Author: Nathan Doverspike

I am the owner of Creative Mind Games, and author of the soon-to-release Aetherial War saga of novels. I am an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy works, and love to sit down with friends for card game nights!

Wildermyth is Fantastic Tactical RPG You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

A game that released on Steam in November 2019 by a smaller independent studio, Wildermyth is a game you may not have heard of. That’s okay, because I’m here to tell you that it’s fantastic, and deserves a look and your time.

The game takes you through variable-length campaigns, during which your characters will face tough choices, suffer grievous injuries, and some may even perish forever. Their sacrifice will not be in vain, though, as you’ll be able to recruit other companions to take their place and hopefully carry on their legacy. Battles take place over a series of turns, where the player is able to choose varied actions for their characters to perform, all-the-while attempting to defeat a myriad of magical and mystical creatures. The end of battles tallies the enemies defeated, distributing experience to each character that may level them up. When that happens, players are able to choose a new active or passive skill for that character, shaping how they play. I was always excited when this happened, and you notice impactful differences in that character’s abilities, damage output, or accuracy the very next battle.

Players engage those battles by taking back sections of the world map, where they can build stations to provide additional resources, or race through to the finish. Though that takes less time, it is unwise to rush to a final battle without being properly equipped, since the enemies and game A.I. aren’t pushovers. Before, and even sometimes during battles, players will have to make character-based decisions. Should we rush into battle head-first, or should we wait for the enemy and attempt to ambush them? Some of these will have percentages of success, while others might not be as apparent. Regardless, they are interesting, and help give the characters a personality of their own and help the game feel unique to that campaign. Occasionally, there will be a side quest available for a character. I highly recommend pursuing these, even if it means you might encounter tougher enemies because of it. It adds even more variety to the gameplay, and could result in permanent changes (see the wings on Kai Stormbringer as a tangible example).

Enemies will receive buffs depending on what choices you make during battle. These normally occur after a battle is completed, but can be initiated once a timer on the world map reaches zero. The enemy upgrades after battles can be as simple as adding 25% more health to a particular enemy, to introducing completely new and deadly abilities. The ones initiated on the world map may be negated by spending Legacy Points (which you earn from side quests and some options during battle). If you do not negate the upgrade or don’t have enough Legacy Points at that time, the upgrades are applied and the enemies grow stronger. This adds a risk/reward factor to exploring everything in the world map. Traveling takes time in the game, so trying to search every area and build up defenses will also expose the characters to stronger enemies as the campaigns progress. It’s your choices as the player, so choose wisely. Your characters’ lives are always on the line.

Upon completing all objectives on the world map, you’ll complete the chapter, and move to the next one. I was able to complete the first campaign, going through three chapters and taking around three hours to complete. At the end, the choices character’s made influence the story you are giving, with some characters going on more grand adventures, settling down with a character they grew feelings for during the story, or any one of a number of other outcomes. Better yet, you are able to bring their legacy and character into subsequent playthroughs of other campaigns. You can also take a look at the characters you’ve completed a campaign with from the main menu by visiting your legacy option. I couldn’t help but click on them and reminisce about the adventure we had just completed, and look forward to seeing them pop up again to aid weary warriors fighting to save their land.

Overall, Wildermyth was a massively pleasant surprise. I love the stories you are presented, the way you are able to shape the story into somethin unique, and the engaging battle system. I’m currently knees-deep in my second campaign, and am going to jump right back in after this article to see what shenanigans my rural heroes will find themselves in. According to Worldwalker Games’ official site, Wildermyth is also available on itch.io.

Tips and Hints For Dead Cells

Because of how great it is, and the fact that the game can be very challenging at times, I’m here to provide you with some tips to get started.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

Dead Cells is a game that successfully mashes numerous characteristics together, and it has the potential to reach players who normally might not give it a shot because of that. It’s a game with beautiful 3D turned 2D graphics boasting roguelite elements, responsive action, satisfyingly quick platforming, and rewarding exploration all tied into an affordable yet deep game. This is one I can see myself picking up years from now and still admiring the art style and game-play as much as the day I bought it. Because of how great it is, and the fact that the game can be very challenging at times, I’m here to provide you with some tips to get started.

