Wardrum Review
A turn-based game with over-tuned difficulty and repetitive gameplay. Lacks the strategy of other turn based games.
Choose your 4 unit army. Each character can equip 2 trinkets and trinkets are randomly dropped after battles or can be purchased in the shop. As you win battles, each unit gradually gains experience and there is a choice between a more aggressive attack/spell or defensive one. There is a node-based map with treasure chests, random events, healing, and other random events.
Wardrum. Credit Mopeful Games, Team 17
The dialogue was not meaningful and I just wanted a skip option so I can go straight to combat. Each character gives a few lines about their adventure, but ultimately it does not affect options later in the game.
Difficulty ramps up after beating biome 1. The rhythm aspect is heavily weighted. If you don’t get perfects and goods on your attacks and spells, you are punished because it affects your flow. Flow impacts random events and your damage. The player needs to master the rhythm of their moves, which adds artificial difficulty if multiple buttons are required in short sequence. Stronger moves require difficult button combos and missing one resets your combo counter to 0. Enemy debuffs are annoying in battles. For example, confused keyword changes the keyboard inputs to use for attacks and spells. Using an item can clear the debuff on 1 unit, but there is an item cool down, so its better to prioritize killing an enemy that removing a debuff unless you are fighting a boss.
Starting with biome 2, you are constantly outnumbered and enemies have more health. Fights with more enemies drag out and the player slowly loses interest playing similar battles over and over. A full run can take over 2-3 hours if you survive to the last biome. For casual players or players new to turn based games, this game might be too difficult. First boss has 850 health points and it will take 7-10 attacks or spells to kill without critical hits. Even with easy mode toggled on, game feels hard compared to other strategy games. From my experience, most enemy attacks or spells do not miss, so enemy AI essentially gets perfect on about 80% of their attacks and spells.
Wardrum. Credit Mopeful Games, Team 17
After each run, you earn essence points that can be used in the Shrine of growth. Upgrade an attack or spell, unlock a new unit, and choose general upgrades for shops and other events. The roguelike aspect of the game makes the game more tedious and promotes grinding to get the most of your war band. For example, you need to use essence points just to unlock a level 6 ultimate for each character.
The best aspects are the pixel art and soundtrack for the game. Each unit has unique art with detailed descriptions. Also, attacks and spells have individual animations and sound effects. Combat is shown on a grid and the unit interface is easy to follow.
Balance is the main detractor for my lack of enjoyment. Enemy and boss health needs to be reduced by at least 20% and missing your rhythm could be less detrimental during battles even with easy mode option. Strategy boils down to killing the support and ranged units first and keeping your units alive. If you lose, restart and grind for essence points.
Wardrum
A turn-based game with over-tuned difficulty and repetitive gameplay. Your units get stronger mainly by grinding essence points.