Vambrace: Dungeon Monarch

А знаете, в чём главная ошибка Стима? В том, что он не разделяет отзывы на те, что были оставлены в раннем доступе и те, что появились после релиза (а таковых тут ровно 2, не считая моего!). Ведь люди заходят, читают весь этот бред про баги, лаги, малое количество контента, недружелюбный интерфейс и уходят. А ведь это всё было актуально именно на этапе раннего доступа... Я фанат пошаговых стратегий и дек-билдеров. И я хочу сказать, что это объективно уникальная игра! В основу взяты идеи легендарного Dungeon Keeper, но перенесены в пошаговый режим и приправлены карточной настолкой. Для любителей сравнивать всё карточное с Slay the Spire, будет отдельный котёл в аду. Ничего общего, разумеется, игра с ним не имеет. Уж если сравнивать, то больше похоже на отечественную настолку "Бастион" или даже чем-то напомнило "Громовой камень". Значит, есть у нас подземелье своё. Есть наглые враги, которые хотят его разграбить и добраться до портала. Мы мешаем им с помощью : а) монстров, которых покупаем каждую 4-ую волну за золото. Каждый монстр принадлежит к какому-либо классу и расе, и, собирая их в на одном этаже подземелья, мы получаем уникальные бонусы и даже абилки. Вот эти вот синергии в пределах расы можно улучшать на жертвенном алтаре! Кроме того, у абсолютно каждого монстра есть своя абилка, которая срабатывает при заполнении шкалы. Некоторые монстры не могут перемещаться (!); б) мы колдуем карты, которые требуют ману. Покупаются они между забегами в хабе либо даются в награду полсе прохождения подземелья. Могут быть атакующими, бафами, дебафами, всё по классике; в) между подземельями мы строим ЗДАНИЯ на тайлах! Здания, которые не только позволяют нанимать новых монстров, но и дают всяческие бонусы той или иной расе, Получаем их так же между забегами, покупая чертежи у торговцев в хабе: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3478987899 г) мы можем призвать на поле своего данж-лорда и колдовать его уникальные карты! д) во время боя можно захватить врагов в плен! И потом либо продать их, либо же вовсе выпустить против собрата. Как вам такое количество стратегий и контента? Даже когда Вы пройдёте всю кампанию (внезапно, тут есть сюжет), то у Вас откроется вторая её часть, где появятся новые расы и стратегии! А ведь ещё есть и свободный режим + хард мод. В общем, ребята сделали невроятное - за 3 месяца вышли из раннего доступа! Я такого припомнить не могу за жизнь. Брать следует всем фанатам Данжн Кипера, карточных стратегий, дек-билдеров и даже тауэр дефенсов. Ценник крайне адекватный, арт просто эталонный (не аниме!), музыка шикарна, ачивки имеются, а ещё тут есть зууум :)

Game started out pretty decent, but sadly the front is much better than the back. The base of the game is solid, an autobattler where you build up your forces, upgrade your chosen classes, The 2 problems the game has is the extreme RNG just gets silly, especially getting to higher level synergies. The nature of sacrificing creatures to upgrade synergy classes means that it takes a lot to upgrade to max level, and makes it incredibly painful, if not impossible, to switch in mid-game. Then, because buildings are included in the synergies, and the higher level buildings can ONLY be gotten as a mission reward (either given or from Azazel's shop), you may never even be able to get the max level of the synergies you are using if the RNG doesn't let you. And because the highest level creatures can reliably only be gotten from building spawns, it further punishes you for trying to switch to a different synergy in mid-game. Which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but because the game just has TERRIBLE balance, it cripples the game. Some synergies and creatures are so much better than others it isn't even funny, and the last boss is horrifically unbalanced RNG slog with a permanent buff that gives him a chance to heal a huge chunk of health every attack. If you picked the wrong synergies to specialize in before the final battle, the final boss may legitimately be unkillable. The combination of synergies being built up out-of-battle, along with a system that basically punishes you for trying to switch, just makes the latter half of the game an unbalanced mess. I still beat it pretty easily by focusing on a couple of the broken OP synergies, but that doesn't make it less poorly balanced. If they fix the balance it would be a positive game, as it stands now, not recommended until they do more work on it.

