplayer pvp mode and a single player mode that lets you explore realms created by the snap shot company as well as community members.

    Alot of online based systems that makes playing the game a blast whether pvp or coop. There is a coop
    Turn based tactics game with a very unique game system that's designed for easy to get into, fast playing turn based fun! Comes with a well balanced multiplayer pvp mode and a single player mode that lets you explore realms created by the snap shot company as well as community members.

    Alot of online based systems that makes playing the game a blast whether pvp or coop. There is a coop system that is darksoulesque (ally/invader function) it really is the closest thing you'll get to xcom meets dark souls which is a combination i never thought would be so awesome!

    Check it out!
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  6. Oct 30, 2015
    10
    This game is an absolutely fantastic hybrid of Heathstone, Xcom, Final Fantasy and Poker (mostly poker). Like Poker, it is a game of chance that has the base mechanic heavily steeped in RNG. However, also like poker, there is a massive amount of skill that goes into playing mind games with your opponent, bluffing, and using the various RNG management mechanics to make sure that you achieveThis game is an absolutely fantastic hybrid of Heathstone, Xcom, Final Fantasy and Poker (mostly poker). Like Poker, it is a game of chance that has the base mechanic heavily steeped in RNG. However, also like poker, there is a massive amount of skill that goes into playing mind games with your opponent, bluffing, and using the various RNG management mechanics to make sure that you achieve victory. This is not a game you can simply win by being lucky. It requires thought, practice, and a lot skill to be good. I can't recommend this game enough. Expand
  7. Oct 28, 2015
    10
    The original Chaos for the ZX Spectrum was my favourite and most played game out of around 1000 games that I have played in my lifetime. This remake has brought the game up to date whilst keeping all of the core mechanics that made the original so endlessly repayable. I usually play games single player but this game is best played multi player as the A.I does not give you the sameThe original Chaos for the ZX Spectrum was my favourite and most played game out of around 1000 games that I have played in my lifetime. This remake has brought the game up to date whilst keeping all of the core mechanics that made the original so endlessly repayable. I usually play games single player but this game is best played multi player as the A.I does not give you the same challenge that human opponents can. I like to constantly have around 20 asynchronous games on the go and find this to be a nice relaxed way of playing multi player as you can make your moves when you want and can take half an hour over your move if you so wish.

    Most complaints about the game are down to the RNG but this is what keeps the games so interesting and makes no two games the same. To become good at the game you have to become a master of risk management and bluffing to manipulate the luck side of the game.

    I would not hesitate to recommend this brilliant game and if you are a fan of strategy games and have the patience to see past the initial impression that the game is all luck then I am sure you will love this game too.
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  8. Oct 28, 2015
    10
    There is probably only one man on Earth who could have played the original "Chaos - The Battle of Wizards" and thought, "I know how to make this better". To improve on the most perfectly balanced, addictive, and downright fun game of the 8-bit era was a Herculean task, but Julian Gollop has done it. Chaos Reborn captures the spirit of the original perfectly, whilst surpassing its visualsThere is probably only one man on Earth who could have played the original "Chaos - The Battle of Wizards" and thought, "I know how to make this better". To improve on the most perfectly balanced, addictive, and downright fun game of the 8-bit era was a Herculean task, but Julian Gollop has done it. Chaos Reborn captures the spirit of the original perfectly, whilst surpassing its visuals and mechanics in almost every way. This is marriage-threateningly good. Expand
  9. Oct 29, 2015
    10
    A great mix of turn based strategy, bluff and double bluff. Great game play involving a combination of multiplayer and single player modes. Highly recommended
  10. Oct 29, 2015
    9
    An absolute "must have" for fans of turn based strategy. I would describe Chaos Reborn as Chess meets Stratego with a M:tG skin. You just can't grasp the amount of depth to the game without playing a few matches for yourself. The videos won't do it justice. Matches last anywhere from 2 mins to half and hour and they are all enjoyable.

    Any diehard fans of the original X-com: UFO Defense
    An absolute "must have" for fans of turn based strategy. I would describe Chaos Reborn as Chess meets Stratego with a M:tG skin. You just can't grasp the amount of depth to the game without playing a few matches for yourself. The videos won't do it justice. Matches last anywhere from 2 mins to half and hour and they are all enjoyable.

    Any diehard fans of the original X-com: UFO Defense should probably know Mr. Julian Gollop for crafting challenging, well-balanced games with just enough divine intervention from RNGesus to keep you on your toes and Chaos Reborn is no exception. At the time of this writing I have a mere 88 hours on record, easily worth the $20 I initially paid. I enjoyed it so much I happily contributed an additional $30 to support at Wizard Lord status (granting me exclusive skins, forge tools and few other goodies, but no tangible gameplay advantages).

