Prismata

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 95 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
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Prismata is a fantasy real-time strategy game that combines elements of card games and tabletop strategy. The free-to-play edition offers a radically fair experience with no pay-to-win advantages, featuring single-player campaign, casual matches against human or AI opponents, and competitive multiplayer. With a variety of game modes and AI personalities, Prismata provides a challenging and engaging experience for strategy fans.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 95 reviews
gameplay10 positive mentions
music3 negative mentions
  • Prismata offers deep and unique strategic gameplay with no RNG, making it a skill-based experience where players can learn from their mistakes.
  • The game features excellent AI and a variety of single-player content, including tutorials and puzzles, which help players improve their skills.
  • It has a fair monetization model with no pay-to-win elements, allowing players to enjoy the core gameplay for free while cosmetics are available for purchase.
  • The player base is small and hardcore, which may lead to matchmaking challenges and a steep learning curve for new players.
  • The graphics and overall visual presentation may feel outdated or unappealing to some players, detracting from the overall experience.
  • Some players have reported performance issues and lag, particularly after recent updates, making the game less enjoyable.
  • gameplay34 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its deep and unique strategic mechanics, drawing comparisons to popular titles like Magic: The Gathering and Starcraft. While many players appreciate the complexity and engaging nature of the competitive elements, some criticize the single-player experience for being frustrating and lacking effective tutorials. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative blend of card and real-time strategy mechanics, offering a rewarding experience for fans of tactical gameplay.

    • “The story is cute and the competitive gameplay is complex and engaging.”
    • “Great game, with very in-depth and rewarding gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay has an absurd amount of depth but isn't too difficult to figure out at a basic level.”
    • “The single player content fails miserably at teaching the concepts of the game and consists mostly of endless hours of frustrating trial and error - without teaching you why you keep failing and thus it won't improve your gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay itself is very repetitive.”
    • “Another downside to a lot of players may be that the game has no comeback mechanics; if you fall behind and your opponent overwhelms you, you don't have a path to counter him most of the time - the game snowballs.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the minimalistic and unique art style, while others criticize it as "cheap" or reminiscent of early 2000s games. Despite the lackluster visuals, many agree that the artwork contributes to a distinct feel for each unit, and some players find the overall aesthetic charming after some gameplay. However, there are calls for potential visual updates to enhance the experience further.

    • “Sharp and clean, no distracting visuals, helpfully instructive, on top of being the almost-perfect meld of CCG and strategy gaming.”
    • “At first I didn't really like the art style of the game, but after just an hour of playing, I had already fallen in love with everything about this game.”
    • “I like the art style of the game even though I have seen many people calling it 'cheap' or 'mobile-like', but to be honest, I think for such a small development team, the art style is more than good enough, and a main plus is that every unit at least feels unique and distinct, thanks to the artwork.”
    • “Game artwork and UI is quite awful and resembles games from the early 2000s.”
    • “The only negative I personally have with the game is I'm not a big fan of the graphics/art in it.”
    • “If talking about the cons of the game, graphics definitely stand out - the art may seem a bit 'cheap' and the play screen may seem bland and generic.”
  • story13 mentions

    The story in the game is described as cute but ultimately bland, serving primarily as a tutorial for new players through its campaign missions. While it offers some engaging gameplay and challenges, the narrative lacks innovation and memorable characters, relying on worn-out sci-fi tropes and lengthy, generic dialogues. Overall, the single-player content is seen as decent but not particularly exciting, with the campaign primarily functioning to teach gameplay mechanics rather than deliver a compelling story.

    • “The story is cute and the competitive gameplay is complex and engaging.”
    • “Decent single-player content consisting of a campaign with a cheesy story that serves to teach the player the basics of Prismata, while also offering optional challenges that a skilled player can choose to take on.”
    • “The game is very simple to pick up, and for a game in early access, I've been amazed with the amount of content available - both single-player (campaign story, challenging AI when you're new, combat challenges, etc.) and items like cosmetics. It has a surprising amount of depth to it.”
    • “Casual mode exists but is uninteresting - too easy, and the campaign is bland with a narrated tutorial. There is no sci-fi art or design innovation, no narrative innovation, characters are forgettable, and the story is full of worn-out sci-fi tropes.”
    • “Every mission starts with long and boring generic NPC dialogues, which you just skip by hitting the spacebar about 20 times.”
    • “For anything else in the game, be it music, graphics, or the story in the campaign, I have to say that it's good enough, but not particularly exciting.”
  • monetization10 mentions

    The monetization model of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the commitment to ethical practices by offering only cosmetic microtransactions, while others criticize the presence of gambling-like mechanics and lootboxes. Although the developers aim for a free-to-play structure supported by cosmetic purchases, concerns remain about the clarity of the pricing and the potential for exploitative practices. Overall, the reception of the monetization strategy is polarized, with some players feeling reassured and others expressing strong disapproval.

