Verses of Enchantment

I enjoyed the style and atmosphere of this delightful little game, as well as the gameplay. I must confess I'm a total noob to the deck-builder genre, but in my very inexpert opinion this one is great (perhaps someone with extensive experience in intensely complicated deck building would find it a tad bland? I wonder). The poetry itself is... well, some of it (around 20%) was great, the largest part was meh, and around 20% was so obviously and transparently AI that it made no sense. Still, a great concept, I would say it did work - both in terms of story building/world concept (battle of wits and words! Love it!) and in terms of mechanics (how the game generates and uses poems). I am forever on the lookout for games that are immersive enough, but not crazily addictive. This was perfect for me - the kind of game that you enjoy for an hour or a bit more, then set it aside to get back to other activities, and later come back to it as if it's a novel you're reading. Overall, a very enjoyable experience.

Really interesting game. I am stunned that this is a solodev, or at least that's my impression. The inclusion of classical art with intuitive (mostly) card battle gameplay pairs nicely. I think this is a nice variation of the RPG genre for people looking for something a little different. Overall, although I don't totally understand how the poetry element activates quite yet, I think this game is worth checking out. Try the demo at least! Or check out my gameplay video below: https://youtu.be/uv_tK6KjQpY

It's not insanely deep or expansive, but it's certainly capable of providing a very reasonable number of hours and sessions of entertainment. If the concept tickles your fancy, then I don't think you'll be disappointed. If you are curious what the play is like, you should find gameplay videos online like the one from KatherineOfSky. It's got a lovely visual design; the AI generated poetry is usually interesting --I've found it intriguing to discover which card combinations work best together not only from their card powers but also in terms of the number of poem keywords they generate; some of the enemy deck builds are much more challenging or weaker than others but I enjoy seeing the different decks regardless. It is mostly single-player, but you can do local duels with a friend (or yourself to test deck-build match-ups, I suppose). The campaign entertains me ("gotta collect them all" feeling about the cards), but Gauntlet mode also provides a different challenge to make a more restricted deck option work against multiple builds in sequence. Yes, the AI could sometimes be smarter in terms of play (part of that feeling though comes from the power of their decks and random shuffles), and the AI poems have room for improvement, and some aspects of play like the gold and rations are less compelling and can be ignored; but overall, I think the card play and overall unique package is well worth the price of admission.

I have long argued that computer games is a yet undiscovered medium for interactive art. This game is a significant step in this direction both in its presentation and execution. Definitely recommended for those who are interested in card games, unique gameplay mechanics and/or... Art and poetry! GAMEPLAY: Pros: The card game is the main part and it is quite enjoyable. You play cards and each of them is associated with words that are used to generate poetry that can then be used to cast additional effects. It is a unique mechanic that is somehow also quick to learn yet not that easy to master. I think it's well balanced and well made in general. Deck building provides lots of options and synergy explorations. Cons : After a while it begins to feel relatively simple and it appears that the key to victory is to 'abuse' certain buffs as well as to build the deck according to a specific enemy. As such, a huge focus is put not just on card gameplay itself but on building the deck as well. This can be be tiresome sometimes, especially if you just want to relax instead of contemplating best combos possible from the cards in inventory. The bright side is that it is not really required and I have been mostly winning even with spending minimal time deck building. Also I guess it depends on the mood. I also wish there were additional mechanics, such as mana pools like in MTG. The status effects and word types kind of give that vibe, but they are both temporal and as such the gameplay doesn't allow much building up strategies. Though this isn't objectively a con, I guess, it's just a card game of its own kind which can be viewed as a positive thing. Wish there was an online multiplayer mode. But at least it is possible for two people to play on the same computer. Neutral: The rations system I couldn't care much about. The colleges is a nice addition but would be nice if there were more things to do on the map other than going from wizard to wizard. Especially since the map is so good looking. The story is almost non-existant and only exists to set up the setting (and at least that part is well made and game characters respond well to your actions). Maybe the limitation was this being purely a card game at its core. Still, would be nice if there were more things to do in the game's map (or elsewhere) outside the card game. PRESENTATION: To me this is the best part of the game. The game loads in a second, the user interface is near flawless and the art style, music and poetry (and the combination of the three!) is simply fantastic. It is an aesthetic delight. All the characters are well written and each have their character and unique play style. They really don't feel like and are not mere copies of each other with different faces. AI: The unique part of the game. Poetry is the core of the game and it is algorithm generated, as I understand (and there is a detailed explanation in the game's forum on Steam), from thousands of classical poetry pieces. The poetry you get is constructed automatically from the cards you play, as each card is attached to a word (and the word is attached to a class/type of words). The result is a stream of unique poetry throughout the game in response to the cards played. The poetry is hit or miss, which is understandable given the technology used. But that is not a bad thing. Sometimes it can be truly insightful and I guess really depends on how you connect to it on a personal level. I'm sure everyone will find pieces that will be meaningful to them. I'm sure I have. OVERALL: This game is all about creativity and aesthetics. The card gameplay is unique, and so is the AI generated poetry. Both are in a most aesthetically pleasing wrapping of countless classical paintings, lovely UI decorations and truly delightful music. If you seek to be inspired by beauty and thoughtful content, seek no more. OTHER: The main developer is very responsive, their attitude is inspiring and support for the game, exemplary. I base this judgement on their twitter account, email correspondence (I reported a bug that was almost instantly taken care of) and Steam forum posts. There is probably a lot more to say about the game and that's because it's really quite unique. I'd recommend experiencing it even if just for the novelty of it. Or if you want to feel like you are reading a poetry book at a museum while playing cards with a friend.

Game has a great atmosphere and sets a nice mood. Music is pleasing, doesn't get old which I feel is important in these types of card games. Gameplay has been smooth in my experience, the game as a whole has been smooth. Still haven't made my own perfect deck yet, but hope to do so as I collect even more cards! Campaign is fun, but I enjoyed playing the gauntlet more personally!

Quite boring and straightforward (

A meditative and refreshing take on deckbuilders, with more strategic depth than it may seem on a first glimpse.

Beautiful, ethical ai poetry plus deck building? Sign me up

I have The National's 'Don't Swallow the Cap' playing. I won't say I beat Nero... The Game. I chose not to do a damn about the people's right to poetry. They've always had it, and they can't snuff or eat Heroes. Inspiration.

First 30 mins play - Absolutely loving it!