Tamarak Trail is a new dice builder roguelike from Yarrow Games and Tinybuild,and they were nice enough to toss me a copy to review.
The game is simple,in theory. Toss some dice, you get to use the dice roll to attack,add a shield or buff/debuffs depending on how it lands. For example some faces are attacks while others will allow you to add a bleed effect. The dice rolls aren’t as simple as just hitting a button to toss them either (though you can) you can use the thumb sticks to choose where and how hard to toss them.
While the dice won’t go flying off the table so to speak,you can smack one offer and change your attack. Some even require them to connect to add bonus stacks, though this will make some rolls cost more as well. This is where the strategy really comes into play. Do you risk making a simple attack cost twice as much so you can possibly add stacks of bleed or confusion to an enemy? That’s up to you.
The story is very basic,and I won’t spoil it for you because honestly,I don’t know all of it. I have played a lot of roguelike games before and this one has easily given me the most trouble. That is also 100% a me thing as for the most part the game is fair and well balanced. My issue is I play aggressively and the same points you use to play abilities are the same points that protect your health. They recharge a bit every turn,but when they run out your health can be attacked directly. And while my style of play works well against some enemies,others will kill you quick that way.
I don’t have any complaints about the visual or sound style of this game either, both are amazing. They won’t be setting the world on fire but for the style of game it is,it is beautiful.
But the real reason you are here is, should you buy this game? The simple answer is yes, if you like this style of game already. It is definitely for the fans of the genre and not for anyone trying to break into it. As a game for fans,it’s a solid 8/10. For people just wanting to check the genre out,it’s a 6/10. With very little tutorial and a steep learning curve this isn’t for everyone. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
Savior Gaming 