Do we know if the art for Legacy is going to be standard SotM or more in line with Devastation? It would be nice to have him in the Devastation style for uniform style of the game and I always like seeing different artist interpretations.
I actually asked Brad about this during one of those live drawing things they've been doing. His response was that he prefers having the promo art done by the original artist, so either they'll have stock art they'll use for the character or if Adam had the free time for him to supply art.
Too bad but Adams art is still great. Just an odd fit for the game. I hope people go out for this. The reviews are awesome.
I actually want to give a brief review of the demo game they offer on the Kickstarter:
The rulebook is done in a comic book style with a conversation between two of the characters in the demo (Shekhtur and Eligor) about how to play the game. It's engaging and fun without being too cheesy. I read through the rules once and had a pretty decent grasp of the order of play. The printouts are all finalized (almost?) cards that are colorful and with absolutely beautiful artwork. With a paper cutter (and some cardboard for the bases, tokens, and field courtesy of a Rice Krispy box), three packs of colored sleeves (red for Styles, blue for bases, and black for Malandrax's Trap cards), and a pack of clear sleeves (for finisher cards) I was able to cut out and assemble the whole game in about an hour (while splitting my attention watching stand-up comedy, no less).
I'm not very good at fighting games. In fact, I would say that I'm absolutely terrible. This game has allowed me to have fun playing one. Each fighter gets a set of six bases (Dash, Drive, Burst, etcetera) that all fighters possess, while the individual fighters have (on average, with one exception) five style cards (such as Eligor's Chained, Counter, and Vengeful cards) that represent the fighter's individual style. The styles and bases combine to form an attack each player lays face down on the field simultaneously. Shekhtur doesn't just do a Strike, she does a Jugular Strike! After a short bidding phase (such as Shekhtur's Malice tokens that buff her initiative and damage, Eligor's Vengeance tokens that give him stun guard or immunity, or Malandrax's Trap cards that activate when an opponent unknowingly steps on them), each player reveals their cards and blows are traded. This allows for a basic system that all characters follow without making them feel like pallet swaps. Each fighter also has a unique base that allows for further customization, and their unique mechanics allow for a completely different experience with each character.
Also, there is the finisher. Every fighter has two finishers they can use if their life ever gets to seven or less in a fight. They must choose which finisher they want to use at the beginning of the fight. Each player plays with their cards revealed, but since each player plays their cards simultaneously, it doesn't result in much foul play. There is also a recycle system that involves putting two base/style combos outside of your hand at the start of the game. After a base/style attack, the outermost pair is recycled back into your hand, and the attack just used will return after two beats. This is great, as it prevents spamming attacks (which is what a fighter newbie like me would do if I had the opportunity). Luckily, this allows for even the most inexperienced player to learn some basic tactics and not rely so much on gimmicks or cheap attacks.
On top of all this, the characters are interesting and the artwork is beautiful and detailed. It feels very Guilty Gear/Street Fighter/Soul Calibur-esque, which is exactly what this game is going for. Eligor Larington is a monk-knight who is out to make a name for himself by slaying a great monster, and primarily focuses on reactionary, defensive tactics and employing his opponent's strength against them. Shekhtur Lenmorre is a thief that got more than she bargained for when a cursed relic she was hired to steal, Malephaise's Claw, binds to her arm. She relies on an exchange of her own life energy for increases in speed and strength to defeat her opponent before her relic drains her own life away. Joal Kalmor is a monster hunter who utilizes five unique bases to customize his fighting style even more and represent his approach to life: everything has a weakness. Malandrax Mecchi is the result of a botched attempt at resurrecting a recently assassinated doctor. He possesses all of his genius and none of his sentiments, and mainly implements special Trap cards that catch an opponent off guard when they walk too close to him. Or too far away. Or even if his opponent doesn't move at all...
The demo itself offers a great overview of the game. Shekhtur and Eligor are basic characters (for newbies like myself), Joal is an advanced character (after you play a few games), and Malandrax is an expert character (after you tool around with Joal for a while and grow in skill with the basic characters). Depending on the matchup, a fight can last for five beats (a measurement of "turns," and after 15 of them the match ends and the player with the highest life is declared the winner), or it can burn through the whole 15. There are recommended cards to burn for each fighter at the beginning of the fight and each finisher is ranked as easier or harder to use. I never felt overwhelmed playing this game even while I had a ridiculous amount of options. Also, in total, there are 52 cards in the demo, which can easily be sleeved with a pack of playing cards.
