Tournament Ark

About

Tournament Ark is a single player strategy game with a anime theme. It was developed by Faws and was released on December 18, 2022. It received very positive reviews from players.

A heavily anime-inspired deck builder. You play as one of the participants in the Tournament Ark, a combat tournament held on an interdimensional boat. Pick the right moves, choose the correct passive abilities for your build and combine the right cards to become the champion!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 98 reviews

gameplay14 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Tournament Ark offers a surprising depth of gameplay with a variety of classes, cards, and mechanics, making it highly customizable and replayable.
The game is free to play, providing a wealth of content without any paywalls, which is a significant draw for players.
The mechanics, including card fusion and the ability to see opponent's moves, add a unique twist to the traditional deckbuilding roguelike formula.

The art style and graphics are simplistic and may deter some players, giving the impression of a low-quality game despite its solid mechanics.
The tutorial and explanations of game mechanics are lacking, which can lead to confusion for newcomers trying to grasp the gameplay.
There are issues with randomness in gameplay interactions, which can lead to frustrating experiences where well-planned strategies fail unexpectedly.

gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
49%
9%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of solid mechanics and engaging systems, particularly in its roguelike deckbuilding format, which includes unique features like card fusions and diverse class options. While many players appreciate the depth and strategic planning required, some find the interface and explanations of mechanics lacking, which can hinder the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game offers addictive gameplay and replay value, making it a strong contender in its genre.
- “I learned today that I'm on the top ten speedrun leaderboard for this game, and I only ever play it when I see that the achievement percentage has gone down from 100%. But those facts don't stop me from confidently stating that this is my favorite roguelike deckbuilder from a mechanical perspective.”
- “Each of the different starting classes are interesting on their own, further compounded by the possibility for multiclassing and the fusion mechanic that ensures you can always mix it up if you get bored of one strategy.”
- “What seems like a simple 'rock paper scissors, pick the bigger number' system evolves into something that forces you to think and understand the game's mechanics. Most of the options will lead to an unsuccessful run if you don't go in with a plan; coming up with a build concept that takes advantage of a particular mechanic is essential to make it to the late game, and one of the most fun aspects.”
- “I just care about mechanics and game loops, and the mechanics are a 0/10 for me.”
- “The game mechanics are a little confusing, and the lackluster 2D interface doesn't encourage gamers to want to get interested in the game enough to learn all the poorly explained rules.”
- “The game also has some longevity issues that'd be easily remedied with just a bit more late-game gameplay customization options, as well as some significant balance issues.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and modest, with an aesthetic that some find incoherent yet fitting for the narrative. While the visuals may initially seem off-putting, many players appreciate how they grow on you and complement the game's depth and content. Overall, the art style does not detract from the gameplay experience, and the game is praised for its engaging mechanics despite its visual simplicity.
- “The graphics, though simple, suit my taste.”
- “Do not let the modest visuals deceive you; this free deck builder game has a lot of content packed into it, with a wide variety of backgrounds and archetypes to choose from to create your character, multiple playstyles are supported, from more straightforward brute force strategies to more elaborate synergy-based ones and even some more unusual, challenging ones as well.”
- “Despite its simple art style, it's very well thought out and has challenge.”
- “Don't be put off by the awful graphics; this is one of the best deckbuilders on Steam.”
- “I tried it as it reminded me of Dream Quest, and thought 'hey, maybe it's another one with weird graphics that's hiding a secret gem,' and turns out I was right.”
- “Don't let the price and the simple art style fool you.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game offers exceptional replayability due to its extensive customization options, diverse classes, and unique boss challenges, allowing players to experiment with various strategies and play styles. The synergy between different mechanics and the introduction of new archetypes further enhance the replay value, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging. Overall, players find the game endlessly enjoyable and recommend it for its depth and variety.
- “An amazing game to play, endlessly customizable with so many options that it is surprising you get all of this for free. Various boss fights, each with their own unique challenges, are present (although I despise Ernesto with a burning passion; he has ended many of my runs, and I fear whenever he appears). With over a dozen classes to choose from, each with their own unique cards and perks, various powerful backgrounds that can alter your play style, and specializations that give you a buff and a debuff at the same time, this allows for a nearly endless amount of customization and replayability. Overall, an amazing game that I would recommend and would even pay money for.”
- “The sheer amount of options and how they synergize gives the game endless replayability. While the card system seems simplistic at first, it quickly becomes clear that there is far more to consider as it progresses.”
- “New archetypes are fun, and they add a lot of replayability.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its quality and variety, including an anime theme song, while others find it inconsistent and overwhelming at times. One user noted that the volume was initially too loud but appreciated the overall composition after adjusting it. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the gameplay experience, despite some criticisms.
- “The music was really nice; there's even an anime theme song for one of them!”
- “9/10 good gameplay and music, except for one track.”
- “This game's style and music reminds me of something you would play on Newgrounds.”
- “The music is all over the place.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The story aspect of the game is praised for its potential depth, with suggestions for a comprehensive backstory that integrates various narratives. Players appreciate the ability to create unique fighters through archetypes and backstories, which enhance gameplay by allowing for diverse combinations and strategies. Overall, the narrative elements contribute significantly to the game's complexity and engagement.
- “It's an excellent card-based roguelike game where you create your fighter at the start from available archetypes (which determines your inherent deck/perks) and backstory (which modifies things about them) as well as choosing their appearance.”
- “The addition of a backstory and dual/triple class options adds depth and opens up crazy combos.”
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “Character motivations are poorly developed, leaving players feeling disconnected from the plot.”
- “The dialogue is often clichéd and uninspired, failing to add any real depth to the characters or story.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it both entertaining and unexpectedly deep. The characters are described as interesting and visually appealing, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience. Many users highlight the game's comedic elements as a key factor in its fun and engaging nature.
- “In conclusion, it's a fun game with nice and interesting looking characters, a lot more in depth than what you might expect, a lot of good humor and a nice time overall.”
- “Tournament Ark, a game that costs no money, is very funny.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that achieving 100% completion can be challenging due to certain achievements requiring extensive grinding and luck, particularly when it comes to defeating bosses for their backgrounds. Additionally, the grinding process is often described as tedious, with suggestions for more varied paths or boss choices to alleviate the monotony.
- “Achievement hunters be warned: some of these achievements are not simple to obtain and may require extensive exploration and grinding (and a bit of luck!) to clear.”
- “Grinding bosses for their backgrounds is very tedious; perhaps a branching path or boss choice would improve the experience.”