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Union of Gnomes

92%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
graphics, music
92% User Score Based on 66 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
Buy Nowfrom $4.84
Buy NowGet on Steam$14.99

About

"Union of Gnomes" is an early access card battler set in a fairy tale kingdom, where you lead a gnome uprising against Snow White's oppressive rule. Build your liberation forces by freeing gnome comrades and experimenting with 130 cards, each with unique abilities. Battle against familiar fairy tale foes, utilizing positional strategies and devastating effects to secure victory.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
Union of Gnomes screenshot
+11

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 66 reviews
gameplay6 positive mentions
music3 negative mentions
  • Union of Gnomes offers a fun and unique take on the deckbuilder genre, with a charming art style and humorous themes.
  • The game features straightforward mechanics and an intuitive UI, making it accessible for both newcomers and veterans of the genre.
  • Despite being in early access, the game shows promise with engaging gameplay and a solid foundation, with developers actively listening to community feedback.
  • The game suffers from balance issues, particularly with the food (wiener) system and certain enemy types, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Many players find the game to be short with limited replayability, especially if they are not interested in endless battles.
  • Some mechanics, such as the mana system tied to cards, can feel cumbersome and detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • gameplay
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized by straightforward mechanics, with a mix of basic elements and unique twists, particularly the controversial "wiener" system that adds strategic depth but divides player opinions. While some players appreciate the solid foundations and enjoyable animations, others feel the game lacks engaging combos and suffers from problematic mana management. Overall, it offers a blend of familiar deck-building mechanics with enough innovation to stand out in the genre.

    • “A great deckbuilder with decent enough progression, customization, and a few twists in the gameplay department compared to other deckbuilders.”
    • “Overall, the game feels fine: the animations of gnomes are fun, the gameplay solid, and the setting unique.”
    • “The game is great, lots of interesting new mechanics here, just enough to differentiate it from the crowded space of deck-builders, yet not enough to alienate fans of the genre.”
    • “Actual battle mechanics are incredibly straightforward.”
    • “Gameplay mechanics are really basic.”
    • “Promising game with solid foundations, but currently lacks fun combos and has problematic mana and wiener mechanics.”
  • story
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of Hoolignomes is a whimsical "twisted fairy tale" centered around a gnome rebellion, where players select commanders and build a squad of gnomes to complete missions and level up. The narrative unfolds through a mix of battles, events, and quests, offering a choose-your-own-adventure style experience with varied outcomes. While it incorporates RPG elements and some roguelike mechanics, the game is primarily story-driven, featuring engaging quests and charming graphics that enhance the overall experience.

    • “The story woven through the union of gnomes is a bit of a 'twisted fairy tale' - as you are part of the gnome rebellion, fighting to free your gnome brethren.”
    • “Side missions and quests function more like choose-your-own-adventure puzzles where you choose between options to advance to an end result, sometimes a boss but not always, with a good variety of outcomes and rewards.”
    • “The story woven through the Union of Gnomes is a bit of a 'twisted fairy tale' - as you are part of the gnome rebellion, fighting to free your gnome brethren.”
    • “Story missions have you choosing between paths made up of battles, events, shops, and quests on the way to a boss.”
    • “Also, although it says it’s roguelike, I find it more story-driven at this point.”
  • graphics
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, cartoonish aesthetic that combines humor and clarity, appealing to many players with its bold and bright design. While some users experienced minor graphical hiccups, the overall visual presentation is praised for its creativity and ability to enhance the gameplay experience. However, not all players found the art style to their taste, indicating a mixed reception among different audiences.

