Runespell: Overture Review
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That's exactly what indie developer Mystic Box has attempted to provide in Runespell: Overture, a casual puzzle-RPG that trades out the gem-matching Bejeweled-esque gameplay of Puzzle Quest for poker battles. In fact, you'll see a lot of comparisons to Puzzle Quest in this review, but I think it's justified given the similarities and that there are so few other similar games on the market. Despite the overlap, though, Runespell: Overture's fantastic presentation and some addictive, strategic gameplay provide around ten to fifteen of hours of playtime, albeit best enjoyed in short bursts rather than long sessions.
Card-Battling for Fun and Profit
If there's something to congratulate Runespell for, it's a fairly interesting premise. Though there are a few card-battling games available on PC, not many have attempted to combine them with RPG mechanics. Though Runespell never goes in so deep as to ruin its casual focus, it has more customization and options available than many other mainstream RPGs. There are no stats or leveling, but cards effectively take on the same role and provide you with as many options as any other RPG. This is actually a bit of a strength, as it means that while you can outfit your Changeling hero in any way you see fit, you're never locked into one character build, and you can always trade your cards around to get what you need.
In Runespell, gameplay is split between three different modes - an overland map mode, where you travel point-to-point encountering enemies and quest objectives, a town mode where you can trade with merchants, speak to various characters about the game's story and background, and pick up quests and side-quests. If you've ever played Puzzle Quest before, there isn't much new to see here, but it keeps things simple and works just fine. Unlike Puzzle Quest, progress is more linear and there are fewer side-quests, but this helps to keep the pace of the game moving forward.
It's once you get into combat that Runespell's biggest and most obvious hook shows up. Its "mythic poker" battle system makes up the majority of the gameplay, and is by far its most compelling aspect. Battles are always one-on-one, with cards laid out solitaire-style on each side, and three moves allowed per side during each round of combat. On the most basic level, you'll be spending much of your time forming hands of cards from your solitaire deck; complete a hand, and you'll gain the ability to launch an attack. All standard poker hands apply, though their damage varies: while a simple full house will inflict a solid 15 damage, manage to assemble a royal flush and you can deal a whopping 50 damage in a single attack. As most enemies have more hit points than you do, you'll need to be very efficient in how you play.
Where things become a bit more complicated, and interesting, is in the various special cards both you and enemies can use during battle. These include ally abilities, which are limited by cooldowns, and runespells, which are cards you'll collect as you defeat enemies, trade with merchants, and complete quests. Both of these require rage to make use of, which accumulates as you deal and take damage. Most ally abilities you'll gain simply as part of the plot, but the runespells have finite uses that must be purchased or obtained in the field - and while ally abilities will help enhance your damage, it's the runespells that really change the nature of combat and provide you with dozens of different strategies.
This can sound like a lot to take in, but in reality, combat is generally fast-paced and easy to get into. The ways in which your rage, runespell cards, and the different poker hands interact with one another make for some decidedly interesting possibilities. Do you try to bide your time and build up huge and powerful attacks, then launch them all at once, or do you whittle your opponent down bit by bit? Do you load yourself up with passive benefits, or the ally abilities, or go for buffs and debuffs? Moreover, as you're free to draw any unused cards from your opponent's side, you might also adopt the strategy of denying your enemy the cards necessary for it to attack. You'll find that many enemies require different tactics to take down (i.e. wolves drain your rage meter, and barbarians block melee damage), so you'll constantly be on your toes and changing your approach.
I called Runespell a puzzle-RPG earlier, and while that might not be evident early on, a few hours into the game it becomes clear that success hinges on being able to determine and execute the right strategy to finish off an enemy. Some battles, I found, were extremely challenging, until I realized why I was losing, and adjusted my play-style accordingly. Though there is some luck involved, in most cases you will lose because you deserved to, either by making mistakes or by simply not countering the enemy effectively, and not because of random chance. Though you can always try to grind low-level battles for more money and cards, ultimately you're limited by your own ability more than your deck.
