Minion Masters
- May 24, 2019
- BetaDwarf
- 130h median play time
"Minion Masters" is a free-to-play, real-time strategy game where players choose a Master and build a deck of minions to defeat opponents in intense battles. The game features 1v1 duels and 2v2 multiplayer, with cross-play between Steam, Xbox, and more. With dynamic game modes, including Draft and Mayhem, as well as solo adventures through various ages and conflicts, players can expect a constantly changing and engaging experience.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging tower defense experience with a mix of strategy and deck building.
- The deck creation process is streamlined, making it easier and faster to build competitive decks.
- The game has a good free-to-play model, allowing players to earn cards and resources without mandatory purchases.
- The game suffers from frequent crashes and connectivity issues, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- There are significant balance issues, with certain cards and strategies dominating the meta, making matches feel repetitive.
- The community can be toxic, with players often quitting or being banned for minor infractions, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- gameplay59 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its blend of deck-building, tactical elements, and cooperative play, while others criticize it for a repetitive loop and shallow mechanics that can lead to frustration, especially in competitive matches. Although the game offers a fun and addictive experience with a variety of strategies and card synergies, some users feel that it requires significant time investment or spending to fully enjoy. Overall, while the gameplay is generally well-received for its balance and mechanics, it may not hold long-term interest for everyone.
“One of the most underrated games on Steam - has a great mix of tactics, co-op (2v2 online is amazing), deck building, and RNG gameplay.”
“The gameplay is amazing - easy to learn but hard to master!”
“The gameplay is awesome and you can try out so many different decks and strategies, and every game feels different.”
“Boring gameplay loop, nothing interesting to offer that keeps me busy.”
“Once you get high enough in rank, you'll start to realize just how shallow the gameplay is.”
“Tl;dr: the gameplay gets boring and same-y; you could play half a dozen matches and essentially get the feeling of every match you'll ever play.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming art style and recent updates that have significantly improved visual quality, likening it to an HD remake. However, some users express frustration over the inability to change settings and note persistent graphic issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered appealing and well-executed, there are calls for further enhancements to fully realize the game's potential.
“A combination of charming characters, visually appealing graphics, and an addictive progression system weave together to present a game you won’t want to miss.”
“More than fun gameplay, a lot of stuff to do and collect, and it's easy to pick up and play, and with the recent updates, the graphics look amazing.”
“The graphics are great, the animation is smooth, and the community isn't full of people shouting obscenities at each other.”
“The graphic issues have never been fixed.”
“Please upgrade/change the visual graphics or engine; this game has so much potential to grow, but the graphics are not attractive enough to pull players to try this game out.”
“Graphics and interface could use some polish; my biggest complaint so far.”
- monetization18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The monetization model in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the ability to earn cards and content through gameplay without excessive grinding, others criticize the presence of microtransactions in a paid game, likening it to exploitative practices seen in other titles. Overall, the game is seen as reasonably balanced in its monetization approach, with some players feeling it remains loyal to its user base, though concerns about its potential shift towards a cash grab persist.
“One of the very few free-to-play games that is loyal to customers above microtransactions.”
“Microtransactions are present but not constantly in your face.”
“You can unlock anything through playing that you could buy, and I don't mean you have to grind 1000 hours to get them either; it is very reasonable when it comes to the microtransactions.”
“But cards are really hard to accrue, and the monetization model is painfully unforgiving.”
“The gameplay, art direction, and general design were not good enough to make me want to tolerate this level of monetization.”
“I don't like the fact that you pay for a game, and then there are microtransactions, similar to how EA messed up their Battlefront 2, and I'm pretty sure you (the reader of this review) wouldn't either.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the humor in the game, noting that the active global chat adds an interactive and funny element, often filled with amusing banter and playful flaming. The game's vibrant style and humorous card texts enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable both solo and with friends. Overall, the humor is a significant draw, contributing to the game's addictiveness and positive reception.
“Overall, Minion Masters’ fast-paced and humorous, colorful style creates a bizarrely fun, addicting game.”
“Btw, if you play this, you need to read the cards and card texts; they are pretty funny! ;D”
“Funnier than expected (very funny to be exact) and there are always players online to battle :)”
- story11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's story mode, presented through expeditions, is well-received for its generous reward system, which keeps players engaged without feeling pressured to spend money. Players appreciate the balance of earning resources through daily quests and PvP matches, allowing for steady progress in card collection without excessive grind. Overall, the story aspect is enhanced by a rewarding structure that encourages exploration and investment in the game.
“The game was generous with in-game rewards for winning and completing quests, maybe more so than similar games.”
“After 1-2 days, I got enough crystals from quests to buy two more, and then I decided to pay €10 to buy 3 more masters because I really liked the game and wanted to support the developers.”
“Expeditions are the game’s story mode.”
“Roughly 3.5 hours of play will convert to a single card for you, after you've exhausted your quest / one-time reward resources.”
“You earn pitiful amounts of gold by winning matches, significant amounts by doing daily quests (ex: win x times), and pitiful amounts of shards (card crafting 'dust') by gaining more than 3 copies of any card.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed perception of grinding in the game. While some players feel that the grind is manageable and not overly tedious, others criticize it as poorly designed and time-consuming, suggesting that it detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential pay-to-win elements, where spending money can expedite progress, but many agree that grinding is a common aspect of games with unlockables.
“Don't be fooled by the negative comments; it's not grindy, and you unlock the cards so fast.”
“The grinding in this game is rewarding and feels satisfying as you progress.”
“I love how the grind leads to meaningful rewards that enhance the gameplay experience.”
“Even if you somehow never draw duplicates, that's already converting to hundreds of hours of grinding.”
“I would love to see this fleshed out such that it could constitute a full single-player (or co-op) experience without the necessity of grinding ladder matches to fuel your expeditions.”
“They are poorly designed, tedious, boring, and a waste of time.”
- stability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marked by occasional glitches and slowdowns, particularly during battles, which some players attribute to their hardware. While initial experiences may have been frustrating due to numerous bugs, developers have been responsive in addressing these issues, leading to an overall enjoyable experience despite the imperfections.
“The game runs smoothly most of the time, with only minor slowdowns during intense battles, which could be related to my GPU.”
“Overall, the stability of the game is impressive, with very few bugs encountered during gameplay.”
“I appreciate how stable the game feels; it rarely crashes and maintains a consistent frame rate.”
“When I first picked up this game months ago, I considered giving it a negative review, simply due to how many glitches I was encountering.”
“Play it and have some fun, even with the random glitches that screw up your rank and the griefers.”
“A little buggy but great fun and super enjoyable.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate its strong performance on certain platforms, others feel it is not well-optimized for mobile devices and is better suited for PC play.
“I wish every community would be so friendly and recognize such a strong performance.”
“Playing it on a phone... it is no longer optimized well, nor meant to be played on a PC (in my opinion).”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is reminiscent of classic Warcraft 3 custom games, evoking a nostalgic and immersive experience that appeals to fans of the genre.
“The atmosphere is reminiscent of classic Warcraft 3 custom games, filled with nostalgia and charm.”
“The game immerses you in a rich and vibrant world, creating an unforgettable atmosphere.”
“Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you engaged.”
“Has the atmosphere of an old Warcraft 3 custom game.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the music and sound design, highlighting the effective use of ambient sounds and voiceovers that add humor and enhance the overall experience.
“The graphics are outstanding, and I think the developers have done a great job with the sound, voiceovers (which are quite amusing), and ambient music/sounds.”