Review anarchistica 3/5 · Jan 25, 2022
Nice casual alternative to Slay The Spire
Playtime: 23h5m (completed game with all 12 characters)
Intro
Monster Slayers is a card game similar to Monster Train and Slay The Spire. You pick one of 12 classes (DLC adds another 2) and a starting companion (8 options). Then you fight your way through three dungeons. Combat is done with attack, magic and support spells. Along the way you …
Playtime: 23h5m (completed game with all 12 characters)
Intro
Monster Slayers is a card game similar to Monster Train and Slay The Spire. You pick one of 12 classes (DLC adds another 2) and a starting companion (8 options). Then you fight your way through three dungeons. Combat is done with attack, magic and support spells. Along the way you get new items, cards and boni/mali. When you die or win you get 'fame' which is needed to unlock permanent upgrades (general/class/companion).
The Good
- Permanent upgrades make the game noticably easier/more fun.
- You unlock the first ~30 upgrades quite quickly.
- After unlocking the core upgrades you can win on your first try with most classes.
- Easy to learn, a bit less easy to master.
- Nice variety in classes and enemies.
- Winning depends more on skill than RNG compared to many similar games.
The Bad
- I had a bug that stole three skill points from me. Later i had another bug that gave one back.
- Unlocking all skill points takes too long.
- Companion picking screen doesn't show secondary and passive skills.
- Brutes are a bit too feeble compared to the other classes (can't block or dodge).
- The game should have some sort of warning when picking block/dodge as a Brute.
- Mimic fights can be really tedious (they copy your deck).
- The Merchant interface needs a complete do-over (e.g. it closes automatically when you buy something).
- There are a handful of OP cards (Limit Break, 3X mana pure damage card).
- Terrible looping music.
- Character taunts/dialogue plays every single time you do something. Maybe a 50% option, guys?
Conclusion
If you want a card game you can just pick up and play this might be for you. It's not as deep/good as Slay The Spire, but it feels more "fair" and has far more starting options.