Tournament Ark
- December 18, 2022
- Faws
- 45h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreA 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!
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Reviews
- The game features surprisingly deep mechanics and a variety of customization options, allowing for unique playstyles and strategies.
- It's a free-to-play game that offers a lot of content, including interesting card fusion mechanics and a mix of archetypes that enhance replayability.
- Despite its simple graphics, the gameplay is engaging and fun, with a quirky charm that resonates with fans of the genre.
- The art style and user interface are often criticized for being simplistic and lacking polish, which may deter some players.
- The tutorial and explanations of game mechanics are insufficient, leading to confusion about gameplay elements and strategies.
- There are balance issues and randomness in gameplay that can lead to frustrating experiences, especially during critical moments in runs.
- gameplay31 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this roguelike deckbuilder is praised for its solid mechanics, addictive nature, and unique features like card fusing and multiclassing, which encourage strategic planning and replayability. While the core gameplay loop is engaging and easy to learn, some players find the interface and certain mechanics confusing, suggesting that clearer explanations could enhance the experience. Overall, the game offers a fun and diverse card game experience, though it could benefit from additional late-game customization and balance improvements.
“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 taking advantage of a particular mechanic is essential to make it to the late game, and one of the most fun aspects.”
“While the gameplay is deep, parts of the interface are a bit tricky to get information about: conditions and perks generally appear as a new pane with everything listed instead of referencing a specific effect.”
“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 would be easily remedied with just a bit more late-game gameplay customization options, as well as some significant balance issues.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as simple and aesthetically incoherent, yet they effectively complement the narrative and gameplay experience. While some players initially find the visuals off-putting, many agree that the art style grows on them and does not detract from the game's depth and content. Overall, the modest visuals are seen as a minor drawback in an otherwise engaging and well-designed deckbuilding game.
“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.”
“Don't be put off by the awful graphics; this is one of the best deckbuilders on Steam.”
“Do not let the modest visuals deceive you; this free deck builder game has a lot of content packed into it.”
“Despite its simple art style, it's very well thought out and has challenge.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its diverse mechanics, strategic depth, and numerous achievements, which encourage players to explore new archetypes and synergies. The evolving complexity of the card system enhances the experience, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.
“The sheer amount of options and how they synergize gives the game endless replayability, and while the card system seems simplistic at first, it quickly becomes clear that there is far more to consider as it progresses.”
“The game has tons of achievements and replay value!”
“New archetypes are fun and they add a lot of replayability.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its quality and nostalgic style reminiscent of Newgrounds, while others find it inconsistent and overwhelming at times. Notably, one track is highlighted as particularly enjoyable, including an anime theme song that adds to the overall experience. However, the volume levels have been a concern for some players.
“The music (I muted it at first because it was loud, but turned it down) was really nice; there's even an anime theme song for one of them?”
“This game's style and music reminds me of something you would play on Newgrounds.”
“The music is all over the place.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
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 replayability.
“It's an excellent card-based roguelike game where you create your fighter at the start from available archetypes, which determines your inherent deck and perks, as well as choosing their backstory, which modifies aspects of the character.”
“The addition of a backstory and dual/triple class options adds depth and opens up crazy combos.”
“I think it would be good if they added a new backstory that includes all of the existing backstories in one.”
“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 meaningful depth to the characters.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players noting its fun and engaging characters, as well as clever comedic elements that enhance the overall experience. Many find it surprisingly in-depth for a free game, contributing to a lighthearted and enjoyable atmosphere.
“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.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players caution that achieving 100% completion may require significant grinding and exploration, as some achievements are challenging and depend on luck to unlock.
“100% achievement hunters be warned - some of these achievements are not simple to obtain and may take some exploration and grinding (and luck!) to get these runs cleared.”
