into the breach

Some of My Favourite Roguelike and Rogue-lite Games (So Far)

Jett2 Comments

For a long time, I actively avoided the Roguelike genre. Based on my limited understanding of how these games worked, the threat of losing all of your progress upon death had no appeal to me whatsoever.

Two aspects of the genre got me to change my tune. One, the advent of Rogue-lites made punishment less severe. Instead of losing everything when you die, your hero would gain permanent upgrades during each run, making successive runs a bit easier while also providing value to failed runs. Two, the Rogue-lite format has permeated beyond the dungeons of yesteryear. From action games, to turn-based strategy tiles, and even card games have caught the Rogue-lite bug. Having Rogue-lite elements incorporated into game genres I love has gone a long way towards me appreciating Rogue-lites and Roguelikes as a whole.

Here are some of my favourites!

Continue reading →

Love Fire Emblem: Three Houses? Here are more turn-based strategy games to try on Nintendo Switch!

Video JettLeave a comment

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a fantastic game that’s a billion hours on its own and has DLC to lengthen the experience even more. But what do you play if you’ve done it all within Three Houses and still have the urge for more turn-based strategy action? Try out these other titles on the Nintendo Switch!

Buy Fire Emblem: Three Houses Now on Amazon.com

[Purchasing through this Amazon affiliate link gives me a small commission without adding any extra cost or effort to you. Thanks for your support!]

5 Strategy Games to Play After Fire Emblem: Three Houses on Your Nintendo Switch

Jett1 Comment

You may come to a point where you wrap up Fire Emblem: Three Houses and want more. The easiest – and probably best – answer for that situation is to play more Fire Emblem. With no shortage of entries across the 3DS and other legacy consoles, there’s more than enough to scratch the itch.

But if you’re reluctant to let go of your Nintendo Switch, there are some other great strategy games on the platform that are worth checking out! These games don’t necessarily have the exact mix of tactics and RPG that Fire Emblem provides, but these five strategy titles are still in the same realm while adding their own flavour to the mix!

Continue reading →

Opening My Eyes to Roguelikes and Rogue-lites

Jett1 Comment

Despite being a life-long gamer, the Roguelike and Rogue-lite sub-genres of games have largely been left untouched until relatively recently. Didn’t even know what the genre was until I heard about it on a podcast well into my adult years. The sound of grinding through randomly-generated dungeons in an RPG where all your progress is lost when you die didn’t sound like my cup of tea.

In recent years, elements of the Roguelike experience have permeated to other genres while also toning down the punishment. For example, games of the Rogue-lite variety often give players some means of permanently improving their situation in order to make future runs a bit easier. As for me, I have little interest in playing a dungeon crawl in any genre, but I was willing to give Rogue-lite games like Into the Breach and 20XX a chance due to being rooted in games I love like Advance Wars and Mega Man.

Continue reading →

These Aren’t My Game of the Year, But These 2018 Titles Are Worth Celebrating

JettLeave a comment

Once again, congratulations to Celeste for taking home the prestigious In Third Person Game of the Year award! Though there can only be one winner, there were a number of fantastic games that were “thisclose” from taking the crown. Let’s take a moment to tip our hats to some of my favourite games of 2018!

Continue reading →

Boss Rush: Episode 10

Video JettLeave a comment

We’re back from Extra Life! Having recovered from our 26-hour gaming marathon, we discuss Red Dead Redemption 2, Fallout 76, Tetris Effect, Mario Odyssey, and Into the Breach! We also review the nominees for the 2018 Game Awards!

Buy Tetris Effect Now From Amazon.com

Into the Breach Review

JettLeave a comment

As much as I love Advance Wars, I understand why the series has laid dormant for over a decade. At a root level, the franchise’s game mechanics simply weren’t built for the long haul. Fighting with replenishable nameless and faceless units led to levels that could drag while also lacking emotional weight.

Advance Wars and Fire Emblem are both turn-based strategy games made by the same company, but the latter’s focus on individual characters with names, faces, skills that develop over time, and the threat of a shortened lifespan makes for an easier-to-renew franchise with each set of fresh faces to care about. Eventually, fighting with the same tanks and planes got stale, to the point where Nintendo disastrously attempted to resuscitate Advance Wars with a gritty reboot that sank the whole franchise to this day.

When I first saw Into the Breach, I came into it with expectations of it playing like Nintendo’s wartime strategy franchise. Even with the latter’s design faults, it’s been so long that I’d be okay with it as long as I got to manage units on a battlefield again. What it ends up being is a really clever twist on the formula that breathes new live into a formerly-stale concept.

Continue reading →