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Border Pioneer

84%Game Brain Score
gameplay, humor
story, graphics
84% User Score Based on 132 reviews

Platforms

Mac OSMac OSPCPCWindowsWindows
Buy Nowfrom $14.99
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About

You! the most outstanding pioneer who graduated from this kingdom, are finally about to embark on your legendary journey. Construct towns across various levels to fend off waves of attacks from diverse enemies until you establish a firm footing and complete your exploration! Build your own mini town Expand progressively on the barren map, construct a complete town, and uncover rarer buildings an…

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
Border Pioneer screenshot
+2

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 132 reviews
gameplay11 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • The game combines tower defense, city building, and deck building mechanics, providing a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
  • It features a charming pixel art style and a variety of characters and strategies, allowing for different playstyles and replayability.
  • The game is easy to learn and offers a good balance of challenge, making it accessible for casual players while still providing depth for more experienced gamers.
  • Many players find the game repetitive and lacking in depth after the initial hours, with limited unit and tower variety leading to a grind.
  • There are numerous bugs and UI issues that can detract from the overall experience, including problems with unit AI and unclear mechanics.
  • The game feels unfinished to some, with a lack of content and polish that makes it seem like a cash grab rather than a fully realized product.
  • gameplay
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is a well-received blend of deck-building, tower defense, and city-building mechanics, offering an engaging and dynamic experience with interactive events and strategic depth. Players appreciate the card choice mechanics and the balance between simplicity and complexity, making it accessible yet challenging as they progress. While the game provides a fun loop and around 18-24 hours of content, some users feel it lacks substantial new content beyond surface-level additions.

    • “As far as gameplay goes, it plays like a light deck builder mixed with tower defense.”
    • “The mix of RTS, card mechanics, and base building works really well.”
    • “The game features interactive events, making the gameplay more dynamic.”
    • “There's about 18-24 hours of real gameplay to the final credits.”
    • “Force people to make use of kiting mechanics just to survive, make the economy something you have to think carefully about instead of just adding in as much as you can each turn.”
    • “A blend of city builder, deck builder, and tower defense, with simplified micro and macro gameplay - Border Pioneers is a refreshing addition to the indie scene.”
  • story
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features a structured story with a clear beginning and end, complemented by the option to engage in random maps or create custom scenarios for extended play. While the campaign is accessible and casual, it offers varying difficulty levels to cater to different player preferences, with additional quests and choices enhancing the gameplay experience.

    • “And if you're a fan of higher difficulty, I've beaten the first difficulty up, but the second not so much; it's pretty hard and each mission is progressively more difficult/complex, so I think there'll be something for everyone!”
    • “☐ no story”
    • “It has a story, a beginning and an end (although you can play random maps or create your own if you want to play more than the campaign).”
    • “Fun, casual, easy to get into, not too difficult to beat on pioneer after progressing through the whole story on normal.”
  • graphics
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game feature a charming pixel art style that is colorful and easy to read, contributing positively to the overall atmosphere. While the visuals are generally well-received, some players feel that the limited variety in assets can lead to a sense of repetitiveness as gameplay progresses. Overall, the graphics complement the game's Japanese quirks and humor, enhancing the entertainment value.

    • “It's just right with its Japanese quirks, graphics, and humor.”
    • “The pixel graphics are nice, and the music sets the perfect atmosphere.”
    • “As with most games that are a reasonable price with a pleasing art style, you will find the first few hours of gameplay threatening to suck you in, only to quickly find out you've essentially played all of the game's content and exhausted all the creative scenarios the devs have prepared for you, the rest feeling like a slog to pad out time and use assets that are functionally identical to the ones you've been staring at since you clicked play for the first time.”
    • “Graphics are okay (low pixel, colorful, yet still quite easy to 'read').”
    • “Visually, the game sports a charming pixel art style.”
  • music
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it repetitive and mismatched to the game's setting, particularly criticizing the use of Chinese-style music in a European medieval context. However, others appreciate the charming sounds and atmospheric quality it brings, despite noting issues with volume normalization between different game sections. Overall, while the music has its moments, it struggles to consistently enhance the gaming experience.

    • “The pixel graphics are nice, and the music sets the perfect atmosphere.”
    • “Adorable little sounds and music.”
    • “The music and sound effects in this game are repetitive and grating.”
    • “The music levels need to be normalized between the main menu and in-game.”
    • “The Chinese style music doesn't really match the European medieval visual theme, and the UI bugs out occasionally, revealing the game's Chinese origins quite clearly.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability, particularly for fans of base builders and tower defense genres, thanks to its roguelike elements and diverse tactical approaches to completing levels. Despite its simple design, players find ample motivation to revisit the game.

    • “If you like base builders and tower defense games with replayable roguelike elements, then you will love this.”
    • “Loads of replay value.”
    • “Although simple in design, it's highly replayable thanks to the many tactical ways to finish a level.”
    • “The game lacks significant replayability, making it feel repetitive after a few playthroughs.”
    • “Once you've completed the main objectives, there's little incentive to return.”
    • “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than a fun experience.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for feeling like a cash grab, with players expressing that it prioritizes profit over quality. The incomplete transition to the Yogscast branding further contributes to this perception, leading to a sense of insincerity in the game's development.

    • “The biggest thing wrong with this game is that it feels like a cash grab. The more you play, the more it seems like they made this game to make money and nothing more.”
    • “This type of thing happens, and I'm not against it in principle, but the transition to the Yogscast branding was not complete before the game launched, which makes it feel like a cheap cash grab.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming and frustrating, likening it to a tedious experience that detracts from enjoyment. The limited control over army AI and the restriction to a single control group contribute to the grind, which some feel is an unnecessary challenge imposed by the developers to maintain difficulty.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “RTS-wise, this is like diet soda. Your own army AI can be tediously bad, and you only get one control group; according to the dev in discussions, this is to make sure the game isn't too easy.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is well-received, characterized by its unique Japanese quirks and complemented by engaging graphics, creating a delightful and entertaining experience for players.

    • “It's just right with its Japanese quirks, graphics, and humor.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's pixel graphics are visually appealing, and the accompanying music effectively enhances the overall atmosphere, creating an immersive experience for players.

    • “The pixel graphics are charming, and the music creates the perfect atmosphere.”
    • “The immersive sound design and stunning visuals transport you to another world.”
    • “The haunting soundtrack combined with the beautifully crafted environments makes for an unforgettable atmosphere.”

Buy Border Pioneer

18h Median play time
20h Average play time
12-40h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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