Chaos Reborn ReviewPC
Chaos Reborn is one of the video games that made me religiously play its Tutorial section after handing down a list of defeats, both against humans and computer opponents, that made me question my ability to play a turn-based tactical title.
I had a little luck during my first real match, and I managed to win it despite the fact that I did not actually know what I was doing on the battlefield and I then quickly lost five in a row, two of them so catastrophically that I decided the best idea was to make sure that I understood all the mechanics before trying again.
Chaos Reborn has a very solid mechanical foundation, superb teaching tools and a lot of content to offer to the patient player, but it can also be merciless with those who fail to understand all nuances of its system.
The title is created by Snapshot Games, and the core ideas come from Julian Gollop, the legendary designer that is known for his work on the original version of Chaos and the first incarnation of X-COM, the impressive UFO Defense.
The entire experience was funded with the help of fans via Kickstarter, and gamers can still get a special edition via the official site if they want to support future development.
[...]
Gameplay
Chaos Reborn is a turn-based tactics-driven game that focuses on the choices that players need to make to take our their opponents using either creatures or direct attack spells.
When a match starts, gamers will be in charge of their wizard, and they can move him for limited distances and then play one of the cards they have in hand.
The spells can bring forth a number of magical creatures, from skeletons to unicorns and vultures and more, but they can also create obstacles, or they can try to harm the enemy wizard directly to take him out.
The unique challenge is that everything that the player can do in Chaos Reborn is affected by chance, and gamers will quickly see that they need to be conservative rather than offensive to succeed.
[...]
The Good
- Tactical depth
- Complex and surprising battles
The Bad
- Chance plays too much of a role
Conclusion
Chaos Reborn is a game about intelligent gambling and gamers who want to become proficient need to carefully evaluate each of their moves while trying to guess what their opponents are planning to do in the long-term.
The randomness does not dominate gameplay but can play havoc with even the best-constructed plans, and that tends to lead to battles that change course abruptly and result in interesting player narratives, even if they do not always end in victory.
The official site of Chaos Reborn also makes it clear that Gollop and his team have plans to introduce a range of new features and content to the title, which should ensure its long-term appeal both as a single and a multiplayer experience.
Gamers who are thinking about playing the game need to be sure about how they feel about its blend of tactics and luck-driven gameplay.
Those who want precision and control should stay away, but Chaos Reborn will be a good fit for players who appreciate planning but also want to be surprised during a battle.
Score: 4/5 - Very Good
