Isle of Swaps
- September 27, 2024
- Fuzz Force
Get on SteamIn "Isle of Swaps," compete in the Critter Combat craze by collecting and trading cards with varied stats, abilities, and elements. Build a strong deck with compatible Skill cards and Critters, while considering weaknesses and resistances. The game encourages strategic deck-building and thoughtful team composition for success in Critter Challenges.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Isle of Swaps captures the nostalgic charm of trading card games with its cute art style and engaging gameplay mechanics, reminiscent of the Pokémon TCG.
- The card swapping feature adds a unique strategic layer to deck building, allowing players to evolve their strategies throughout runs.
- The game offers a variety of modes and challenges, providing good replayability and a satisfying sense of progression as players collect and master cards.
- The game suffers from balance issues, with some encounters feeling overly difficult or unbalanced compared to others, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Many cards feel like reskins with minimal differentiation, which can make the gameplay feel monotonous and limit strategic depth.
- The user interface can be cumbersome, particularly when navigating the card binder, which detracts from the overall experience.
- gameplay35 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its engaging mechanics, charming art, and strategic depth, reminiscent of classic trading card games like Pokémon. While the card variety and deck-building options offer a rewarding experience, some players feel the balance is off and the gameplay loop can become monotonous. Overall, it combines fun elements with a roguelike structure, though it may require some adjustments to fully realize its potential.
“This game has a great economic strategy along with simple and fun mechanics.”
“The battling system is very thoughtfully put together, discovering viable strategies has an enjoyable discovery process that ties in well with the card swapping mechanic that takes place with every battle you win during the challenge mode.”
“With the cards' variety and mechanics, you can create countless combinations, crafting decks that are not only fun but also challenging to play.”
“Honestly, I know this game came out, but the balance of the cards feels off. While there are advertised to be 300+ cards, many are basically reskins with an additional type (which affects what cards can be played on them). The gameplay loop feels monotonous.”
“I find the gameplay itself to be just a little bit simple—think of it like a truncated and faster-paced version of the Pokémon trading card game.”
“The game definitely has some good points, the art style is cute, the game loop is interesting enough, it leans on a lot of understandable mechanics from the Pokémon card game, but if you've not played this, then you might miss some things because the tutorial isn't great.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming schoolyard setting and diorama aesthetic, evoking nostalgia reminiscent of classic card games like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh. The card art is described as gorgeous and varied, contributing to an overall cute and engaging visual experience, although some users noted inconsistencies in art styles across different cards. Overall, the visuals effectively enhance the gameplay and evoke a sense of nostalgia, making the game visually appealing.
“The schoolyard setting and diorama aesthetic are incredibly charming.”
“The art style and design of the cards is fantastic and the ability to use all of your unlocked cards in a 'master' tournament at the end is great.”
“The way the game is designed graphically, the card illustrations, the gameplay, the collecting... it really can't get any better.”
“Had an eye on it for a while but thought I would wait for reviews as the art style is a bit... meh.”
“Minor thing: art styles from cards can be very different, even when portraying the same character.”
“In the screenshots, the art style, featuring everything from clowxium to profinech, reflects a style reminiscent of beloved card games like Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh, but with its own flair.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its bright and cheerful soundtrack, evoking a sense of nostalgia and playfulness reminiscent of childhood adventures. The opening school bell effectively sets the atmosphere, while the overall composition enhances the lighthearted tone of the gameplay.
“The soundtrack is bright and cheery, with just enough intensity to evoke the feeling of being a kid at the playground who's pretending to engage in some world-deciding battles between classes without the game actually taking itself that seriously.”
“Also, the music is nothing but nostalgic fire.”
“The music is fun to listen to, and the starting school bell when you open the game sets the atmosphere really well.”
“The soundtrack is bright and cheery, with just enough intensity to evoke the feeling of being a kid at the playground who's pretending to engage in some world-deciding battles, without the game actually taking itself that seriously.”
“The music is nothing but nostalgic fire.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers strong replayability through various viable builds, multiple modes, and four playable characters, making it enjoyable for extended play. However, some players note that once all content is completed, replayability may diminish, despite the initial fun and achievement completion taking around 21 hours.
“Lots of fun viable builds and great replayability.”
“Isle of Swaps is a very charming game with great replayability.”
“With multiple modes and 4 playable characters, this game is definitely worth its asking price, is fun and replayable.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its monetization model, offering over 400 cards without any microtransactions, making it an appealing choice for players who dislike pay-to-win mechanics. It provides a balanced and accessible trading card game experience, particularly for those who prefer single-player modes.
“When you remember that it's over 400 cards without any microtransactions, then it really does hammer home how good of a deal it is.”
“It's a SP TCG game with simple to learn yet hard to master mechanics, good balance, and no microtransactions whatsoever.”
“If you like Pokémon/Magic style TCG but don't want to get into multiplayer games (in my case, it's because I hate microtransactions), then this game is for you.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates good stability on the Steam Deck, running smoothly; however, players are required to rely on the touchscreen or trackpad for controls.
“I have been playing on my Steam Deck, and the game runs great, providing a stable experience.”
“The stability of the game allows for smooth gameplay without any noticeable lag or crashes.”
“I appreciate how stable the game is; it runs consistently well across different platforms.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is not particularly deep, but the beautiful card art captures the charm of Pokémon cards, complemented by a cute playground aesthetic.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by enjoyable music and the nostalgic sound of a school bell at the start, effectively immersing players in the school setting.
“The music is fun to listen to, and the starting school bell when you open the game sets the atmosphere really well.”
“The game's environment is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
“The combination of visuals and sound design creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that draws you in.”