    If you like turn based strategy, board games, or X-com then grab it up.
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  11. Nov 2, 2015
    10
    Easily one of the best tactics games of the last decade. Decide for yourself: Am I a whining scrub who doesn't understand probabilities and cries at the first sign of challenge and adversity or rather a seasoned gamer who appreciates tactical richness, enjoys the challenge of reformulating a plan in the face of unexpected setbacks, and values replayability? I'll see you on the pitch.
  12. Jun 6, 2016
    10
    Lovely and unique approach to TBS genre from a little indie studio headed by established maître of this genre Julian Gollop. Originally created as a re-imagining of good ol' Speccy classic, this title managed to bring fresh air in almost every aspect of classy strategy play.

    While core mechanics seems to be purely luck based with zero skill involved at the first glance, in fact it
    Lovely and unique approach to TBS genre from a little indie studio headed by established maître of this genre Julian Gollop. Originally created as a re-imagining of good ol' Speccy classic, this title managed to bring fresh air in almost every aspect of classy strategy play.

    While core mechanics seems to be purely luck based with zero skill involved at the first glance, in fact it requires from player to re-flash his wetware in order to master sophisticated witchcraft and wizardry of risk management, short-term planning, bluffing and even behavioral psychology, keeping massive impact on improvisation and enthusiastic play style.

    This little gem does not hesitate to constantly treat you as a newbie, without concessions. Things never will work like you want them to; for someone watching his precious 90% cast failing could be a punishing experience. The key is - hope for the best, prepare for the worst! Still, if you can't wrap your wishful thinking around Chaos Reborn, it will be better for you to stay away from RNG sorcery.

    That said, if you've desperately wandering around game market in search for deep and thoughtful game with unique mechanics of chess and poker - rejoice! No doubt this game has it's own flaws, but most of them could be classified as first attempts from inexperienced little indie studio.

    Come on, fellow wizard, join me in this zingy journey of blobs and bolts with almost infinite replay ability and tons of fun!
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  13. Jun 7, 2016
    10
    Chaos Reborn is a perfect blend, taking the fine art of risk management/mitigation from timeless games like poker and adding a turn based strategy fantasy theme. The game is so good I have left my wife and job and I have not eaten in 9 months, I see this as a positive.

    Chaos allows you to build your own sets of equipment, shaping the likelihood of what spells you receive and creating
    Chaos Reborn is a perfect blend, taking the fine art of risk management/mitigation from timeless games like poker and adding a turn based strategy fantasy theme. The game is so good I have left my wife and job and I have not eaten in 9 months, I see this as a positive.

    Chaos allows you to build your own sets of equipment, shaping the likelihood of what spells you receive and creating unique playstyles and almost infinite possible load-outs. There are realms to explore and co-op play with friends with social ranks and guilds to come

    The real strength of Chaos however, comes from the PVP aspect , I have read reviews and comments about the RNG system making Chaos overly reliant on luck, this is nonsense.

    % chances of spell casts and combat resolutions are displayed on screen and choosing the timing and method of attack, which spells to boost the % of or discard, when to bluff with an illusion and which tactics to use to give yourself a +expected value for victory are skills which are all required to make a good Chaos player.
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  14. Oct 27, 2015
    10
    TL;DR: I enjoy this game immensely. This review summarizes some reasons why.

    THE THEME: At the end of the 14th century, Earth shattered into innumerable fragments in a magic-instigated apocalypse. Powerful magic allows fragments of Earth to endure as habitable, island realms scattered between planes of existence. From a planet called Limbo, wizards and gods engage in eternal conflict
    TL;DR: I enjoy this game immensely. This review summarizes some reasons why.

    THE THEME: At the end of the 14th century, Earth shattered into innumerable fragments in a magic-instigated apocalypse. Powerful magic allows fragments of Earth to endure as habitable, island realms scattered between planes of existence. From a planet called Limbo, wizards and gods engage in eternal conflict over who controls the many, surviving realms of old Earth. Each realm holds the promise of ancient artifacts, lore, and power to fuel the ambitions of wizards and gods alike. It is a feudal, dystopic society of magic users.

