- Our App Army readers take on Zoeti this week
- The game drastically divided opinion among the group
- Ultimately, it seems Slay the Spire remains the better choice
As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I’ve seen deck-building rogue-lites come and go, but none have quite captured my heart like Slay the Spire. Enter Zoeti, the latest contender attempting to dethrone the reigning champion.
Titled “Zoeti”, this game is the newest addition to the series of deckbuilding rogue-lites aiming to replicate the success of Slay the Spire. Instead of creating a multitude of cards, the developers have chosen to utilize a standard deck, where strategic combos are formed using poker hand rankings. This innovative idea raises the question: does it hold up in practice? Our App Army was tasked with testing it out to find an answer.
Here’s what they said:
Mark Abukoff
This game shares many characteristics with Slay the Spire. It’s a deck-building roguelike where you decide your own path, fight monsters, take breaks when needed, and collect new cards for your deck. The artwork appears to be skillfully hand-painted, and the narrative is intriguing. You’ll eventually get to control three distinct characters in story mode, followed by adventure mode, which primarily focuses on intense combat rather than a deep storyline.
In the heat of battle, you’re given various poker-like hand combinations as possible combos to choose from, which I found very helpful in executing strategic attacks. However, some of the dialogue in the cutscenes seemed a bit immature for my taste, and at times it dragged on longer than necessary. But thankfully, there’s an option to skip these scenes, making it less of a hindrance.
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In summary, this deckbuilding game isn’t poorly done; it’s visually appealing and offers an intriguing narrative and gameplay mechanics. While it might not completely replace Slay the Spire for me, if you enjoy similar games or want to explore different takes on the genre, Zoeti is a respectable choice.
Jason Rosner
Zoeti, a novel turn-based deck-building roguelite, has made its way from PC to mobile devices, which I find delightful. This transition indicates that developers recognize the substantial user base on one of my preferred platforms and expands the collection of premium apps in an area teeming with free-to-play titles. While Zoeti may evoke thoughts of the exceptional Slay the Spire, it distinguishes itself by altering the way cards are utilized. In essence, you select cards from your hand and pair them to employ diverse abilities and outwit opponents.
Initially, the narrative in this game can be hard to keep up with, but it becomes apparent early on that you’re required to vanquish the wicked creatures invading your territory. I appreciated the hand-painted visuals and the superb music that intensified the atmosphere of the intense battlefield. There’s also a good deal of replay value, as there are three unique Story Mode campaigns for each character to uncover. Plus, Zoeti offers an engaging Game History and Index, which records your stats, skills, items, and accessories, making it more appealing to fans of this genre. Definitely worth a look!
Torbjörn Kämblad
The gameplay and storyline are interesting and something different from the usual combat games. It’s really entertaining due to the ways the player can alternate the character. It offers a wide range of different characters and abilities. The ability to play different characters doesn’t make it boring to restart.
In most instances, the tutorial seems unnecessary as the objectives and steps are easily understood. Skipping dialogues is convenient, but essential ones for the game should not be skipped. Initially, it’s challenging to win, even on easy mode, after multiple plays. The graphics and sound effects are impressive, making it a game worth recommending!
Robert Maines
Zoeti – A Perplexing Roguelike with Card-Based Combat
As a self-proclaimed enthusiast, I’ve got to say that this rogue-lite title doesn’t hold back on the challenge from the start – you’re bound to find yourself replaying the same levels over and over again. Luckily, you can bypass the cinematics if they aren’t your cup of tea. As you progress and level up, you’ll gain access to deeper parts of the game. Visually, it’s quite pleasing to the eye, but the animation could use a bit more polish. The music, I must admit, doesn’t leave a lasting impression. If you’re into this genre, you’ll likely find yourself immersed in this game, but for me, the frustration outweighed the fun.
Eduard Pandele
Zoeti is a role-playing game (RPG) that blends fantasy with poker. In this game, you engage in combat against various mythical creatures using standard decks of cards. Each turn allows you for card draws, and if you form a poker hand, you can utilize it to deal damage, fortify your defenses, boost your abilities, or weaken the opponents’ stats. The artwork is appealing, but the gameplay is simple, offering fun in the short term. However, after some time, the lack of balance becomes apparent (it tends to be too random), which means that common enemies can be significantly stronger than bosses, and it becomes challenging to create the ideal deck, despite your efforts.
If you’ve never experienced a roguelike deck builder or if you enjoy dark fantasy romance visual novel narratives, this game may appeal to you. However, if those elements don’t resonate with you, it might not be worth your time – the poker hand mechanics are quite simple, the writing is mediocre, and there’s an abundance of it. Unfortunately, the game wasn’t optimized for mobile use. The text is difficult to read even on a tablet, let alone on a phone, the hotspots are too small, the icons are similar making them hard to distinguish, and overall, it’s not user-friendly.
I regret, however, if you’re seeking suggestions for a roguelike deck-building game on Android, my go-to picks remain Slay the Spire and Meteorfall.
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2024-08-29 15:19