Culdcept Saga

The "Book of Creation," Culdcept, has been shattered into a bajillion pieces, but the stony shards can still be used to wield great magical power. Why the people who collect them feel compelled to battle their differences out board game-style doesn't much matter because it's fun!

Culdcept Saga is often billed as Monopoly plus Magic: The Gathering, but the board game aspect has more of an Itadaki Street feel, since you can purchase stocks (called symbols) that rise and fall in value according to how much a particular land has been developed. To win, you'll have to increase your total magic by occupying color-coded elemental lands with creatures summoned from your custom designed book of cards.

There is definitely a learning curve when it comes to all the systems of interaction. Symbol stocks are introduced later, but right away you will have to keep track of which elemental creatures you're putting on which lands, because matching pairs get an HP bonus. Having adjacent squares occupied lends a support bonus. Some creatures can neutralize certain elemental attacks, while others get critical hits. That plus the long list of icons to remember, the effective yet daunting control system, and the occasionally detailed limits on where you can summon a certain creature and what it will cost you makes the game intimidating at first.

Playing is the best way to learn, though, and the manual provides a great reference. The single player storyline, while adding new features such as different types of land at a good pace, is not terribly interesting. Your character works his way up from slavery and becomes a Cepter (card wielder) for the empire's princess, but the cut-scenes are tedious with not much animation and too much boring dialogue.

Luck is frustrating sometimes. A level can last a serious while, particularly in matches with more than one opponent, and of course, your enemies will necessarily have cards that are way better than yours, otherwise where's the challenge? If you do lose, the consolation is always at least a couple cards, but it hurts to bang your head against the same level for hours and hours.

Thankfully, once you feel like you've had your crash course, there are lots of multiplayer options available, including local. With custom rules, two-on-two alliance battles, and achievements to get as you plow through more online opponents, though, Culdcept Saga is definitely a game to play with your gold account active.

The game's strategy may not be as deep as it first seems, since it's best to have a well-rounded deck and you always want an item handy to avoid being one hit killed in the quick, single round creature combat than ensues when someone doesn't want to pay a toll. Still, as you unlock more cards, interesting possibilities begin to appear and there are achievements to go after for winning with books comprised entirely of a single element's creatures. Replayability rarely looks so good.

Pros: Addictive card-collecting, streamlined combat system, online and local multiplayer
Cons: Bad luck, boring cut-scenes

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