{"id":92433,"date":"2019-04-23T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-04-23T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/switch-eshop\/steamworld_quest_hand_of_gilgamech"},"modified":"2019-04-23T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-04-23T16:00:00","slug":"review-steamworld-quest-hand-of-gilgamech-another-solid-entry-in-image-forms-ever-growing-universe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2019\/04\/23\/review-steamworld-quest-hand-of-gilgamech-another-solid-entry-in-image-forms-ever-growing-universe\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech &#8211; Another Solid Entry In Image &amp; Form&#8217;s Ever-Growing Universe"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/switch-eshop\/steamworld_quest_hand_of_gilgamech\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/reviews\/switch-eshop\/steamworld_quest_hand_of_gilgamech\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div id>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 1 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96059\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96059\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 1 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>Image &amp; Form Games has done very well to branch out from its charming subterranean platforming series <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/steamworld_dig\">SteamWorld Dig<\/a><\/strong> into other genres. 2015\u2019s <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/steamworld_heist_ultimate_edition\">SteamWorld Heist<\/a><\/strong> took the aesthetic and amusing writing of that steampunk fantasy universe (which started out, lest we forget, with <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/dsiware\/steamworld_tower_defense\">SteamWorld Tower Defence<\/a><\/strong> on DSiWare) and transposed it into a strategic turn-based shooter. The studio\u2019s latest entry in the series is a roleplaying card battler where you build a deck of powerful moves for a party of three heroes and engage in turn-based battle.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/steamworld_quest_hand_of_gilgamech\">SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech<\/a><\/strong> follows enthusiastic young knight Armilly on her quest to become a member of the Hero Guild. From humble origins, she aspires to be as courageous as ancient hero, Gilgamech. Full of beans, she\u2019s prone to narrating the party\u2019s adventure in third-person as they come across minions of the Void army, much to the chagrin of the rest of the group. You\u2019ll meet new members along the way, but your initial party comprises the afore-mentioned Armilly, alchemist Copernica and brutish healer Galleo. They\u2019re a likeable, irreverent bunch very much in the vein of the casts of previous games.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 2 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96052\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96052\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 2 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>When you\u2019re not in battle you\u2019ll run around the compartmentalised world, presented side-on, taking direct control of a character (\u2018L\u2019 and \u2018R\u2019 cycle between them). A simple map in the bottom right of the screen shows how these \u2018rooms\u2019 connect, and you\u2019ll come across treasure chests and destructible objects containing coins and other goodies. Pressing \u2018A\u2019 swings your weapon and this can also be used to get the jump on marauding enemies with a well-timed \u2018first strike\u2019, not unlike similar pre-emptive moves in the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/n64\/paper_mario\">Paper Mario<\/a><\/strong> series, meaning enemy Coglins will start the battle with diminished health.<\/p>\n<p>The meat of the game is in the combat, and it\u2019s chunky, satisfying fare. With every encounter up to six \u2018punch cards\u2019 are drawn from your deck to the bottom of the screen. Each character can only use their own cards and you select just three of them for your party to play (these are then replaced the following turn). Cards are split into three types: Strike, Upgrade or Skill. Strike does what it says on the tin and Upgrade cards give you a temporary buff. Each time you use one of these regular cards a cog is added to a shared Steam Pressure meter (SP) which you need in order to play the third type, Skill cards. Skills are powerful but striking the balance between building SP, timing critical blows and managing defence is the name of the game.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 3 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96046\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96046\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 3 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>Attacks feel pleasingly solid when they land. You get your SP the moment you select a card to play, so if a Skill requires 2 SP and your pool is entirely depleted, playing any two \u2018normal\u2019 cards will unlock the Skill to play as your third. Playing three from the same character creates a Heroic Chain which doles out an additional card depending on that character\u2019s equipped weapon. It might, say, provide a protective Mana barrier for the whole party, or simply add an extra strike.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re unhappy with what you\u2019ve been dealt, two redraws of individual cards are available every turn by holding \u2018X\u2019 on your desired (or, more accurately, <em>undesired<\/em>) card. As you find, craft or buy more punch cards, you can incorporate them into your deck with each party member having space for exactly eight cards. Tag team combos come into effect when a certain card displays an icon of another party member; playing any of theirs prior to this card unleashes a powerful combo. Holding \u2018ZR\u2019 speeds up the entire gameplay \u2013 both run speed and the battles themselves \u2013 and this can be permanently toggled on in the menu. We did so and never looked back.