Card Hunter
From Blue Manchu comes the simple and fun free-to-play turn-based strategy game, Card Hunter. This Dungeons and Dragons-themed title melds customizable characters and roles with a combat systems that can be learned with very little play time. There are little-to-know pay-to-win features, utilizing the in-game currency (pizzas) for mostly cosmetic character items; pizzas can also be earned at certain points of the game, and players should not find it truly necessary to purchase theses pizzas unless they wish to support the developers in this admittedly fun title. This game can be quite humorous, and the dialogue and text can be quite interesting, so that is another plus.
Here are just a few reasons to Roll for Initiative in Card Hunter:
Gameplay - Card Hunter utilizes a grid in which to structure battles. Depending on which stage the characters find themselves in, hostile figures, obstacles, and backdrops will differ from previous encounters. There-in lies a question directed from new or potential players: what determines the actions player characters can make? Each character-individual forces when enemy non-player hostiles are involved- has their own deck of cards which define specific actions, maneuvers, and attacks that specific figure can perform. Once a player performs an action with a character, the enemy does so, and so on; these phases of actions continue until both sides pass their turns consecutively, in which both forces must discard cards until each individual figure has, at most, two cards each. This mechanic was likely implemented to entice players to commit to actions while not hoarding cards for later turns in a battle. The main objective, however, is to eliminate the opposing force by reducing each of their figure’s health to zero or below, or by other means described in scenarios within a campaign. There are also multiple races-humans, dwarves, and elves-in which players can add in any combination to their party, as well as varying classes that can be assigned to them.
Items - You may have heard mentions cards and asked yourself, “Why is this not a card game? Why is this portrayed mostly as a grid-based strategy game throughout this review?” To answer these questions, Card Hunter does feature cards that dictate actions and a maneuverable gird to which to strategize, but cards are obtained much differently than in traditional trading card games. In-game items are given to players after each battle as loot and there are varying slots in which they can be assigned; they also retained individual rarities and levels so that players can grade and compare cards that can be placed in similar slots on the player’s characters.
Character Leveling - As players complete adventure paths, their individual characters gain experience which boosts health points and possibly opens up item slots that allow characters to expand the card count and variability in their decks. For example, at level five my dwarven fighter now has the capacity to equip three weapons, as well as a martial skill and other helpful items which grant bonus cards and traits. Though leveling is a somewhat slow process, this is compensated by the abundance of quests that are granted to the player upon completing others; these quests also have a daily reset allowing players to complete them only once daily, but so many quests open up at once that this hardly presents an issue-after three hours of play I found no need to revisit on of my previously completed quests.
Theme - Card Hunter is a pretty blatant Dungeons and Dragons-themed title. The game’s Dungeon Master is named Gary after the legendary Gary Gygax, dice rolls are mentioned frequently in accordance to mechanics within the original roleplaying game, each adventure path’s synopsis and art is based on classic modules; it is fairly obvious yet awesome.
TL:DR - Card Hunter has a few features that could possibly mark it as a ‘fee-to-pay’ title, but after five hours of total play I have not utilized nor have I felt it necessary to utilize the paid functions of the game. This title is extremely fun, though I have not yet had the opportunity to experience either cooperative or player-versus-player online features; I cannot accept nor deny the credibility of the online community. Card Hunteris recommended for those who enjoy card- or grid-based strategy game. Also, if there are any new or existing players who would like to play cooperatively but do not know anyone else who plays, I would gladly join in. Thanks for reading.
Do you feel this review helped in any way? Feel free to visit my Curator Page at Spearpoint Reviews.
Originally posted September 5, 2015. Last edited May 1, 2018.
Here are just a few reasons to Roll for Initiative in Card Hunter:
Gameplay - Card Hunter utilizes a grid in which to structure battles. Depending on which stage the characters find themselves in, hostile figures, obstacles, and backdrops will differ from previous encounters. There-in lies a question directed from new or potential players: what determines the actions player characters can make? Each character-individual forces when enemy non-player hostiles are involved- has their own deck of cards which define specific actions, maneuvers, and attacks that specific figure can perform. Once a player performs an action with a character, the enemy does so, and so on; these phases of actions continue until both sides pass their turns consecutively, in which both forces must discard cards until each individual figure has, at most, two cards each. This mechanic was likely implemented to entice players to commit to actions while not hoarding cards for later turns in a battle. The main objective, however, is to eliminate the opposing force by reducing each of their figure’s health to zero or below, or by other means described in scenarios within a campaign. There are also multiple races-humans, dwarves, and elves-in which players can add in any combination to their party, as well as varying classes that can be assigned to them.
Items - You may have heard mentions cards and asked yourself, “Why is this not a card game? Why is this portrayed mostly as a grid-based strategy game throughout this review?” To answer these questions, Card Hunter does feature cards that dictate actions and a maneuverable gird to which to strategize, but cards are obtained much differently than in traditional trading card games. In-game items are given to players after each battle as loot and there are varying slots in which they can be assigned; they also retained individual rarities and levels so that players can grade and compare cards that can be placed in similar slots on the player’s characters.
Character Leveling - As players complete adventure paths, their individual characters gain experience which boosts health points and possibly opens up item slots that allow characters to expand the card count and variability in their decks. For example, at level five my dwarven fighter now has the capacity to equip three weapons, as well as a martial skill and other helpful items which grant bonus cards and traits. Though leveling is a somewhat slow process, this is compensated by the abundance of quests that are granted to the player upon completing others; these quests also have a daily reset allowing players to complete them only once daily, but so many quests open up at once that this hardly presents an issue-after three hours of play I found no need to revisit on of my previously completed quests.
Theme - Card Hunter is a pretty blatant Dungeons and Dragons-themed title. The game’s Dungeon Master is named Gary after the legendary Gary Gygax, dice rolls are mentioned frequently in accordance to mechanics within the original roleplaying game, each adventure path’s synopsis and art is based on classic modules; it is fairly obvious yet awesome.
TL:DR - Card Hunter has a few features that could possibly mark it as a ‘fee-to-pay’ title, but after five hours of total play I have not utilized nor have I felt it necessary to utilize the paid functions of the game. This title is extremely fun, though I have not yet had the opportunity to experience either cooperative or player-versus-player online features; I cannot accept nor deny the credibility of the online community. Card Hunteris recommended for those who enjoy card- or grid-based strategy game. Also, if there are any new or existing players who would like to play cooperatively but do not know anyone else who plays, I would gladly join in. Thanks for reading.
Do you feel this review helped in any way? Feel free to visit my Curator Page at Spearpoint Reviews.
Originally posted September 5, 2015. Last edited May 1, 2018.
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