The Wrapp – Roguelike samurai, monster farms, and mumblecore narratives

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Hey there, welcome to our latest edition of The Wrapp.

Over the upcoming weekend, members of our Pocket Gamer team will share their gaming plans, offering a glimpse into some of the offbeat and fascinating activities we engage in when not providing you with the latest gaming updates and advice. Who knows? You might discover a fresh game to enjoy yourself!

Will Quick

Freelance Writer

Following my recent discovery of Chronomon and In Their Shoes, I’ve tweaked my app hunt for the coming week in search of more monster-taming adventures with a strong narrative thread. Narrative-driven games (perhaps infused with puzzle elements) could be an engaging substitute for doom-scrolling, offering a wealth of possibilities to craft a captivating tapestry of content that appeals to diverse age groups. The challenge lies in creating a seamless experience that keeps everyone hooked.

Additionally, the fascination with taming monsters is timeless, and while I’ve touched on this topic before, there’s always a fresh take emerging that aims to bring something novel to the genre.


Catherine Dellosa

Reviews Editor

The game Shogun Showdown is now available on mobile, thanks to Crunchyroll Game Vault, and I’ve got an exciting project in the works for it. That means I’ll be happily occupied over the weekend! I love a good roguelike challenge, but throw in pixel art and feudal Japan, and I simply can’t resist diving in.

Currently, I’m facing a bit of an internet issue, but let’s hope the Wi-Fi deities are kind to me so my samurai can embark on a continuous mission to defeat the shogun this weekend without disruptions…otherwise, it seems like I might have to leave the house and experience some real-world nature instead. The thought is dreadful!


Cristina Mesesan

Staff Writer

This weekend, I’m looking forward to diving into some Teamfight Tactics (TFT) action and delving a bit deeper into Gordian Quest. It seems like a fantastic choice for those who appreciate a one-time purchase. One aspect that truly appeals to me is its resemblance to Path of Exile, where you can choose your hero and customize it by selecting from an array of skills and passives, making it uniquely yours.

The visuals aren’t really my style, but they’re not terrible. If I get the chance, I’d love to explore Gordian Quest further and develop an entertaining build for either the Warlock or the Golemancer (maybe even create two characters if there’s enough time).

This version aims to maintain the original meaning while using simpler language that is easy to understand.


Jupiter Hadley

Staff Writer

I’m back in action! This coming weekend is packed with events. On Saturday, I’ll be participating in some Shadow Raids in Pokémon Go, something I’m really looking forward to. Although it’s not a particularly powerful Pokémon, the social aspect of playing with friends makes it enjoyable for me. In addition, I expect to spend some time on Neopets Faerie Fragments, a game that has been keeping me quite busy recently.


Iwan Morris

Staff Writer

I’ve been really excited to try Thronefall, but it being exclusive to iOS is quite unfortunate since I don’t use that platform. Instead, I’ve given in and plan to download Flappy Bird from the Epic Games Store. Interestingly, I didn’t play it much when it was first released, and I was taken aback because I didn’t own any of the Kingdom games on mobile despite having them on my PC. Soon, I hope to add these games to my regular rotation which includes Balatro and Vampire Survivors.


Toni Oisin H.C.

Freelance Writer

Despite it sounding quite absurd, my partner and I are determined to achieve 100% completion of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game on Game Pass. It might seem ridiculous, but it’s a fun way to unwind after a long day without having to tackle overly complex games. At this point, I’m so invested that I have to track down all those elusive mayonnaise jars!


Shaun Walton

Staff Writer

Unfortunately, this coming weekend I’ll be quite busy with social activities, leaving little time for gaming. However, it’s a good thing because I’ve reached a point in SD Gundam G Generation ETERNAL where there aren’t many tasks left. I’m just taking my time now to boost the power of my two SEED teams up to 300k. Right now, they’re at 280k, and it’s proving to be a tough battle, but I’ll keep going!


Mihail Katsoris

Staff Writer

Over the weekend, I likely won’t find much time to explore any new games because I’ll be traveling home the day after tomorrow. Instead, I might only play a bit of Marvel Snap, Teamfight Tactics, and Ludus while waiting at the airport.


Dann Sullivan

Editor in Chief

It seems I’ve fallen behind in my Pokémon TCG Pocket game, as there are missing promo cards in my collection, and I’m unsure of how I obtained them. I can click on the cards for some information about their origin, but the answers are scarce, leaving me uncertain about what steps to take next. Sigh!

Instead of worrying about not having promo cards, I’m weighing the option of giving in to the pressure and subscribing to Crunchyroll. The library has been growing, and the latest addition of Shogun Showdown might tip the scale. For those who are unfamiliar, Shogun Showdown is a turn-based game where enemies move spaces as you do. You have to outsmart the odds by strategically selecting weapons (with different ranges and attack strengths), and then using them wisely while avoiding enemies at the same time.

Almost flawless, it’s just lacking the exciting fast-forward feature that replays all the moves and strikes from each level in quick succession when you complete one.

Indeed, it seems I’ve arrived at a conclusion… I’ve managed to persuade myself. I suppose I’ll be engaging in the same activity this coming weekend as well.


Stephen Gregson-Wood

Deputy & Special Projects Editor

For two months last year (June and July), Squad Busters served as my secondary screen companion during the Euro 2024 games. It seems that focusing on just 90 minutes of football without any extra stimulation has become challenging for me. To be honest, I’ve stopped following football altogether since then. Although it was enjoyable initially, it didn’t keep my interest as Supercell had hoped and has been struggling ever since.

In reply, they’ve unveiled a significant upgrade, claiming it will breathe new life into the entire system. This update includes a Hero system designed to make matches more captivating and strategically challenging. Whether this change will flip Squad Busters’ fate is yet to be determined, but I’m curious enough to give it a try over the weekend.

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2025-05-16 20:19