Faith in Despair

TL;DR: This is a great deckbuilder that puts more emphasis on you creating your intricate selection of cards via the triggers, actions, and modifiers you can slot and move and upgrade. No boring cards. No narrow-pathed routes to victory. An engaging, entertaining, and satisfying experience from start to finish as you see YOUR creations succeed or fail. Deckbuilders. I can typically have a level of enjoyment with them. They don't typically keep my attention for long. I usually don't have the urge to return to them either other than to try to find the hook that others seem to have found. Whether it's the game's issues as I'll describe below or my lack of skill to get to a point where my perspective would shift, they don't hook me as much as I feel they should based on the adoration my fellow gaming community players have of these titles. Faith in Despair is different. Faith in Despair hooked me. I constantly want to go back to it, even as I play other games. Below, I'll detail what sets it apart and why I recommend this title wholeheartedly enough to write a review when I've not for other titles in the genre. For that, I think it's important you understand WHY I don't traditionally click as easily with deckbuilders. Maybe you're like me. Maybe these typically aren't your jam, so maybe my review will help assuage your concerns that this'll result in a similar matter as others collecting dust in your backlog. With my admittedly minimal playtime in deckbuilder titles, I have two primary issues. Sometimes they sit together on the ven diagram. Sometimes they're on opposite ends. On the one hand, I find cards can be rather dull and boring. "Deal 5 damage." "Inflict poison 1. Get a Shiv" "Add +X [resource]" I'm then expected to look at these boring things and try to figure out what other boring things go with them to get me to victory. What this leads to for me is a drive on a highway. There's nothing inherently wrong with it. It's....fine. but it lacks excitement. I do not have the ups and downs of a roller coaster. The second issue is I find I'm often feeling like I'm adding oil to the hamster wheel instead of creating a complex engine of victory. Let me explain using a game I had a high enjoyment playing that quickly diminished before I realized why. The reason was because everything was just "do more damage" but hidden behind the translation of other keywords. Example: 1-creature/haste build. Every time you haste, the one creature gets +X damage. So you find all these different pieces that haste and piece together the best means of getting the most instances of haste the quickest you can. It does have enjoyment. It can feel like you're solving a puzzle from random pieces to make due with what you can at first as you work out how to defeat your opponent quicker and quicker. But then you realize that "haste 2 items" really just translates to "the creature gets +X damage, twice." So everything you're doing in that instance is just "+X damage to creature." When you then take that observation outside to other characters and decks, it's largely the same. Everything is a means to the same end. "+ xDamage because Y." There's a little variation here and there, but that's the gist. Decide on a keyword or a two, and pursue it to the end of the run. So how is Faith in Despair different? Well, as the store page highlights, YOU slot the triggers, actions, and modifiers. So you can have one card in the leftmost slot that says "On debuff" .... "Get 8 gold" ....and.... "Heal 15." Then you can have another card that says "On enemy attack" .... "Poison 5" ....and.... "Clear debuffs 15" with a modifier of "target leftmost ally" and another of "block damage with gold." None of this translates to +X damage. This is a way to earn gold while debuffing and clearing the debuffs one card so you fund the invincibility of another card. By having the triggers, the actions, and the modifiers be arranged in a way YOU choose, YOU choose what their purpose is. You can choose survivability, damage, resurrection, or whatever else the game lets you. Here, you're building that engine of intricate victory instead of just optimizing how fast the hanpster wheel spins. What this shares some DNA with in that regard, is the other game that hooked me hard that I think about playing often, even going as far as wanting to buy the cards in real life to play with friends. That title...is Inscryption. Similar concept. Boring cards, but with ways to modify them so they suit the needs you want with their tricks and effects. Giving interesting decision making to the player means the engagement is there as you create your cards, as you decide which actions to change into others or enhance, as you go into battle to see how your creation fared. It's a different kind of engagement, one that lets you have more pride in the runs you are victorious in. It's also only in early access I'm curious what more gets done with the game. It's a VERY strong start at a VERY fair price. So, if deckbuilders typically aren't your cup of tea. Or if you found you really enjoyed Inscryption. Or if you just like tinkering and min-maxing with a bit more control, give this game a spin.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend this game. The concept is good. The balance is bad. I am up to day 3 and every decision I've had to make has been blatantly obvious. There is always one choice that is obviously better than the others. Many of the choices aren't for your current deck at all, and can be ignored. The others are just unbalanced filler options that you would never pick. Then there is one choice that's obviously correct. That is bad game design. The trigger lacrima are unbalanced. more triggers = good. To counterbalance this, there should be some modifiers, where if it triggers less often, it deals more damage/heal etc. For example, first blood triggers exactly once, so it should give 300% modifiers on lacrum. This idea works in path of exile because they're balanced, every gem has its a use-case scenario. At the end of the day, this game is just lacking balance, and that is unfun. I will keep an eye on future updates and hopefully change my review to a positive one. Edit: I'm changing my review to positive because I am still having fun in spite of the balance issues.