An interesting game, with a good story, great art design and characters, and decent gameplay. However, there are two things that really affect the game overall. The first is that the game itself does a very poor job of explaining how to play it. It feels like it tries to be very complex, with factions, synergies, building effects, floor and tile card effects and so on, but nothing is really explained properly. The randomness of unit recruitment and card pack opening also make it difficult to focus on a proper strategy. The other thing is the really inconsistent quality of the English translation. At times, it was hard to follow the story. This combined with a lacking tutorial left me guessing what some unit skills and card effects do. I also tried the free play mode, but it got bugged in the fourth round; I got stuck waiting for enemies to spawn, but they never spawned, and the game got stuck loading. Overall, it is an interesting game, but I think this game needed more time before leaving early access.

Liked: - core gameplay loop is solid and holds up really well for almost the whole game (maybe slightly samey towards the end but not too bad) - surprisingly good storyline Disliked: - going for certain synergies seemed kind of pointless since I ended up with a bit of everything every time - the English translation has quite a few typos

Неплохая задумка, много интересных механик, но... Судя по тому, что разработчики вместо очередной ежемесячной версии после версии 0.2 выпустили сразу версию 1.0, и выкинули игру из раннего доступа - похоже что они устали от разработки, и выпустили игру "как есть". Багов не то чтобы много... но они есть и они раздражают. Надеюсь допилят. А так игра вполне годная. Есть несколько этажей подземелья. Ты расставляешь там своих монстров и сдерживаешь нашествие "героев". Немного контринтуитивно, что герои идут не от входа к сердцу подземелья, а просто рандомно появляются в разных конмнатах на этажах подземелья... Это затрудняет построение эшелонированной обороны. Но в целом игра довольно лёгкая, так что это не напрягает. Можно заявится в комнату своим аватаром и кастовать всякие заклинания. Можно и просто кастовать заклинания, которые выцеливают как отдельных героев так и хоть целые комнаты либо вообще полностью этаж/подземелье. Если будут допиливать и добавлять контент - то вообще супер! Но даже если оставят как есть - всёравно стоит того чтобы попробовать. Механики необычные и интересные. Буду рад если в похожем жанре будет больше игр.

Probably one of my favorite high/dark fantasy universe, I found this game very addicting for me personally and would really like if they added a romance or a bonding system like they did for cold soul, and perhaps add some unique voice lines for heroes (non renegade), overall I enjoyed the game-play quite a bit, I loved watching units both allied and hostile move about fight in the dungeon in nearly real time, and the soundtrack is good and i especially love the art style ever since Cold-soul and free dungeon mode has a good level of replay ability. However the game can definitely feel somewhat repetitive and boring if one's not interested in the story or the world building, and at least in my experience it felt like some of the factions completely fall off in late game battles and lastly i do wish there was an easier way of acquiring heroes past a certain threshold when building a faction. But I look forward and hope we get more titles that will expand the world building of this universe.

I enjoyed the demo of this so i ended up buying the game. I don't have much time in the full version but the reason for that is the reason I am not giving it a recommendation: I hate the story. The story points are so boring and drawn out, when I'm not in 'a mission' I just want to turn the game off. Could do with some better writing and more simplistic camp management. I know that's probably a 'me' thing, but I just don't have the attention span for half-baked stories. No offense writing team.. I'm sure you worked hard on it. Just wasn't for me. I'll come back around and review this some time in the future. Hopefully updates make it more pallatable.