    THE DEVELOPER: Chaos Reborn is a rebirth and reimagining of Chaos: The Battle of Wizards (1985) and Lords of Chaos (1990) by their original creator, Julian Gollop. Mr. Gollop is more known for creating the original X-COM: UFO Defense (1994), the widely acclaimed classic which inspired XCOM: Enemy Unknown and many other games. The classic Chaos and X-COM games were rooted upon deep, tactical play. Chaos Reborn is a true successor to both legacies.

    TACTICAL GAMEPLAY: I cannot really do the basic gameplay experience justice in a short paragraph. It has too many tactical layers. But at essence, the game involves duels of up to 4 wizards. Wizards can invoke flamboyantly magical spells and summon creatures. Yet wizards themselves are fragile and must be protected. Imagine a three dimensional, multi-layered game of wizard chess with variable numbers and types of pieces which can come and go, and where each attack has a very real chance of failure. But if you lose the wizard, then you lose the game. Sometimes you will lose despite your best efforts, and sometimes you will win because you were lucky rather than good. That said, this game is tactically deep and, over time, rewards players who come to understand and appreciate all of the many, varied tactical approaches to gameplay.

    TUTORIAL: There is a tutorial labeled “Wizard Training” in the main menu. It comprises a series of gated set-piece encounters which gradually introduce you to the fundamental mechanics and tactics of the game. Having played the game for hundreds of hours before experiencing the tutorial, I still found it enjoyable. It’s not often that I can say that about a tutorial.

    ONLINE MULTIPLAYER GAME MODES: Multiplayer wizard duels can be played live or asynchronously with up to 4 players. Matches can be friendly or ranked. And matches can be played Equipped (with custom equipment) or Classic (with standard equipment). Ranked matches allow you to qualify as an "Archmage" at which point you will be given your worldwide rank computed by an ELO scoring method. League standings reset in monthly seasons. Whether friendly or ranked, matches generally go quickly. As for the asynchronous games, these are my favorites. You can have up to 20 asynchronous games going at any time. Each player has many days to complete their turns in a match, but I find matches generally go more quickly than that. After ranked matches were first introduced, I completed 35 ranked async matches in just 3 days, and this was gameplay I managed in bits of free time that I had rather in continuous sittings. (I love, love the asynchronous functionality.) Additionally, players can create custom private, friendly matches, changing the parameters of the game.

    ONLINE SINGLEPLAYER/COOP MODE: There are developer and player created Realms of Chaos which you can explore online with your wizard. These Realms vary in size and challenge and come with a rating system to help determine which are worth exploring. The essential aspect of this game mode is to explore the map to find and defeat all of the Wizard Lords (AI-controlled mini-bosses) in order to reach and defeat the Wizard King (AI-controlled boss) of the Realm. While you are doing this, the Wizard King and his Wizard Lords summon reinforcements. And if you take too long, the Wizard King can banish you from the Realm. This game mode should not be considered a full-fledged RPG. Think of each of the Realms as puzzles to be solved, and some have stories to tell.

    OFFLINE HOTSEAT AND SINGLEPLAYER GAME MODES: There are offline game modes which allow hotseat gameplay against any combination of human or AI-controlled opponents.

    GRAPHICS: The game uses the Unity game engine, which should be compatible with most computers. The custom art and animations are quite pretty. And the game really does have its own, unique graphical theme. Don’t rely on me for too much input on this, as I was playing the game when wizards and creatures were represented by crude, unanimated placeholder graphics. But if you really care about graphics, the graphics are good.

    IN SUM: As-is, the game is a gem. If you like tactical turn-based games, then spending $20 on Chaos Reborn will get you one of the more fun games in your Steam inventory. If you’ve read this far and the game still intrigues you, then you should get the game.
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  15. Oct 27, 2015
    10
    If you are a fan of strategy games, you owe it to yourself to give this a chance. Yes, it can be quite RNG heavy but there's ways of mitigating that. Like poker, keeping a careful eye on your opponent and playing the odds will see you winning more games than losing.
  16. Oct 26, 2015
    10
    My most played game ever and that's just throughout early access. Fast-paced tactical combat, strategic depth, friendly community, very high replayability and varied gameplay requiring frequent adjustments on the player's part. Highly recommended.
  17. Oct 26, 2015
    9
    I've been a fan of turn-based strategies (TBS) as a kid and this really is one of the best TBS' out there. Overseen by Julian Gollop himself (creator of XCom, Chaos, Rebelstar Raiders, etc ...), this game really stands out amongst a sea of mediocre games at the moment. I've put a huge amount of time into it and pretty much shunned all my other AAA titles for it.

