Target Audience: Patient Roguelike Fans

Summary:

Scratch off is one of those games that you have to let simmer after an hour or two before you start seeing it's value. The lack of variation of visuals and the music loop that will dig into your head early on with its very very short repetition will cause you to possibly stop and refund the game. In addition, with no specific tutorial and a game loop that doesn't show its potential in the first goes, you may think it's just another in the Balatro like clones out there. But, after an hour or two, when you start to understand where the strategy lies and the deck building elements starts to show itself, that's when it starts to kick off. Mind you, it's not going to blow you away in that, but anyone who loves that satisifying overpowered feeling when things are working will enjoy the overpowered anime hero like trope that presents: when you're earning enough in one card to pay ½ of the rent in one go. I do like some of the modifiers, in particular with the card effects (rainbow, curse, etc) that I wouldn't have guessed to do at first glance. The choosing of card multipliers can get really interesting too, and in the limited time played, it seems like the score progression is challenging but not too overwhelming. Mostly. There were times where the progression on buying things did really seem to be punishing.

Granted, I do wonder about some of the mechanics. In particular, when it gets toward the end game, certain percentages seem to get thrown out the window (the last round in particular it feels like a presented 98% of a symbol occuring isn't actually the case, but that may be a lack of sample size). It can also be very luck dependent especially in the mid rounds. Presentation wise, more could be done to work with the limited change from round to round, and some of the effects can be better presented with cards (metal being a prime example, it should be easier to pick that effect out compared to others). Now, could the gameplay be taken to the next level? Absolutely. Using ticket that actually reward for “BINGOS” in certain elements beyond the Jackpot mechanic would absolutely make you feel the gambling rush, but I'm not going to sit here and say that the cost of entry here isn't worth it: it absolutely is. But there is potential to push it further, and I'd be curious on what the next level would be.

I think the thing is, there's a lot more potential here to build upon with more complicated/additional game mechanics possible, and could be posed to take it self to another level within the genre with the right additions (in particular, playing with effects and putting more chaos in certain parts of the game). It's the type of game that plays to specific roguelike players looking for a bit of strategy but a bit of something different, and it's worth the price of admission for those players.

Stream Footage: : https://youtu.be/_tT0jwnjcOs

Lists:
Positives:

• Once getting past the initial learning curve, will reward deck building better then most with being completely reliant on that deck builds and smart use of money.
  
• Can get addictive when chasing the high of overpowered anime protagonist: seeing how much you can make beyond the “oh I've already completed the objective”
  
• The focus on symbol percentages and playing to value and odds does
  
• A great background game: when watching youtube/thinking about other things, while still needing your attention.
  
• The assets for art/cards do work here and make a good first impression: obviously put effort and time into the aesthetic and it can work, especially when starting it up for the first time.

Negatives:

• Music Loop is way too short, and ends up driving the player up the wall in a short amount of time. Granted, it's a game that you probably will put music on anyway, but it absolutely needs to use free royalty music/equivalent.
  
• Sound could also use some enhancements, considering the lack of visual variation over times. Should make it feel impactful.
  
• Slow to get going. Can feel very luck based in the early going.
  
• Visual presentation, while having a good first impression, could do more to enhance the “effects” that cards have (metal on a card for example).

If you want more reviews/information regarding games I've reviewed, visit my curator. Dragnix Curator

very addicting, especially once you get some coins that work together. feels very satisfying when you have a good run

Reminds me of Scritchy Scratchy, except with the added side of being a deck building game. I keep finding all these good roguelike/deckbuilding/incremental games and they all impress me in how different they can be yet how similar too