Override of the Overture
Though the core combat gameplay in Runespell is extremely strong, the other sides of the game leave a bit more to be desired. The story is the first casualty of the focus on battle. You play as the Changeling, an amnesiac protagonist aided by several allies of various backgrounds, who are all united by their goal to plunder the depths of a foreboding castle, Skullgrim. Though there's potential for drama, conflict and so on, all the characters are fairly one-dimensional and almost never interact with one another; you'll appreciate them for their combat abilities, not their contributions to the story. Moreover, although the game is set in a fantasy medieval Europe, it simply doesn't do anything particularly interesting with that setting; the game's ending, when I reached it, felt more sudden than conclusive. This isn't a huge problem, as I doubt anyone will play Runespell for the story, but as it's one of the game's selling points, I was left expecting a little bit more.
The other big issue with gameplay I have is that there just isn't much to do outside of the card battles. I don't have a problem with the card battles themselves, but due to how repetitive they can grow, I would have liked to see an additional mechanic or two. Pet training, sieges, and upgrading your fortresses in Puzzle Quest all helped break up the match-three battles, and there's little of that to be found in Runespell. Considering that sometimes you're locked into a single battle over and over until you can win, the opportunity to go do something else for a while would have been appreciated. Even customizing your deck can grow a little repetitive, once you've learned most enemies' tricks and the subsequent cards simply increase in power and cost (i.e. Fate Swell I, II and III). There's no multiplayer or optional modes to retreat to, either, which hurts the game's value a little bit.
Last, it's worth mentioning that I have a bit of a strained relationship with the puzzle-RPG genre. I enjoyed both Puzzle Quest games, but the notorious cheating that the game's enemies would pull ultimately led to me never finishing them. Runespell: Overture doesn't have nearly the same degree of cheating, but it's fair to say that the new cards that show up every round aren't random, and the game delights in holding needed cards just out of reach until their usefulness has passed. Sometimes it feels as if the game is saying "hey, you should have waited for that royal flush", but the reality is that since you can't see what cards are coming next, it's impossible to take that "advice" anyway. Later in the game, winning becomes less about strategy and more about spending every last coin you have on cards, which, unfortunately, can lead to grinding. Combine that with enemies who have dozens (if not infinite) numbers of runespell cards versus your own limited inventory, as well as higher hit points, and it's rare for you to get a fair fight. I mention this as a subjective concern, because some players love winning against challenging odds, but personally I would have preferred if enemies were bound by the same realities you are.
Sights and Sounds
Even if you find yourself raging against the machine, at least you'll find it an attractive experience. Runespell: Overture is a gorgeous game, with a hand-painted 2D look combined with a few 3D models for battle animations and spell effects. Though it's hard to place a distinct stylistic comparison, it's quite colourful, without being obnoxious or too cartoony. The user interface is also laid out well and is intuitive to use, with my sole complaint being the inventory screen's limited real-estate for cards, requiring a bit more scrolling than I'd like. You can also choose between "drag-and-drop" or "click-and-click" controls for placing cards, which is a nice touch.
Audio-wise, Runespell features a fairly dramatic orchestral soundtrack with some very catchy melodies, though given the indie nature of the game, that soundtrack is a little bit on the limited side, with a few themes you'll hear over and over. Sound effects are equally capable, but again, relatively limited due to the scope of the game itself. Like the visuals and interface, you'll grow to appreciate certain touches, such as different hands of cards playing different chimes; after a few hours, you won't even need to examine the enemy's cards to tell what he or she is planning. There's no voice acting, so when the music grows tiresome, you won't miss anything by putting on your own playlist in the background, which suits the game's casual nature just fine.
Conclusion
Despite its indie origins, Runespell: Overture is an excellently polished and well-made game, with hours of strategic fun to be had. Though it lacks some features of its competitors, its $10 price tag and the depth of its gameplay help make up for what would otherwise be a fairly sparse package. Still, it's telling that the flaws in the game aren't so much with what it does, but what it doesn't do - it's rare to find a game where my biggest complaints have to do less with implementation and more with a difference of opinion as far as game design goes, so my hat goes off to Mystic Box for the quality of their execution.
At the end of the day, your mileage with Runespell: Overture will vary based on what you think of the genre and how taken to the card battling you are. I can't wholeheartedly recommend the no-frills package to all RPG fans, as those elements aren't quite as fleshed out as they could be, and the story and questing just isn't compelling enough on its own, but if you're looking for some satisfyingly strategic card combat, Runespell: Overture gets the job done in style. There's a lot of potential in the card battling that has yet to be tapped, and with more RPG mechanics to fill a few of the game's more sparse areas, I think a sequel could be a sure-fire hit for RPG and puzzle fans alike.
