[Review] Meteorfall: Krumit's Tale

[Bandolero -]

A couple months after the release of Meteorfall, while working on the Necrodude update, I started brainstorming some new designs for a game that eventually became Krumit’s Tale. I loved the universe that we created for Meteorfall, and I knew that I wanted to work on something that continued to build out those characters and that lore. I also didn’t want to create a direct sequel. Thus, Krumit’s Tale was born.

The (work-in-progress) App Store description reads:
Krumit’s Tale, the second game in the Meteorfall universe, is a brand new take on the deckbuilding roguelike genre. Dungeons are laid out in a 3x3 grid, and you’ll need to use your items wisely to survive. You’ll build your deck and earn perks as you fight your way to the Uberlich. Do you have what it takes?
Let’s take a look at what the game actually looks like -

Like the original Meteorfall game — Meteorfall: Journeys — Krumit’s Tale is a run-based, deck-building game. That means that in both games, you’ll start a ‘run’, lasting no more than 30–45 minutes, and death means the end of the run. You’ll also choose a hero, with a basic starting deck, and improve that deck over time through the addition of new, powerful cards. Thus, both Meteorfall and Krumit’s Tale share many of the same core values, and both games should appeal to the same core player base.

From there, Krumit’s Tale diverges significantly. In the above screenshot, you can see a 3x3 grid of enemies, items, and abilities. When you enter a dungeon, your hero’s deck (items and abilities) is shuffled into the dungeon deck (enemies)and then dealt out in a grid. The objective is to clear the dungeon by defeating all of the enemies.

Items and abilities can be acquired from the grid by paying the gold cost. You’ll earn gold by defeating enemies, or discarding items & abilities (tiles) that you don’t need. You’ll use the tiles you acquire to defeat more powerful enemies, and so on. At the end of each dungeon, you’ll add new cards to your deck, and select from powerful Perks (passive buffs) which you can build your deck around. Then, you’ll proceed to the next dungeon, and so on, until you finish your journey.

Fighting monsters is a key part of the gameplay in Krumit’s Tale. To start a battle, you tap a monster. Doing so will bring up the battle screen. In battle, you can make use of up to 4 tiles you acquired in the dungeon. Tapping a tile will equip it, giving you additional options to defeat enemies. For instance, equipping a basic sword will increase your attack and allow you to defeat a monster more quickly, while equipping chainmail can block an enemy’s attack. Once you’ve equipped items and abilities, you press the big green button to attack. Using items in combat reduces durability, so you’ll need to be plan carefully about how to best use your items. At its core, Krumit’s Tale is a game about resource management: monsters to be slain, tiles you acquire, tiles you discard — all resources that can be used to help you finish the dungeon.

Inspired by games that offer ‘perfect information’ such as Slay the Spire and Into the Breach, Krumit’s Tale also gives you a tip about what the enemy plans to do. This allows you to make smart use of your limited items and abilities in order to survive the dungeon. Besides basic attacks, enemies can also block or poison you. Some enemies have piercing attacks that ignore armor, and others are quick — allowing them to attack before you. As you encounter new enemies in the dungeon, you’ll be able to better plan how to build your deck to counter them in the future.

After each dungeon, you’ll add new cards to your deck in different ways. One way is through opening ‘Mint Candy’ boxes (treasure)at the end of each dungeon that present you with 3 different tiles — you get to pick one to add to your deck. The other way is the shop, where you can buy new tiles using gems. (Gems are earned when you complete a dungeon). Combined with the passive perks you earn after each dungeon, there are tons of ways to build your deck and be successful.