I played the game during the demo, and I thought it was easy.... but then the second run onward is the real game! I've had a blast creating my cards and seeing how the runs go. It's not too difficult as to be unfair, but it can be tough, but it feels really good to win. The art and music is truly a vibe and like all of Philipp's games it has this really distinctive feel to it.

This game scratches most of the deck building/ roguelike itches, but the structure of the main "journal" progression was very frustrating. The game gives you new decks, mechanics, and affixes to mess around with as you win runs in the journal, but the game forces you to win 4-5 runs with a deck before you unlock a new deck archetype. I progressed relatively effeciently, winning around 70% of my runs through the journal, but even then I felt like the deck arechetype I was playing was stale a couple runs in, and I wanted to try out other mechanics that were gated another few winning runs away. This game has some cool concepts and game mechanics, but the progression structure was actively making me tired of playing it. You don't have to tunnel vision the journal like I did, there is a custom game mode that has been fun, but even then, decks are locked until you reach them via the journal. Exaserbating this progression frustration is the Dieties being locked as starter options until you complete challenges. This mechanic is fine on its own but with the rest of the very segmented progression, it feels like some dieties just stay locked until way later when you unlock the deck that has more direct synergies for the unlock requirements. Iterating on builds and strategies feels artificially supressed by being locked into one archetype early. The game is still cool, but be mindful of the potential frustration with progression.

Incredibly fun, and totally worth running for the RNG and the story with it. You can play so many combos and watch so many things blow up in so many ways. A total delight and absolutely necessary if you love deckbuilder roguelikes.

Это карточный рогалик, с поджанром не Декбилдер, а скорее Кардбилдер. Играется уникально и очень необычно, особенно впервые. + Супер [b]уникальный концепт[/b] + Большое [b]разнообразие билдов[/b], идей и их проков и ситуаций. (но не огромное) + [b]Музыка[/b], как всегда, на высоте. + Уникальные карточки выглядят красиво. Мне нравятся.(правда это только визуал, увы) + Уникальная система Отчаяния в виде энергии на карты. Дело в том, что энергии как таковой нет. Юзайте что хотите. Но чем дороже карта, тем больше Отчаяния. А если Отчаяние полное - вы получаете проклятье. От безобидных, до буквально убивающих всё живое с вашей стороны. +- В эту игру побырику раскидаться не получится. [b]Спидран[/b] забег на 20 минут как в STS или в Monster Train крайне [b]сложно организовать[/b]. По причине того, что почти каждую хорошую Лакриму придется обудмать, и перебирать свои карты. А так же каждый бой думать что у противников, использовать то или иное действие ДО того как сделаешь ТО, и наоборот. Мне было ок. Я любитель сидеть над забегом по часу, ну может полтора. + [b]Сохранения[/b] каждый пук и каждый ход. В любой момент можно выйти и позже продолжить. +- Отлететь в таверну в этой игре довольно легко. Если в STS ты мог постепенно помирать получая лёгкий урон по 3-5 единиц, тк тебе чууточку не хватает брони, и к 10му бою ты уже почти при смерти, то здесь на фулл хп ты можешь проглядеть то, что враг сжигает всё твоё поле, если твой союзник получает бафф. А у тебя разом накладывается 3-4 баффа, которые и ещё перебафывают друг друга. И вот по тебе летит ~70 чистого урона, и сделать ты с этим ничего не сможешь. Однако лично у меня за 60 забегов таких ситуаций было примерно.. две. И да, я сам виноват, что поделать. По сюжету, колодам и продолжительности - Игра сюжетно раcсчитана на [b]31 победный забег[/b]. Если хотите после забега можно продолжить бесконечную игру, но это на любителей. Каждый 5ый забег будет открыватся новая колода с которой нужно пройти аналогично 5 забегов. + [u]Хилер[/u] - Стандартная базовая колода. Чуть атаки, чуть юнитов, чуть проков. + [u]Могильщик[/u] - Тема в том, что ваши мёртвые юниты не возвращаются к вам в руку после боя. Их нужно отдельно в бою воскрешать, а Лакрима Исход поднимает юнита и наносит урон от урона поднятого юнита. Звучит как билд под кучу стеклянных пушек самоубийц. + [u]Кровосися[/u] - Колода, что режет в половину хп ваших юнитов, но имеет двойные атаки у этих самых юнитов. + [u]Инвокер[/u], или почему-то в РУ переводе, Призыватель - Типикал кастер-прокастер. А ещё отличный менеджмент Веры и Отчаяния туда-сюда. - [u]Мерк[/u] или [u]Наёмник[/u] - Теперь каст юнитов в поле стоит золото. Игра становится на порядок сложнее с этим условием, тк когда денег нет - Нет и юнитов. А нет юнитов - получайте по лицу. - [u]Азартный игрок[/u] - Теперь у каждой карты есть кубик D6. И карта не может быть активна к той, чей кубик не совпадает. Есть рерролы, подкруты и докруты. Но ля. Мне 3 раза приходилось начинать заного, тк тупо не свезло с кубами. Обидно, блин. В сухом остатке о колодах - [u]Инвокер[/u] - имбовик. Круто. [u]Хилер[/u] - прост сам по себе как палка. [u]Могильщик[/u] и [u]Кровосися[/u] интересные. А [u]Мерк[/u] и [u]Азартнич[/u] слегка меня задушили своим существованием. Но всё равно, впервые на них было играть прикольно, интересно и необычно. Теперь о минусах. О "впервые на этой колоде" и 31" забег на игру. [b]Это затянуто[/b]. STS с своими 4мя героями и по 3 стиля и билда прохождения, а так же по 20 забегов у каждого - совершенно не так душат, как тут. Я где-то как раз на 25ом забеге и уже понял, что ля. [b]Перебор[/b]. [b]Безликость боссов[/b]. Да, они все разные. Но фактически, если бы это был бы обычный файт с такими же Лакримами - обстановка никак бы не изменялась. Особенно по сравнению с элитными боями в бесконечном режиме. Там так же 5 карт, но только без боссовской неуязвимости с старта. Боссфайты в STS, например, вбрасывали в напряжение, тк нужно было учитывать пачку мелочей и условий, а ещё к ним можно было немного подготовится как-либо до файта, тк аватарка босса была на карте пути. В MS это тоже было, но там я этим совершенно не пользовался. А здесь.. Ну это обычный файт, где нужно пожить подольше и усерднее. [b]Музыка[/b]. Не смотря на то, что я действительно люблю, ценю и переслушиваю почти все музыкальные композиции Муддашипа время от времени, то здесь я с ~20-25го часа ставил подборки треков с Майнкрафта. лол. Ну мало! Мало треков! Да, мне они понравились, запали в душу и звучат круто. Но мало! Даже саундтреки к игре всего на 12 треков в сумме на 56 минут. На этом вроде бы всё о минусах.. А! ещё можно отдельно сказать про комьюнити этой игры. Оно фактически уотьтякусенькое, тю-тю-тю, но к каждому баг репорту, предложению или мысли Мудда ответит или обдумает. Сам лично был около 20ти раз упомянут в хотфиксах и апдейтах. А ещё у меня слегка предвзятое крайне положительное мнение о Муддашипе. Так что это тоже учитывайте. [spoiler]А ещё я забыл рассказать по сюжет. Ну и ладно.[/spoiler]