    Build up a wizard and
    I've been a fan of turn-based strategies (TBS) as a kid and this really is one of the best TBS' out there. Overseen by Julian Gollop himself (creator of XCom, Chaos, Rebelstar Raiders, etc ...), this game really stands out amongst a sea of mediocre games at the moment. I've put a huge amount of time into it and pretty much shunned all my other AAA titles for it.

    Build up a wizard and fight to the death against other wizards, or work co-operatively to bring down enemies. Each spell has a percentage chance and you can boost them if you collect mana points. Each wizard also has an alignment (Law, Chaos, etc) and you can manipulate this to favour your spells.

    Overall it will be the best money you ever spend as no two games are the same, there's great strategy and tactics and it has pretty much THE friendliest community of any game I've ever played. Brilliant stuff.
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  18. Oct 30, 2015
    10
    One of the best tactics games of all times. Every outcome is game is binary, so it can seem like luck will either give you everything you ever wanted or destroy all your hopes and dreams, but the more the you play the more you realize that everything is very clever calculated risk and mind games. The best players win over and over and over and not through sheer luck. Sure, some games willOne of the best tactics games of all times. Every outcome is game is binary, so it can seem like luck will either give you everything you ever wanted or destroy all your hopes and dreams, but the more the you play the more you realize that everything is very clever calculated risk and mind games. The best players win over and over and over and not through sheer luck. Sure, some games will go better and in a really close game luck can be the deciding factor, but for anyone who has played a tabletop game like Warmachine I would say the luck dependence for high level play is similar. The single player game is more of a communal RPG then anything else, which for me has been very engaging and very a unique experience. There is progression and customization, but for the strategy purest, all tournaments are played on a completely even playing field with no pre-game customization. I won't go in to more detail, but one can find out plenty about the game through any of a number of articles that previewed the game. Expand
  19. Nov 3, 2015
    10
    Single player campaign with or without other players if u are online and like other to help you in your campaign that is a hell of fun in this game. I really like the turn based strategy in this game which where just one match againt an AI wizard doesn't take hour but between 10-20min. Besides the magic battles also the overall strategy part where you manage conquering your realm is verySingle player campaign with or without other players if u are online and like other to help you in your campaign that is a hell of fun in this game. I really like the turn based strategy in this game which where just one match againt an AI wizard doesn't take hour but between 10-20min. Besides the magic battles also the overall strategy part where you manage conquering your realm is very immersive and fun.
    The game didn't catch me until I discovered the campaign thing which is to much hidden in the menu.
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  20. Ped
    Oct 26, 2015
    10
    Awesome game, played over 850 hours so far and absolutely love it. So much re-playability. All about tactics, positioning, spell selection and smart use of mana. Best TBS game for a long time, really friendly community too.
  21. Nov 9, 2015
    10
    Amazing turn based tactics game. It reminds me of poker in a lot of ways because of the risk/reward nature of the percentage based combat. The multiplayer is the highlight because of the mind games you can play against a real person, but the single player is fun as well, incorporating an rpg metagame. Overall, amazing.
  22. Dec 29, 2015
    5
    The way the game plays is absolutely great. I love mixing a Card Desk Game with Turn based strategy combat. Take any Youtube video to see how the game plays. It will tell you much more than words.

    Why 7 as a mark then? Because of the cons: - only 60 spells (of which only 24 creatures) to cast. This is ridiculously small... - from this point: you are not able customize your desk.
    The way the game plays is absolutely great. I love mixing a Card Desk Game with Turn based strategy combat. Take any Youtube video to see how the game plays. It will tell you much more than words.

    Why 7 as a mark then? Because of the cons:

    - only 60 spells (of which only 24 creatures) to cast. This is ridiculously small...
    - from this point: you are not able customize your desk.

    Your desk has about 15-20 cards in combat. The cards you have in your deck are completely randomized. You can slightly adjust deck creation randomness with Talismans and Staves, some of which can provide you 100% chance of getting a certain card in your deck.

    This is a 20E game, not a 5E one... Why so few spells? Why not being able to customize your deck?

    20EUR... No real single player campaign, only 60 spells, no faction / race, no customized deck creation... I'm sorry but this is a RIPOFF!!

    At this point I am sorry to say that Etherlords is by far superior. Ok Etherlords is a pure Card game but it has a campaign, it is a very good "Heroes of Might and Magic" style game (map, buildings, resources, enemies on the map) with a great combat system (card like).

    Etherlords has 4 races, more than 300 spells, it has heroes and battle mode allows you to fully customize your deck. And it trades for 5EUR!!!!