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 4 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96048\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96048\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 4 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>It\u2019s all reassuringly solid, although there\u2019s very little you haven\u2019t seen before. Damage comes in five elemental flavours: Physical, Fire, Frost, Storm and Arcane \u2013 no prizes for guessing that enemies have resistance and weakness according to type. As tried-and-true and predictable as its systems are, the game is shot through polish and wit. In fact, its Steam Pressure battle meter, hand-drawn art and amusing writing brought to mind the colourful turn-based battling of <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/battle_chasers_nightwar\">Battle Chasers: Nightwar<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 no bad thing to our mind.<\/p>\n<p>Hero Statues are scattered around the world which replenish your health and provide save points, although enemies in the surrounding area will respawn when used. You choose from three difficulties \u2013 Squire, Knight and Legend. Turn-based junkies will likely want to jump to the highest difficulty from the off, especially if you enjoy the grind, but despite a slight spike in Chapter 4, we found the default setting satisfying as long as you fight every enemy you came across.<\/p>\n<p>The foes you\u2019ll encounter run the gamut from mechanical medusas to bratty, over-privileged college kids. The ebb and flow of battle that evolves as you build your deck is addictive and you\u2019re able to upgrade cards and buy and sell weapons at the caravan of a travelling merchant. Winning battles grants the party XP which improves your stats and is shared equally between the three fighters (you\u2019ll have to choose your three from the selection once new recruits join your crew).<\/p>\n<aside class=\"picture embed\"><a title=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 5 of 5\" href=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96054\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/96054\/900x.jpg\" alt=\"SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech Review - Screenshot 5 of 5\"><\/a><\/aside>\n<p>The story is divided into four acts with twenty chapters, including a specific \u2018challenge\u2019 area that pits you against powerful enemies for rewards. The ol\u2019 SteamWorld charm carries you along on a pleasant ride through the cute-if-predictable narrative and newcomers to the series need no special knowledge before starting out, although series veterans will get a kick out of references to the wider universe and other intertextual nods.<\/p>\n<p>SteamWorld Quest looks lovely, as all the previous games have, with pristine presentation and excellent audio. We were a little surprised to find the touchscreen unsupported \u2013 it seems like an obvious feature given the tactility of the cards \u2013 although the developer&#8217;s attention to detail is present and correct elsewhere. You\u2019re able to remap every single button on the controller, including direction inputs to any alternative of your choosing, for example.<\/p>\n<p>While the nuts and bolts are satisfying, the art is beautiful, and the whole package oozes the same quality we\u2019ve come to expect from Image &amp; Form, we did get a nagging feeling that there\u2019s something missing; some extra mechanic to set it apart from the crowd. It\u2019s hard to put your finger on \u2013 especially when everything present is so robust and meaty \u2013 but it simply feels like there\u2019s space for a flourish, a little <em>je ne sais quoi<\/em> to take the game into the realm of \u2018essential\u2019. Don\u2019t get us wrong, we racked up over 16 hours on the game\u2019s clock and we enjoyed every one. It\u2019s a tasty burger of a turn-based battler; we just wanted a little more special sauce or some spectacular side dish to turn it into a <em>truly<\/em> memorable meal. As it is, it\u2019s simply \u2018very good\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"conclusion\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Remarkably solid and satisfying, SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a card battler with an abundance of charm in its art, mechanics and writing. The presentation is slick, the dialogue\u2019s witty and the gameplay\u2019s addictive, although nothing about it feels particularly <em>special<\/em> \u2013 not in the way <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/switch-eshop\/steamworld_dig_2\">SteamWorld Dig 2<\/a><\/strong> felt special. It does what it does well, though, and it\u2019s still a thoroughly enjoyable time in that universe. As long as you\u2019re not expecting anything revolutionary, we recommend anybody who likes turn-based battling or who enjoyed any previous games in the series check it out.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Image &amp; Form Games has done very well to branch out from its charming subterranean platforming series SteamWorld Dig into other genres. 2015\u2019s SteamWorld Heist took the aesthetic and amusing writing of that steampunk fantasy universe (which started out, lest we forget, with SteamWorld Tower Defence on DSiWare) and transposed it into a strategic turn-based [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92433"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92433\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}