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Legendary weapons are definite game-changers.

Play To Your Strengths

As you can see from the image above, I had a wide variety of weapons equipped that particular run (I made it to the final area on that run, only to be obliterated within the first couple rooms). What saved my bacon the most is the mutation that lets you revive once in the even that you die. This is so handy during boss fights or areas where enemies get the jump on you. Also, being able to regain health from defeating enemies (you’ll be doing that quite a lot once you get to a certain point in a run) is invaluable in staying alive. However, there are plenty of other mutations and weapons other than the ones I have pictured that may work better for your play style. There are mutations that allow you to do a massive amount more damage if you are near a trap, and one that reduces the time to deploy your traps. Those combined also can be a lethal combination. Finding the right weapons, mutations, and traps is crucial in progressing in Dead Cells.

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Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!

Exploration Is Your Friend

Some of the most satisfying moments I’ve had in Dead Cells involve pushing deeper and deeper into areas, knowing that in an instant my run could be over with one mistake, and bathe in rewards from a newly discovered chest that spits out a legendary weapon. This is just another aspect that this game nails: exploration is rewarding and can be crucial to extending runs. Chests provide rewards that can help you unlock new upgrades, give you a weapon that you desperately need, or even curse you until you complete a specified task to list that curse. You can also find more power scrolls the deeper you delve into areas, so always being on the lookout and checking the map will also help keep you alive longer.

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Persistence Will Pay Off

There were certainly times while playing Dead Cells that it feels like I’m getting nowhere. Then I complete an area and am able to dump the cells I earned into unlocking a new mutation, or the ability to get a random starting weapon on subsequent runs, and I remember that this game demands persistence . It even gives you not-so-subtle hints that you will be doing the same run over and over for eternity. Once I accepted that I will be seeing the prison and toxic sewers quite a bit, I focused more on learning how each weapon functions, and how the levels are semi-randomly built on each run. Persistence has been paying large dividends, and I am reaching the final and next to last area quite often, meaning my runs are lasting one to two hours instead of fifteen or twenty minutes. If you reach the point where you feel you aren’t making much progress, keep pushing forward and you’ll realize like I did that eventually you’ll beat down that virtual brick wall with enough punches.

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The art in this game is so beautiful, it makes the repeated areas wear less on players.

When In Doubt, Switch Your Route

There isn’t a singular path to the end of Dead Cells. The branching paths mean that you could potentially beat the game in an earlier run without ever seeing whole areas of the game. That also means that you have the freedom to take a path and avoid certain areas that may prove more difficult than others. For example, earlier on in my time with Dead Cells I was having difficulty beating the Black Bridge. So, with the new ability to use teleportation coffins, I chose to go through the Ossuary. Granted, that run ended quite abruptly and I eventually went back to the Black Bridge and beat it on the following run, but it just serves as a good example of how you can change the way you reach the final area to suite your personal gaming strengths.

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Finding the best path is challenging but oh so satisfying.

Mutations Are A Game-Changer

Finding the perfect combination of mutations for your runs can do wonders for helping you push farther and farther each run. Personally, I found getting the mutation that allows you to revive once after dying a great pickup as your first mutation, followed by necromancy (you gain health each time you kill an enemy), and finish it with the 30% health boost. This all allows me to tank bosses, while letting me come back from death once if I make a huge mistake or get mauled by an elite enemy encounter. The other abilities I recommend trying are the ones that give you extra damage for being near a trap and the one that reduces your trap cool-down.

Bonus Tip: Freeze Weapons Are Killer

Just a quick tip for making the most out of your runs: have a weapon that freezes enemies. This can be a bow (freeze bows are awesome) or the freeze grenades. As long as you have a way to slow down quick enemies like the Clocktower boss and any elite enemies that can teleport once you take half their health, you’ll have a much easier time pushing forward and finding new permanent abilities.