Take on the role of the Dungeon Monarch, the chosen protector of your master's domain. Armed with potent magic and an endless legion of summonable troops that work in harmony, your task is to defend the dungeon from invading adventurers, jealous rivals, and powerful deities who seek to conquer and destroy your stronghold. The stakes are high, and only your strategic prowess can maintain control. Vambrace: Dungeon Monarch offers a distinctive and fast-paced gameplay experience that blends deck-building, tactical combat, auto-battling, and dungeon defense. You’ll command a strategic deck of cards, each representing unique spells and summoning abilities. Use devastating attacks like lightning strikes, fiery explosions, and volleys of arrows to crush your enemies, while simultaneously boosting your units with morale enhancements, extra damage, and protective shields. Watch as your summoned forces spring to life, leveraging their individual skills to eliminate waves of intruders. Your dungeon faces constant threat from archon hunters—legendary warriors vying for the golden throne and eager to exploit any weakness in the master's power. However, the dungeon now has a new ruler: the Monarch, the god’s appointed regent. But with immense power comes great responsibility—and doubt lingers over whether the Monarch is truly worthy of this position. Central to the gameplay is your magical deck of cards, each symbolizing your abilities to summon and support your troops. Since your deck has limited capacity, crafting the perfect combination of cards is essential. You’ll need to tailor your strategy carefully to adapt to an array of enemy types intent on plundering and razing your dungeon. The interplay between deck building, dungeon defense, and tactical auto-battling creates a fresh and engaging challenge. Cards and units interact in ways that amplify their strengths. Planning these synergies strategically is critical to maximizing your forces' effectiveness and driving back invaders. Once deployed, your units act autonomously in combat, but as their commander, you can maneuver through the dungeon to leverage their ferocity, positioning yourself to turn the tide of battle. Beyond summoning, you can construct towers and other buildings throughout your dungeon. These structures not only accelerate troop deployment but also unlock new tactical options, adding depth and variety to your defensive strategies. Visually, the game boasts a distinctive and devilishly charming art style that blends whimsy with menace, perfectly matching the game’s fiendish tone. Random events add unpredictability and replayability, ensuring that no two playthroughs feel exactly the same. In sum, Vambrace: Dungeon Monarch delivers an inventive and dynamic mix of mechanics, requiring thoughtful deck management, tactical battlefield decisions, and strategic dungeon development. Its blend of fast-paced action and strategic planning offers a unique experience that will appeal to players looking for something both challenging and refreshingly original. Rating: 6/10

I see the vision, but it's not executed well. # Mechanically First: It takes like 20+ minutes to play the game AT ALL. There are two separate tutorials, one "simple" tutorial which is essentially drag and drop 2 things then read through the story for the next 15+ minutes. The tutorial is just... It's not designed into the game, but feels like an afterthought. A good tutorial should introduce you to mechanics as they're needed while allowing the player to practice the previous mechanics BEFORE introducing more complicated stuff. For a deck builder in particular, things should begin feeling simple and slowly increase as mechanics are introduced naturally through the game. This isn't the feeling here. Instead, everything feels incredibly rushed and all-at-once. As a new player I get no time to figure out what's going on, how anything works, etc. I get told 'use your cards, press tab to switch things, you can only use these cards when your monarch is descended' and then just left to hopefully figure it out. There are so many units right out of the gate with so many different effects and synergies to figure out that I can't focus on building my understanding of the base mechanics. I think this could be good, but it's WAY too complicated with everything thrown at the player right away -- it's overwhelming and not fun. # Story I hate "start at the end" style stories. The fact it's a time-loop thing makes it worse in this case... I don't know who any of these people are. I don't care about them. Why are they doing whatever it is they're doing? No clue. What ARE they even doing? No idea. Why should I care? I don't. I'm just annoyed that instead of a 'tutorial' I'm clicking through the third act of a visual novel. # Final Thoughts The story interrupts the game-play and the game-play doesn't enhance the story. They're entirely disconnected entities and both are incredibly rough and heavy handed. I was excited to try this game and hoped I'd love it. The art style is my jam, I love both deck builders and tower defense games, dark fantasy is always cool... It has all the elements to seem cool, but it's just an overwhelming beginner experience and I 100% don't have the inclination to force myself through a rough on-boarding in order to experience the "good part". There are so, so, so many games which I will be instantly hooked into from the start, so why would I slog through a painful beginning in the hopes it's better later? Devs, if you're reading... I'd recommend checking out literature on invisible/integrated tutorials for the onboarding and maybe just cut the current VN "tutorial" section entirely. It's just confusing and overwhelming.

A fun tactical game. It takes about 12 hours to beat the story mode and then you get the free play mode if you want more. The tactical gameplay is fun and intuitive after you learn the kinks of it which could take some time as the tutorials aren’t the best. The story is fun if somewhat cliche. There are still some bugs but nothing gamebreaking that re-launching the game would not fix, fortunately the autosave is decent. English translation is manageable but could be much better. All together if the price is okay for you and you like card driven tactical combat games it’s a buy otherwise I would wait for a sale.