It appears that mixing other genres into CCGs is all the rage with developers at the moment! Free Range Games, a game design studio with a successful history, are the latest developers to have a go at this. Their latest project Labyrinth is a game that combines the strategic depth seen in Collectible Card Games (CCGs) with the turn-based, tactical combat seen in Role Playing Games (RPGs). All of this is delivered in an immersive 3D world that brings the tactical battles to life.
Free Range Games has taken this project to Kickstarter, the crowd-funding website, in order to finalize the project. It is storming ahead with backers so far and looks set to be a huge success, which comes as no surprise. There are many people out there, including myself, who love turn-based RPGs and to mix this in with a CCG is just icing on the cake. I was able to get some early information about the game and I am eager to share this with you.
Will Labyrinth live up to the hype, or has it got lost in a labyrinthine mess of influences? Read on to find out…
Collectible Card Game meets Role Playing Gaming in this impressive genre mash-up. Take control of Heroes and venture into perilous dungeons crafted by other players.
Gameplay
In Labyrinth you build a deck of Heroes, Bosses, and Minions (yes, really!). In your regular deck you’ll take control of your selected Heroes. You will then use these Heroes to venture into single-player or PvP dungeons. If you manage to survive the onslaught of these dungeons you will be rewarded with loot that you can use in defending your own dungeons. You must fill your dungeons with huge Bosses and Minions in order to defend them from being looted by other players in an Asynchronous online multiplayer experience.
There are four disciplines of magic in the realm of Hylea that draw upon different influences from the Cosmos. The four schools are: Warfare, Wizardry, Faith, and Skullduggery. Warriors prefer to practice the art of Warfare to enhance their strength and abilities. Sorcerers and Wizards use arcane and elemental forces to unleash devastating magical attacks. Those that practice Faith, such as Priests, will often command the flow of battle and control the destiny of others. Finally, the practitioners of Skullduggery consume Stardust in order to enhance their natural abilities and increase their reflexes – often waiting for the perfect moment to deliver a fatal strike.
All Heroes will fall into one of these disciplines which go hand in hand with your deckbuilding. Their individual abilities will encourage particular deck strategies that should work in synergy with the Bosses and Minions you choose to defend your dungeon. Crafting the perfect deck will take time and plenty of attempts at raiding other players’ dungeons, though. I love this aspect to the game and it’s what intrigues me the most, to be honest — the idea of setting up your own online dungeons for others to raid is a very rarely used mechanic, so I’m very excited about that one!
The visual effects are nothing short of astounding. The attention to detail is clear to see as is the love that has gone into creating a game that pays homage to the classic D&D and fantasy games of old.
Gameplay Continued…
At the core of the gameplay is the strategic depth found in CCGs. Labyrinth has drawn upon the experience from one of the creators of Ascension and Solforge, the designer Justin Gary. So you can be assured that there will be plenty of focus on the CCG elements of the gameplay and that these card elements will be authentic to the genre’s roots.
Gameplay is turn-based and takes places in the beautifully crafted 3D world. Your deck will house Heroes and supporting cards that will be used when raiding other dungeons. The Heroes that you choose will define what discipline of magic your characters can use. Your Bosses and Minions are used as a defense of your own dungeon and come equipped with their own abilities. Boss cards also come with their own uniquely themed rooms that will pose even more danger for those unprepared adventurers.
Although there is no Alpha or Beta builds to try as of yet, we can see from the publicly released screenshots and videos that the graphics are going to be of an excellent standard. The visual effects for the spellcasting and abilities look phenomenal. It reminds me of the classic RPG game, Baldur’s Gate. I really can’t wait to see this game in action myself!
Build and customize your own dungeons and use Minions, Traps, and Boss monsters to defend them. Whatever you loot from other dungeons can be placed in your own – so raid often!
Features
The main emphasis of Labyrinth falls upon its ability to draw the players into its immersive 3D universe. To do this you are encouraged to try both the traditional Solo Adventure mode and the rewarding PvP experience.
Players have two distinctive decks in an Offensive and Defensive deck. An Offensive deck will comprise of Heroes and support cards, whilst the Defensive deck will contain Minions, Traps, and epic Boss monsters.
The asynchronous online play will allow you to protect your dungeon even when you’re not online. You can choose the order in which your cards are activated, giving you even more control than most other asynchronous online games.
Your dungeons will be fully customizable and the loot you gain from successful raids can be placed in your dungeon. Minions and Traps will be the main populace of your Defensive deck, with the Bosses being the ultimate challenge for unwary adventurers. Being able to play as both an adventurer and dungeon master is something that is completely new. Newer RPGs are only just starting to implement this in their game designs, but for a CCG that uses an RPG element, Labyrinth shows some real innovation in this field.
There will also be other features in the game such as a method to purchase booster packs. These details have not yet been launched, but we do know that backers of the game will get exclusive content that regular players will not get access too. Exclusive card backs, hero skins, and alternative artwork are among the backer rewards.
Use your cards in order to defeat the dungeons. Heroes draw upon different disciplines of magic in order to use their abilities and cards.
First Impressions
Labyrinth is a bit like a classic Dungeons & Dragons PC game mixed with the strategic depth seen in CCGs to bring a completely unique gaming experience. There is plenty of support out there from your casual gamer right through to professional Magic: The Gathering players. Their endorsement of this project should be enough to encourage you to back it.
To have the expertise of Justin Gary and Stoneblade Entertainment who are responsible for Ascension, one of the most praised deckbuilder games available today, means you are assured a quality title. The attention to detail and graphics are impressive so far.
I cannot wait to take on Knights, Dragons, and god-like monsters once the game is launched. Of course I’ll be backing to make sure I get it as soon as possible – will you?
To back Labyrinth on Kickstarter, click here.
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