At first I was wary of having to buy different color sleeves for a demo, but it really adds some personality to a demo I printed off from the internet. The game is fun and interesting and easily captures the feel of a 2D fighter, and I haven't even played with all of the fighters (or anywhere near the amount of alternate game styles that are available). I really liked reading the comic rules the first time, but it makes for a frustrating search when looking for a rule. There are actual printed rules in the back, but I can't always find some info that was presented in the comic presented in these rules. Fortunately, the FAQs in the back often solve any questions about individual characters. I'm pledging for both games and a playmat, and I cannot wait for the whole game to arrive. Also, if you're into thematics like me, there is a preview guide on the Kickstarter that provides some background on the setting and has a bio for pretty much every character in Devastation:
http://www.lvl99games.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Preview-Guide-Lores.pdf
If nothing else, save the demo to your computer and try it later. Even if you don't Kickstart this project, it is an interesting and fun game that has a deceptively large variety of games to be played. The fact that these guys were willing to provide a demo is really awesome, and I hope you guys give it a shot. I definitely wanna play a game or two with some of the forum members, and a Legacy mirror match would be so awesome!
I've owned War of Indines since it's pre-release and Sentinels of the Multiverse and it are my only 10s on Boardgamegeek. It is a one of the most balanced, strategically interesting games that I have ever played, and I love it. While the art in WoI is not consistent, as almost every character has a different artist, the mechanics are all solid as a rock and as varied as the stars. It is my competative head to head game of choice other than Netrunner at the moment, and I really love how different every character plays from every other one. I personally wouldn't let the art get in the way of picking up this amazing game. I compare it to the orignal Sentinels in that it feels like a first release from a small game company, but it is an awesome game despite it's flaws.
If you liked the Print and Play for Devastation, then you can also get the print and play for the original WoI here which includes 4 characters, and make sure that you pick up Seth Cremmul as well at that same link. Then you will have 9 characters to rumble with until the Kickstarter goodies arrive. I highly recommend them both to everyone.
Thanks for the tip! The Kickstarter actually features a bonus character for Devastation in the print and play if you write a review (thus my motivation to write the one featured here). I'm glad I wrote it, though. It's an awesome game!
Very considering it, actually.
Uuuuuugh. I’m going to have to get this. It’s just so amazing. But with the heavy hit of the Sentinels kickstarter, and new Netrunner stuff coming out all the time, it does hurt a little.
By the way, a tip for teaching someone else the game: play your cards first and open the first few beats, and let them pick the optimal counter attack. It allows them to grasp the purpose of the different attacks much quicker. Just move to closed plays when the other player feels comfortable doing so.
I sort of question the wisdom of including that guy with the different bases as the intermediate character in the print and play, because getting a grasp of the bases is such an essential part of the game. Throwing out most of what the player knows as soon as they move on to intermediate seems a bit silly.
I just played Joal for the first time last night, actually. I was really impressed by his playstyle and I think he shows off how much the game can change while still having a consistent mechanic.
My friends and I honestly didn't figure out that you played without your hand revealed until we combed the internet for a few demo turns. The instruction booklets always show them face-up and make no mention of keeping it hidden...
Still, great game. Thus far Shekhtur, King Alexian, and Joal seem to fit my (rather inexperienced) playstyle.
Well, I believe you may ask to look into your opponents hand and discard at any time before either of you play your cards for the turn. The entire idea of the game is that you have perfect information, save for that little pesky bit of info: what is he/she going to do this turn?
That makes sense, but the rules and comic don't explain that very clearly. It is especially important to understand how that works with the character that guesses which base his opponent uses during the ante phase.
It looks like Level 99 is offering open playtesting for Devastation! You just need to send them a signed NDA and create an account! It sounds like they want actual reports filled out, so no casuals! Here's the link!
http://lvl99games.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=04f7e7faf4142bab287bb1d50&id=00ff215235