    • “However, be aware that Prismata will, in the future, be a free-to-play game with microtransactions.”
    • “Ethical monetization (with microtransactions being only for cosmetics and single-player content) sealed the deal for me.”
    • “The developers of this game reached out to me and explained that, when Prismata launches, it's intended to be a free-to-play game supported by cosmetic microtransactions.”
    • “My only complaint is that even though the microtransactions are purely cosmetic, they are still set up like gambling games, which I disapprove of.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game contains an abusive free-to-play loot box/'premium currency' monetization scheme, which I am not willing to accept in a $25 indie game, much less an early access indie game.”
    • “I don't know what the in-game purchases do or what they are for, but they look so much like other pay-to-win setups that I asked for a refund as soon as I saw it.”
  • music6 mentions

    The music in the game is reminiscent of the Creeper World 3 soundtrack, featuring high-quality tracks despite a limited quantity. While the overall audio experience is deemed satisfactory, it lacks excitement, leading some players to toggle it off in favor of their own music.

    • “While not extensive in quantity, the quality of the soundtrack is pretty high.”
    • “Sometimes I keep the Prismata music enabled; sometimes I disable it to listen to whatever music I want, that kind of thing.”
    • “Music sounds like it's from Creeper World 3.”
    • “For anything else in the game, be it music, graphics, or the story in the campaign, I have to say that it's good enough, but not particularly exciting.”
    • “Sometimes I keep the Prismata music enabled, sometimes I disable it to listen to whatever music I want.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly even on moderate hardware, and offers a rewarding experience for players who enjoy resource management and build optimization without the stress of unit micromanagement. While it encourages personal improvement, losses can feel solely attributed to player performance rather than technical issues.

    • “Very polished and runs smoothly.”
    • “It's recommended if you like the resource management and build optimization of Starcraft, but find unit micromanagement frustrating.”
    • “The game does provide the tools for improving your performance.”
    • “I don't have a toaster (i7-4770k stock with MSI 1080ti stock), but I can comfortably run Prismata mirrored on two screens while running a Twitch stream on a third and not run into performance issues.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The game is praised for its unique and polished humor, contributing to an enjoyable and fun experience within its strategy card gameplay.

    • “A truly unique, polished, humorous, and fun little strategy card game.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere is negatively impacted by poorly drawn icons and UI elements, which detract from the overall immersive experience.

    • “The icons and UI elements are poorly designed and fail to create any sense of atmosphere.”
    • “The overall ambiance feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
    • “The lack of environmental detail really detracts from the game's atmosphere, leaving it feeling lifeless.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers high replayability through its diverse mechanics, combining elements from popular titles like Dominion, Warcraft, and Hearthstone, while eliminating common drawbacks such as first player advantage and pay-to-win models. Players can enjoy varied strategies and interactions without the need for extensive memorization or dexterity, making it accessible and engaging for repeated playthroughs.

    • “It has the variety and replayability of Dominion without the noticeable first player advantage or deck tracking/memorization requirements.”
    • “It has the build orders and resource management of Warcraft without the dexterity requirements.”
    • “It has the card interactions and combat management of Hearthstone or Magic without the grinding or pay-to-win.”
    • “The game lacks the depth and variety needed for true replayability, making each playthrough feel repetitive.”
    • “After a few sessions, I found that the game offers little incentive to return, as the content quickly becomes stale.”
    • “While the mechanics are interesting, the limited scenarios and predictable outcomes severely diminish replay value.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game for its balance and variety, noting that it offers replayability similar to Dominion without the drawbacks of first player advantage or complex tracking. Additionally, it combines resource management and build orders akin to Warcraft, while avoiding the grind and pay-to-win elements often found in card games like Hearthstone or Magic.

    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which really takes away from the enjoyment.”
    • “The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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