Don't sleep on this one! Any and all concerns I had going in were immediately dispelled when the main gameplay loop presented itself. A deck builder with an FF7 like materia system to make custom cards is one hell of an idea on paper. And I'm happy to report it's an idea brilliantly executed as well. I found the gameplay wonderfully addictive and I frequently found myself on the deck screen just imagining and cooking up new cards. And you'll NEED to be creative since the enemies you face as you progress have some devious combinations of abilities and skills that will really push your card making prowess. I found the difficulty curve to be rewarding, and congruent with its peers in the genre. Wrap all that up with some awesome art and atmospheric music and you have what I consider a must play for card game / build enthusiasts.

Do not let the hours fool you - I've played this game a lot on other platforms, and the experience was quite something for me. The art and design are quite to my liking, and the idea of customizeable cards is quite interesting. The game isn't exactly newbie-friendly, however, as the customization brings its own set of additional thinking to be put into building your deck, especially since you need to rebuild your deck on every run. Alas, every run is unique due to this very circumstance, as only very few enemies are to be ever same, but you are unlikely to meet those special enemies twice in a row. So try not to fall into despair over this. Also try the demo, you get quite a lot of what the game is about out of it. Highly recommend.

Great idea, but the pace of the metaprogression is so slow, that the whole idea of the game starts to feel stale. You have 2 unique cards randomly at the start of the run and couple of mostly dysfunctional gems that could be used later. When you finish the run (through fail or success), you will unlock 1 additional gem out of let's say 50 and you have 25 unlocked already. So you will need 25 more runs, an hour each to unlock the gems (so they will be made available to you randomly in the later runs?). Not sure about unlocking the starting cards - 10 hours in and they are still locked and chosen randomly. I can unlock some of them (so I may be able to choose one from the start) by playing some gem or card 100000 times, or bashing my head 99999 times - that sort of stuff. If I'm in a mood for a grindfest, I will seek it elsewhere, to be honest. Otherwise nice idea of a game. I just don't have 100 additional years to unlock this virtual world piece by piece.

The idea of the game is fantastic, but in true roguelite fashion you will frequently lose runs to things that are impossible to deal with and extremely unfair. For instance, there is an ability that enemies can spawn with called Exile, which removes cards from your deck until you get to a rest location. This ability can trigger once per round, and can trigger off of something like "Playing any card", so there are situations in which there is essentially no counterplay. It is possible to never roll a rest location to get those cards back. It is also possible to have an enemy exile your entire deck right before a boss fight. Both have happened to me and it's a genuine feels bad moment.