Fun & Games Review: Pixel Tactics Deluxe

By: MithrandielI've always been a huge fan of turn-based, strategy RPGs. As you've probably seen before, my love of the Disgaea franchise is hard to deny; in fact, whenever there's a new SRPG release I'm always the first one in line checking it out. For me, the more classes, spells and options there are in a game, the more there is for me to explore and enjoy. So, it's no surprise that I fell completely in love with Level 99's Pixel Tactics Deluxe, which just hit Amazon within the last week or so.Level 99 Games, headed by David B. Talton, has been nurturing the Pixel Tactics brand for a few years now. Inspired by lead artist Fabio Fontes' excellent pixel art, David created the initial version of Pixel Tactics in 2012 to critical acclaim. For the uninitiated, let me explain briefly how Pixel Tactics is played.The first thing you need to know about Pixel Tactics is the importance of the battlefield upon which it is played:Each player's battlefield is set up like this - three rows of three heroes that comprises an overall "Unit". On the right you'll notice there is an area for the deck, a discard pile, and finally a base pile, which can impact the environment that the unit is fighting in for better or for worse. It is upon this battlefield that our players place their respective "Heroes" and "Leaders".Each player has a deck of 25 cards from which they draw 5 at the start of the game and select the Leader, which is then placed in the center of their battlefield. This leader has a unique and often powerful ability that can positively impact a member of your unit, or do harm to the enemy unit in some way. The remaining cards are essentially your army, and have 4 different actions that they could potentially perform. There are 3 core abilities that can be utilized depending on their placement on the battlefield (Vanguard, Flank or Rear; represented by red, green and blue respectively). Additionally, the purple action represents a one-time action known as an "order" that players can execute by discarding the card.Each player gets two actions per turn. These actions include recruiting (playing) heroes, attacking, casting spells, clearing corpses, drawing a card or moving a hero.The purpose of the game is to defeat the enemy's Leader by whittling down their HP (the number represented by the shield in the upper right) through attacks and spells. While the concept seems fairly straightforward, due to the nature of each hero having so many potential actions, as well as having a unique leader with almost every new game, the replayability quickly makes itself apparent.So, that's Pixel Tactics in a nutshell. What makes Pixel Tactics Deluxe so special? Well, if you're familiar with the classic Pixel Tactics games you are likely aware they are all very small boxes. The Deluxe set includes a large storage box to help keep your cards in order and manage your custom-built decks. It also features a mini-pack of additional heroes, and a guidebook that details various play-styles and formats that can include up to 4 players. Essentially, if you're new to the Pixel Tactics universe, the Deluxe set is a great place to start, and encourages you to explore the other 5 existing sets.As I mentioned at the start, it's the allusions to strategy, turn-based RPGs that really turned me onto this game. I found myself painstakingly planning my two actions several turns ahead while plotting my enemy's inevitable demise. I appreciated the depth to each and every hero card, with surprisingly well-balanced options. My first thought was that while they may have multiple actions they could possibly perform, they would really be optimized for one specific action. This actually wasn't the case - many heroes do enjoy equal value regardless of their placement on the board.Furthermore, as a big fan of Magic: The Gathering, I also enjoy that I can customize decks and build them around specific Leaders. By selecting the right heroes, I can build various decks that focus on multiple strategies. Maybe I build a deck around bruisers like the Titan who have excessive HP and pack a punch, but lack the finesse and skill of using spells. On the other hand, maybe I build an Archer deck that revolves around long-range attacks and keeping my distance. With over 140 various heroes, the possibilities are staggering.Gameplay is pretty fast and furious once you get up to speed, but I would say the learning curve is a bit steeper than the tutorial would let on. There are other card games that are a bit more accessible in terms of difficulty, including Munchkin and Boss Monster. Still, if you can overcome the initial hurdles and get into the swing of the game, the waves and rounds will start flying by.The art for the game is obviously one of the big draws, and I am certainly a fan of the style. I will say that there are some artistic elements that Boss Monster pulled off a bit better, but I think a good deal of that has to do with the fact that Pixel Tactics cards have to say a lot in a small amount of space. Granted, I wear glasses, but I will say that sometimes the text seemed like a stretch to read easily.Overall, Pixel Tactics Deluxe is a fantastic addition for any fan of turn-based strategy games. With the highly-customizable nature of decks and the added complication of environments, each game is unique as you explore the various ways to employ your heroes. If you haven't had the opportunity to pick it up, Pixel Tactics Deluxe is now available on Amazon.