    If Chaos Reborn at least triples the number of available spells and creatures and adds more ability to customize your desk it would be a REAL 9/10.
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  23. Feb 19, 2016
    1
    Snapshot Games introduces their own theory of probability. You expect that spell with 90% success rate will be casted? You shouldn't. 80%? Nah. Once my wizard failed to cast 3 spells with 80% success rate one after another. The other side of this coin is for example you may think that your buffed shielded wizard will survive one hit from silly rat which have only 13% to success. But heSnapshot Games introduces their own theory of probability. You expect that spell with 90% success rate will be casted? You shouldn't. 80%? Nah. Once my wizard failed to cast 3 spells with 80% success rate one after another. The other side of this coin is for example you may think that your buffed shielded wizard will survive one hit from silly rat which have only 13% to success. But he won't. So my point is when you say that some event will happen with 80% success than it should be exactly 80%. Otherwise its nonsense. I would not recommend anyone game with such broken random numbers generator. Expand
  24. Oct 27, 2015
    5
    While it has many good points solid turn based system the real problem is in single player and how they decided to implement and force you on a set path of coop if they wont change that i am against it
  25. Dec 12, 2015
    6
    I don't get this game and stopped after playing though the tutorials and completing the first map conquest. The game is ridiculously random and this is not a good thing.

    All of combat seems to be "who can cast gooey blob the other guy first". That's it. Seriously, gooey blob kills enemy mages in 1 turn, making tactics kinda pointless, it's run up, cast gooey blob, wait for the enemy to
    I don't get this game and stopped after playing though the tutorials and completing the first map conquest. The game is ridiculously random and this is not a good thing.

    All of combat seems to be "who can cast gooey blob the other guy first". That's it. Seriously, gooey blob kills enemy mages in 1 turn, making tactics kinda pointless, it's run up, cast gooey blob, wait for the enemy to die.

    After I complete the map, I don't really see much point in continuing - it does not appear like I can actually build my deck. I can pick some staves that have certain decks linked to them, I can add amulets that add certain cards to the deck, but other than that, it's purely random cards.
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  26. Oct 31, 2015
    6
    This is the ultimate definition of "taking your chances" type of game. You'll lose many tutorial battles based on missing 4 attacks in a row with a 60% of hit-chance. Other than that it's a solid game and if you like number crunching you should give it a try.
  27. Feb 27, 2016
    10
    Julian Gollop returns to form with probably the best Turn Based tactics game on the market right now. Finely balanced multiplayer action for up to 4 players (unfortunately no longer 8 like in the original game).

    The game plays out like a cross between chess, poker, and wizards, you've got a strong tactical element to game play (like chess), but with a percentage chance of each move you
    Julian Gollop returns to form with probably the best Turn Based tactics game on the market right now. Finely balanced multiplayer action for up to 4 players (unfortunately no longer 8 like in the original game).

    The game plays out like a cross between chess, poker, and wizards, you've got a strong tactical element to game play (like chess), but with a percentage chance of each move you make working or failing. This in itself would make for a quite simple game, until you then add in firstly a bluff mechanic (like Poker, or Liar Dice), and secondly the possibilities to both store up magic and affect the alignment of the world that you're fighting this in turn lets you mitigate your future future luck (like real Wizards do)

    Btw - It's technically not possible for an rng to be broken, only to be programmed, a 90% cast will be successful 90% of the time. From my experience of playing the game >600 hours, this is exactly what happens. The trick is to be prepared for that 10% chance of a fail and plan your game accordingly. It's like Russian Roulette, if you've a 1 in 6 chance that you're going to shoot yourself in the head is that a chance that you're willing to take?
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  28. May 7, 2017
    7
    I backed this game on Kickstarter and got mostly what I expected and more. The team just kept adding more to the game and suddenly it transformed from the simple little strategy gem i admired into a full blown campaign with lots of rules and multiple styles of play. It is a fun little game for fans of X-COM, Archon, or any similar turn based strategy titles.
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. May 18, 2016
    90
    Strategy game from the classic of the genre is not based on nostalgia, but on the flawless turn-based core around which better and better game is evolving even months after the release.
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Mar 22, 2016
    80
    An ideal choice for strategists and those who don’t get discouraged by random factor of success and failure. Sophisticated tactical fun is hidden beneath the cover of randomness. [Issue # 261]
  3. Jan 27, 2016
    86
    It's a great tactical experience per se, and also a nostalgic homage to a masterpiece of old, one that will really please fans of the genre.