Games worth discovering
Hearthstone meets a roguelike dungeon crawler - Looper Tactics Quick First Impressions
2K View2023-06-29
PLAY IT OR SKIP IT?
Skip the demo for now and wait to see if the full version of the game shakes things up any more. Looper Tactics is a cartoony roguelike deck builder that merges familiar card-battling mechanics with dungeon crawler elements. Even though I found exploring dungeons really enjoyable, Looper Tactics’ card-based gameplay falls short and offers nothing that titles like Hearthstone, Legends of Runeterra, or Magic: The Gathering Arena haven’t already done better.
TIME PLAYED
I played the demo for Looper Tactics for three hours, completing the first major level and making it near the end of the second. I’ve probably beaten around thirty-some computer-controlled opponents since I started playing, but I’ve struggled against some of the stronger enemies in the second level, including that level’s boss. I’ve also already unlocked fifty cards out of the eighty-seven that are currently in the demo.
WHAT’S AWESOME
• Dungeon exploring. Exploration adds a fun and refreshing twist to Looper Tactics that isn’t found in most other card games. I loved the thrill of scouring different areas, unlocking rewards and finding card vendors. These sequences also offered me the welcome chance to interact with other characters and learn more about the world I was venturing into.
• Visual style. Looper Tactics’ cartoony visual style takes over every character, card, and environmental object in the game. The bold, cool-hued colors and heavy black outlines give the game an appealing dark fantasy vibe.
• Saving. It’s minor praise, but I did greatly appreciate that I could save my game right before entering a level in Looper Tactics. If I died, I could return to the start of that level and enter again. Although this meant that I had to explore an entirely new, randomized dungeon layout, this feature helped me progress and try out different routes and deck compositions.
WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
• Card battles. I’m always looking for something unique and refreshing in the genre, but Looper Tactics doesn’t bring anything interesting to the table. The gameplay mechanics, hero powers, and card effects are pretty similar to those in Hearthstone and Legends of Runeterra, with only slight differences in the form of status effects that affect cards permanently across the dungeon run and an auto-attack feature that takes place after each player’s turn. There just isn’t really anything to set the card mechanics apart from other more established and polished titles.
• Text and translation. Some of the text in Looper Tactics is a little out of shape. The card names aren’t all formatted the same, so some cards might be capitalized while others aren’t. The card effect descriptions are a little hard to understand and messy. And I ran into several words and phrases across the demo that weren’t yet translated from Chinese to English.
💬 Will you play Looper Tactics or are you going to pass on it? Let me know in the comments!
Mentioned games
Deck Building Meets Roguelike: A Comprehensive Pros and Cons Review of Looper Tactics
Looper Tactics is a unique adventure card game that blends deck building and roguelike mechanics. Set in a world created by ancient Empire's mages and wisemen, you aim to break an eternal cycle of death and resurrection that keeps this world confined. Explore the procedurally generated world, encountering enemies, traps, and puzzles on your increasingly difficult journey. Death is not an end, but a new beginning, allowing you to acquire stronger cards and build a more powerful deck for the ultimate battle of freedom.
Kosh2K2023-06-22
Looper Tactics combines Hearthstone with roguelike mechanics, early access available now on Steam
Looper Tactics is a new adventure card game that combines Hearthstone-like deckbuilding elements with roguelike mechanics. Early Access is now available on Steam.
Players can explore a procedurally generated world, navigate treacherous enemies, and solve complex puzzles within a time limit. The game has a non-linear map exploration and a cyclical progression that embraces death, leading to enhanced cards and increased power to face increasingly challenging adversaries. Your hero's skills and cards can be upgraded, persisting through new cycles until the adventure's end. Ultimately, growth through the eternal cycle of death and rebirth arms you to confront the final battle, liberating yourself and your world.
TapTap News9732023-06-21
Solid roguelike game, average deck builder | Demo Review - Looper Tactics
Looper Tactics is a turn-based strategy card game infused with roguelike elements, and presents players with a journey through a procedurally generated world of eternal life and death.
🟩Pros
+Procedurally generated world
+Engaging deck building and strategic card gameplay
+Roguelike but with emphasis on continuity and persistent progression
🟥Cons
-Lack of unique or special mechanics
-Noticeably lacking quality-of-life features
lyndonguitar7982023-06-23
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