[Dreamscape] mechanics in action

[ExternalStudiosLLC]

The Dreamscape development saga... err, cycle, continues! For those of you who are keeping track, Dreamscape is a card game introduced some time ago in this post. It's a cooperative card game, heavily influinced by roleplaying games. Players pick characters, form a party, and fight their way through hordes of monsters in the ruins deep beneath a dream city.

Here is a glimpse of how the game mechanics actually work: A real, live, sample game!

Every move is explained step-by-step, and names of cards link to images of the actual cards found in the Alpha Ruins of Eden starter set.  If you've got the time to spare, please look over it and give us some feedback.  Does the gameplay capture your imagination, or leave you wanting something more? Have at it!

[Victor Gijsbers]

Looking at it, it sounds like non-pretentious, collaborative gamist fun. Easy to learn, fast to play. Could be good. However, I wonder if there is enough strategy involved to make it interesting? You should always team up against your most dangerous opponent; you should always use your most damaging attacks first; and you should always block as much damage as you can - am I right?If I am right, you should try to get at least some more trade-offs in the game, to make it more exciting.

(By the way, the Tower Shield link links to the wrong item.)

[ExternalStudiosLLC]

The game does have bit of strategic depth to it. Building a good party is an essential part of the game; there are 16 characters to choose from, each with unique abilities and assists, in the Starter Set. The players also have to make sure that when the monsters drop loot, their characters end up with items that play to their strengths. The strongest monster isn't always the most dangerous, and which monster is the most dangerous isn't always easy to identify. Hitting them with your strongest attack means you're using up your item tokens fast! When your item runs out of tokens, it's gone for good -- do you want to risk using them on typical monsters, or should you try to hoard as many as you can for the big boss battle?

(By the way, the Tower Shield link links to the wrong item.)

Oops! Thanks for letting me know -- it's fixed now.