Culdcept Revolt (Nintendo 3DS)

Product Information

I was concerned with Culdcept Revolt, as its core game is pure RNG, but what’s surrounding it is an extremely fun strategy game that’s unlike almost anything else on the system.

We'd estimate that a standard game with a limit of 8000 magic takes around thirty minutes to complete on average, but there are plenty of options to mess around with to affect game length, alter card allowances (it's possible to ban Evo cards entirely, for example), as well as customise the look of your cepter and even the style of dice you roll. The story wasn't great, but for the most part it did its job of giving you some sort of loose explanation for why you're playing this card/board game with all the wacky characters. The AI opponents can put up a stiff challenge, but as is the downfall with many board games luck plays just as much of a part in victory or defeat as raw skill does. However, citing "to accommodate the manufacturing and production of the game", NIS America delayed the release of the game to October 3 for North America, and October 6 for Europe.The graphics, while not the best I've seen on the 3DS, are perfectly adequate and do a fine job in submersing the player in the world of creatures and spells. Destructoid found the game difficult to review, stating "The concept is simultaneously inventive and archaic, doling out moments of pure delight and agonizing frustration in equal doses. The further I go in the game, I more I realize how playing this like a standard game of Monopoly isn’t the way to victory. It's frustrating to see games turn around so quickly on a total whim, but it does admittedly add to the excitement sometimes. It makes me a better player and far too often the AI in games feels like the equivalent of playing against a 3 year old.

Creatures have specific abilities and elemental traits for example, and these can define their purpose as either aggressive invaders or staunch defenders. It's an interesting idea that's pretty well executed, though it's entirely possible to continue your game with just the standard cards in tow.If I claim a space next to that of an opponent, I can use my creature to attack theirs and take it as my own. It takes me a few hours to do so, but thankfully there are no drops and we’re able to play to the end. A combination of poor luck for me but incredible luck for one of my two computer opponents means no matter how well I do, how perfect my roles of the dice are, I am trapped on that same board for hours because one of the other two fuck it up for me. To win, you simply gather up enough until you reach the predetermined limit, and then race towards the nearest gate to claim victory. Despite how genuinely helpful this can be, it does rely on the tired cliché of amnesia as an extra crutch.