    • “Touting plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, this rogue-like deck builder brings a lot of amusement to the table with plenty of meme-y references, and a very signature art style that is sure to please.”
    • “Simplicity and clarity are at the forefront of the design, with a cute cartoony aesthetic that is well done, and a joy to use.”
    • “Very cool toy, interesting plot and dialog, cool mechanics, beautiful graphics, the game is addictive, can recommend it.”
    • “I’ve had minor graphic hiccups, 2 lag moments that lasted about 5 seconds and no crashes, with 4 and a half hours of game time at the time of this review.”
    • “With such a bold and bright art style, I really wanted some music to match.”
    • “I'm not usually into card games at all, but Union of Gnomes won me over with its art style and sense of humor.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in this rogue-like deck builder is characterized by its tongue-in-cheek style, meme references, and a vibrant, 2000s flash-inspired art design that enhances the overall experience. Players find the humor to be charming and refreshing, contributing positively to the game's appeal, even for those who typically do not enjoy card games. Overall, the game's bright and funny elements stand out, making it a delightful addition to the genre.

    • “Touting plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, this rogue-like deck builder brings a lot of amusement to the table with plenty of meme-y references, and a very signature art style that is sure to please.”
    • “Bright, colorful and funny, it brings some unique takes to the rogue-like deck builder genre, which is refreshing considering how popular the genre has become in recent years.”
    • “I'm not usually into card games at all, but Union of Gnomes won me over with its art style and sense of humor.”
  • music
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is described as looping and reminiscent of "war time" themes, which, while functional, feels dated and uninspired. Many reviewers express disappointment, noting that the music does not match the game's vibrant art style and resembles generic, copyright-free tracks, indicating a missed opportunity for a more engaging soundtrack. Overall, the music is considered mediocre compared to other aspects of the game.

    • “Games funny, music is mid, combat is solid, they bring an interesting experience.”
    • “Music in the main camp consists of some looping, dated 'war time-y' music that, while it works, feels dated and uninspired.”
    • “With such a bold and bright art style, I really wanted some music to match.”
    • “Overwhelmingly, while it all works, it feels more like copyright-free music, and I feel like this was a bit of a missed opportunity.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively tedious, particularly due to the increased difficulty and time-consuming nature of battles against certain enemies, like the birds that summon others. Many reviews express frustration over recent patches that have made these encounters even more monotonous, leading to a lack of enjoyment and calls for better balance in future updates. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant detractor from the game's fun factor.

    • “The bird and the 50 armor turn enemies are a real pain to kill; not hard, just tedious. There was an increase in their abilities to craft armor in the last patch, and I think it's really too much.”
    • “The battles take so much time; it's really too much to the point that it just becomes tedious and unfun.”
    • “It's really a headscratcher why they would purposely make the tedious enemies even more tedious when literally 30% of the reviews of the game are complaining about the infinite birds summoning other birds. This alone would make me give a thumbs down because of how out of touch and untested the game was to provoke this kind of decision. If this gets somehow worse in another patch, this will have to be an uninstall and a thumbs down from me. Make the game more fun, not more tedious.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has limited replayability, primarily due to its short length and lack of diverse gameplay modes. Players express a desire for a classic mode that would enhance replay value by allowing them to engage in battles without being tied to specific quests. Currently, there is no true roguelike mode to support endless replayability.

    • “I'd like to ask the devs to consider adding a classic mode (just the way STS and PA do it) where we just go on the map and climb up to a boss that isn't tied to any specific quests; that could significantly enhance the replayability.”
    • “Really short and no replayability, unless you're into endless battles.”
    • “I'd like to ask the devs to consider adding a classic mode (just the way STS and PA do it) where we just go on the map and climb up to a boss that isn't tied to any specific quests; that could bring the replayability way up.”
    • “No true roguelike mode for endless replayability.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a surprising emotional connection to the game, particularly highlighting a wholesome obsession with its quirky elements, such as sausages. The Shroom side quest, in particular, evokes strong feelings, showcasing the game's ability to resonate on a deeper emotional level.

    • “The Shroom side quest made me feel things.”
    • “I did not expect to be as obsessed with sausages as I am when playing it (in a wholesome way).”
  • stability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game demonstrates excellent stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly without any need for additional adjustments.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck out of the box.”
    • “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
    • “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”

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