This month’s Humble Monthly bundle was met with mixed results. Looking at the titles on offer, I already owned a copy of Dragon’s Dogma (for PS3, though this is a copy of the recent PC port) and Mordheim. The other indie games packaged in the bundle looked pretty lackluster as well, but one game stood out to be something I was potentially interested in.
The subtext should be a little clue, apparently this title comes from the makers of Forced, which was a quaint little action-RPG from a few years back. There was a sequel of sorts, and now Minion Masters, which is more of an arena duel, but there are layers of depth there — think easy to learn, hard to master. The game is currently in early access, and is likely going to be a free to play title. You can buy premium access now that provides some freebies and in-game currency. That was included in the Humble Monthly package, so I could start off the game with a little leg up, which is appreciated.
This is the playing field. Essentially you get a Master, a deck of cards that make up your minions, and can customize your side of the arena. I’m sure there will be other modes of customization or “fluff” to spend money on, but it seems that the cards are all available by winning games. You get currencies periodically, but it seems that the in-game currency is useable for most cards, whereas some of the other paid for currencies are used for the fluff. You can pay to speed up your deckbuilding, or you can just play the game — typical free to play model. Leveling up provides some of the basic minions, and also provides periodic power cells that you can open to spin for various boosts — be it monetary or cards.
The cash shop seems reasonably priced, but as of right now it doesn’t feel like there’s a need to pay for the currency. I’d rather just play the game to level up and earn more cards. There are single player trials that help you get a feel for the game, but really it’s just placing minions when you have the mana to place them, and picking a master who’s perks suit your playstyle. I spent most of my time playing with the archer fellow, who through xp gain (which is gained by controlling the bridges on the top/bottom of the arena) gains perks that allow him to shoot arrows all the way across the level. Each master has different pros and cons and different perks that can be pretty helpful. Cards come in a large variety of minion types and costs. It’s pretty fast paced and most rounds last 5 minutes or less.
Playing against players provides you a rank. Starting with wood, you’ll soon move up to the stone tier. That’s where I left off as I finished up my session, but I look forward to returning to the game as it develops! Somewhere along the line I read that someone compared this game to the mobile game Clash Royale, made by Supercell, the creators of Clash of Clans (I’m sure you’ve all heard of those games by now). Out of curiosity I thought I’d check out that mobile game to see how they compare.
It’s true, the two games are very similar. Clash is set up vertically rather than horizontally, and you don’t really get to pick a different master in this game. So the perks and abilities provided by a master don’t apply, though your king/castle level over time, gaining strength to defend themselves along with HP. Also, in Clash there are two towers that defend each bridge, along with your main castle, whereas in Minion Masters there are just the masters in their castle, though there are cards that are buildings and can be placed, so slight difference. Otherwise, the two games are basically the same, so having the option to play a game I rather enjoy while on the go is a nice bonus.
As you can see, the objective gameplay is still very much the same. Units change, but the goal is the same. One major difference is the fact that cards upgrade over time in Clash Royale. As you complete matches and get daily bonus chests, you’ll get copies of cards you already own. They start at level 1, and to advance levels you meld the cards together. So to gain level 2 with a card, you’ll need 3 total. For level 3, you’ll need 4 more, and so on.
Overall both games compare and contrast in different ways. I enjoy both of them and I would recommend you give the other a shot if you have played one, or just try out either. It’s a fun little real time strategy experience, with some deckbuilding on the side. Plus games don’t take long, so you won’t be out much time if you don’t enjoy it. Personally, I plan to put more time into both.
Me Vs. Myself and I 