Greetings adventurers!
It's about time for the third issue of our "Into the Dungeon" update series. This time we are dealing with the tasty genre mix of
Vambrace: Dungeon Monarch.
When talking about a game, discussing its genre is the easiest way to describe it. Each genre has an iconic gameplay style and gives players a general idea of what to expect. Many gamers are able to figure out ‘what this game is about’ the moment they know its genre, and can interpret whether they'll like it or not.
However, when it comes to interpreting a game called Vambrace: Dungeon Monarch, these genre descriptions seem to need more explanation, because the genres that describe the game are unfamiliar to each other, and the combination is both exotic and unclear.
At its core, it is a "
Deck-building" game. You have to create combinations of cards in a limited deck and utilise them to overcome challenges. The cards have different skills and effects, so you have to make sure you have the right mix of cards that will be useful in the current environment, and consider the best order and choice of cards that randomly pop up in your hand whenever a challenge arises.
This is where the genre of "
Auto-Battler" comes in. The "environment" in which to prepare your cards is the legions of players currently residing in the dungeon. If you've created a dungeon full of vampires, the cards you need to play are those that favor the vampires. Conversely, if you've created a dungeon environment full of undead, you'll need to choose cards that favor the dead and endanger the living.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
The challenge is that all of the unwanted visitors to your dungeon have been told by the outside world that they are heroes. Some of them may be unremarkable adventurers or thieves, but most of them are. They may be strong against certain factions, or infinitely weak in certain environments. They don't appear in any particular order, and your awesome Dark Legion may find itself in an unexpected crisis.
This is where cards come into play. If your army is a moving barrier to defend your dungeon, cards can be a sharp spear to incapacitate your enemies.
However, your dungeon has very few resources for all this brilliant strategy. The real owner of the dungeon is sealed away and asleep, and you, as regent, are barely keeping it fed. You can't choose all of the new cards or money-making opportunities that pop up from time to time, so you're forced to make one or two good choices and hope for the best. These different opportunities add to the roguelike aspect of the game.
Defending this dungeon and keeping the enemies at bay is a constant siege, which also leans towards the "
Defence" genre. You'll need to make good use of the Monarch, the Dark Regent, who acts as your builder, as he'll be travelling around the dungeon and taking out enemies that your walls can't keep out.
The combination of genres may sound and look tricky, but once you get into it, you'll realize that it's not too difficult. There are familiar gameplay elements throughout, so don't be afraid to take on the challenge. The game has a high learning curve, but you'll enjoy it and before you know it, you'll be a notoriously powerful DARK LORD.
Talk to you again really soon!
Minho & Dvora Studio
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2753600/Vambrace_Dungeon_Monarch/
