Two fighters.
One area.
Pixelated crowd cheering.
Well being bars full.
Joystick and buttons on the prepared.
Let the battle start.
That is Neon Reign, a 1-2 participant card battler designed by Manny Trembley and Aaron Hein and is printed by Neon Knight Video games.
Gameplay Overview:
The item of the sport is straightforward: defeat your opponent by making use of harm and dwindling their life to zero. Every participant begins with a deck of playing cards, a pre-selected character, and hopefully about ten to fifteen minutes to energy via a battle.
Every participant alternates turns attacking and defending. To assault, a participant can select as much as three playing cards from their hand that signify a mix of joystick and button choices, like what you’d discover on an arcade recreation. Joysticks characteristic the 4 cardinal instructions, and there are 4 button choices (A, B, X, Y). Attackers should play a minimum of one card, whereas defenders might play as much as two playing cards.
Assaults deal harm and enhance your character’s star meter primarily based on the way you combo your playing cards. A proper joystick with two Y buttons might present the attacker with not solely base assault, but additionally combos that enhance this worth. Assaults can combo into therapeutic, shields, and star energy primarily based on which choices they select. The extra playing cards which are efficient, the extra advantages are offered.
On the opposite aspect, a defender can attempt to forestall the assault’s impact. A Throw card in hand can forestall a joystick assault, whereas a Block card can negate a button. And contemplating a defender can play two playing cards, they are able to forestall combos as nicely. There’s even a selected Combo Breaker card that doesn’t cease the preliminary values of both card kind however totally prevents combos from triggering.
The sport options fairly a couple of character choices, every with its personal star meter energy in addition to a passive skill. There’s additionally a separate solo deck and solo character playing cards to battle in opposition to. The solo system is a simple card flip that determines how the bot reacts to your assault, or how they plan to assault you. Three issue modes can be found to select from when moving into the arcade alone.
Sport Expertise:
There are many two-player card dueling video games in the marketplace. Neon Reign tries to separate itself by adopting a retro aptitude and an easy-to-learn system. It boasts a brilliant fast playtime, which permits room for retrying battles or swapping to new characters. It additionally encompasses a very elegant solo mode that’s simply as simple to study and maneuver.
The character illustration from designer Manny Trembley is great. And whereas the world of those characters is restricted to the boundaries of every card, they’re impressed, nonetheless. The participant playing cards that includes the joystick and buttons are very simple to parse, although their artwork path will not be as tantalizing, offering a little bit of inconsistency associated to the superb character work.
Gamers begin with seven playing cards in hand. The one technique to acquire extra playing cards is to spend a flip resting, which is likely one of the vital timing parts at play. Do you relaxation and replenish your hand, or do you push for deadly harm? Fortunately, spending the flip filling up your hand may present new protection playing cards, however it is a recreation the place luck of the draw might decide the result.
The opposite vital timing component is predicated on the star meter. That is your character’s second to shine, and also you instantly activate this energy to inflict giant harm. Star meters may also trash opponents’ playing cards, heal your character, and even return some stars again to your meter. Discovering methods to spice up your meter is vital to gaining a bonus. And this mini recreation offers a pleasant race separate from the cardboard combos.
Whereas taking part in every of the characters, or battling solo opponents, I did discover some guidelines ambiguities or questions associated to timing or how powers functioned. These have been very minor, however sufficient to cease the motion, evaluation guidelines, and even make an informed guess. There’s a useful FAQ within the rulebook although it didn’t cowl all questions I had throughout play.
Two different quibbles I had with Neon Reign relate to manufacturing. Whereas the cardboard high quality is sweet, the playing cards are really slippery in hand and never as useful as they could possibly be. (Editor’s Word: Brandon reviewed the Deluxe version, which comes with PVC playing cards. The usual version makes use of conventional card materials.) As a result of their materials, you possibly can spill water on them and by no means have to fret, although. Simply in case a combat erupts on the desk, separate from the sport. Additionally, I’m by no means a fan of tokens in video games the place a easy dice and monitor would suffice. One much less component to handle would make every flip that a lot quicker.
Ultimate Ideas:
I believe Neon Reign goes to attraction to players looking for a quick retro repair. This technique is ripe for growth, whether or not it’s by way of new characters, new card parts, and even concepts associated to bigger event stylings of its influences. The neon-soaked theming is fantastic, and the cardboard play determination area has sufficient crunch to maintain one entertained. It feels nice to land a combo when your opponent doesn’t have a technique to counter, or to realize the proper star quantity to energy your meter and go wild. It’s all about the way you handle the playing cards you’ve drawn whereas anticipating your opponent’s subsequent transfer. There’s simply sufficient right here to harken again to the arcade fighters of historical days.
Ultimate Rating: 4 stars – Slick and stylish retro battler with combos galore.
Hits:
• Character design
• Star energy timing
• Quick periods
Misses:
• Tokens vs monitor
• Minor rule ambiguities
• Slippery playing cards