Super Duper Bonus Tip! My Favorite Weapon and Skill Combinations

The war spear, infantry crossbow, repeater crossbow, and frantic blades are my favorite weapons and the ones that I reached the final boss using.  If combined with a mutation that powers your melee power when damaged or drink a health potion, you become a literal tank late in runs. The crusher, ice grenade, and any trap that fires projectiles combined with the trap cooldown mutation or one that boosts your damage near a trap are also very helpful.

Hope these hints help you along the way. Knowing which weapons, mutations, and abilities work best for you will undoubtedly be the difference between making a long run and returning as a corpse five minutes in. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to farm some more dead cells and end the cycle.

Pros and Cons of Captain Toad Treasure Tracker on Nintendo Switch

However, with the new release come some clear improvements, but also some puzzling decisions. Here are my pros and cons for Captain Toad Treasure Tracker.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

I played Captain Toad on the Wii U when it came out in November of 2014, and while I didn’t beat the game completely at the time, I’m sure that won’t be the case with its recent release in the Switch. However, with the new release come some clear improvements, but also some puzzling decisions. Here are my pros and cons for Captain Toad Treasure Tracker.

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Handheld mode is the best way to play Captain Toad on the Switch.

Pros

Art Style Still Impresses

After its release in late 2014, Captain Toad was a beautiful title on the Wii U that I believe rivaled Bayonetta 2 and Super Smash Bros. for the best looking game on that console released that year. Now, with its release on Nintendo Switch in July of 2018, I still stand by that belief. This game looks amazing with its wealth of color and silky smooth textures. I can’t get enough of the art style, which makes replaying levels to get full completion still a joy even after playing the level for the third or fourth time.

Level Design Is Top Notch

Without the ability to jump, it would be reasonable to assume that this game would have a very limited number of ways to vary the dozens of levels it offers players. To my surprise, each level feels unique and it didn’t feel stale at any point throughout the game. A puzzle game with limited movement options needs variety in its puzzles, and Captain Toad is thankfully full of variety.

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Easy Controls

Whether you’re shooting for finding every Pixel Toad, finding all the secret objectives on every level, or 100% completion in general, Captain Toad is easy to master with its intuitive controls for any age. This game allows for youngsters to fully enjoy this game without the normal barrier of more complex controls that other titles like Mario Odyssey tout. It’s always nice to see games that are accessible to anyone and any age.

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This city looks very new and donk…

Plenty of New Levels

I was surprised at the number of new levels, all of which are inspired by Mario Odyssey. The art style meshes with that game perfectly, and seeing New Donk City condensed into a level in Captain Toad is really fascinating. The levels that focus on sprinting are by far my least favorite, but that’s a minor gripe and a small percentage of the levels.

Cons

Price seems a little high

At $40, Captain Toad is a little pricey, in my honest opinion. Sure it has new levels, but even they aren’t enough to justify the steep price. It’s still the same game you played on the Wii U. The addition of coop is nice, but it doesn’t change things up enough to justify almost a full price for this title. I enjoy the game, most than most I would presume, but I would be more satisfied if it was slightly cheaper at release.

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Even when condensed to a city block, New Donk City is still gorgeous.

Touch Pointer Is Obtrusive

When docked, a pointer is always present. There is no way to play the game without it while the Switch is docked, which I feel is a mistake. This is not an issue when playing in handheld mode since you can use your fingers on the touch screen, but just beware of playing it docked if that is your primary way of playing games on the Switch. It gets in the way of seeing where Toad is in the level, and can also be distracting. It would be better if it disappeared when you weren’t using the right analog stick when you need to interact with the environment. A patch to correct this would be very much appreciated.

Coop Isn’t Always Great

Speaking of the pointer and coop, the Switch version of Captain Toad introduces coop into the game. You each take a joy con, with the first player controlling toad and the second player taking control of the camera and pointer, which they can use to shoot enemies. Most levels end up being frustrating in coop, since both players can control the camera and with the second player controlling the pointer you both need to be on the same page at all times or you will inevitably fail levels due to the split in duties. The idea is nice, but the implementation isn’t ideal.

I want you hear from you. Did you pick up Captain Toad for the first time on Switch? Did you play it previously on the Wii U and pick it up again. Are you waiting for a price drop before adding it to your Switch library? Let me know in the comments!