Battle Bands: Rock & Roll Deckbuilder

Review

On the main menu screen, you will find Play, Character, Tutorial, Season, Store, Challenges and your Decks for each of the instruments that you can play. The tutorial will teach you how the mechanics of the game works; it’s pretty easy to understand and I’m sure you could jump straight into the game should you wish to figure the game out on your lonesome.

Character allows you to create a character for your band; you can create more and swap your look when you want. You can create your look by using the twelve options on offer to you or you can select Randomise to generate a random character. The options on offer for you to create your personal look consist of Face, Nose, Eyes, Lips, Hair, Facial Hair, Eye Makeup, Eyewear, Clothes and Instruments.

Once you’ve found your look you can choose to play in either Tour Mode or Royale mode. Tour mode has you making your way through Riff City, moving from location to location in your trusty van in a one-to-four player campaign. Royale mode pits you against sixty-three other bands in an online tournament. I decided to play solo tour mode; as yet I haven't tried playing the tournament mode.

You make your way around Riff City in your band’s trusty van.  Scattered around the city are nine locations where you will go head-to-head with other bands. There are also nine mysterious locations and a few other locations such as a shop or pizza place. You don’t have to enter any of the locations you travel to but each time you move it will cost you one heart point. You begin with ten but if you want to visit all locations within Riff City you’re going to have to collect more. You collect more by entering into a band battle and defeating the band; others may be found at the mysterious locations throughout the city.

Upon entering into a band battle, you’ll find out who you’re going to compete against. There’s your scoreboard and the score required to win in the top centre of the screen, which also shows you what you’ll win for defeating the band. Along the bottom of the screen is your Draw Pile, Graveyard and Exhaust card piles; just above them you’ll find your hand for your current turn.

Your band consists of a Guitarist, Bass Player, Drummer and Keyboard Player.  You can choose which instrument you want to play prior to entering into Riff City. You begin with a number of cards which, along with your other band members, you play out songs earning Hype. Hype is required to win a battle and with each battle you’ll need to reach or pass a certain number of Hype.

In order to earn Hype and win battles you’ll need to play cards from your deck. Firstly, you’re going to need a song, a song can be played by you or any of your band members. Next, you’ll play cards specific to your current instrument, as will your other band members.  Quick keys, quick riffs, sick beats and loud licks are just some of the actions which can be played from your decks. All of these actions will come together to hopefully complete a song; I say hopefully because if you don’t complete a song before the end of your turn then there is a possibility that the other band could perform an action which will end your song early.  You’re also able to do this if you have the necessary cards.

On each card there is some information: the type of card and the number of hype you can earn from playing that card.  Song cards let you know how much hype you’ll earn from completing that song. To play a card for the most part will require some Energy, although some cards can be played without requiring any energy. Each band member has two energy to use per turn, although it is possible to gain more at times through the use of cards or even the other band. Upon defeating a band you’ll receive Hearts and Cash, which you can use to move around Riff City and buy items from shops or events at the mysterious locations found around the city.

Near the centre of the city, there’s a stadium where you’ll find your biggest threat, so you’ll want to go there as a last resort. Here you’ll find the Boss, and they are harder to defeat than the bands you have previously battled. While you and your band mates have two energy points, the Boss has twenty, and because of this they can use better cards and do more damage if you’re not well-enough prepared.

If you lose to a band, you’ll lose some Hearts, and if you run out of hearts then it’ll be game over.  It is also game over if you lose to the boss. Upon the end of a game, you will be rewarded with some Season and Instrumental Experience points and Credits, and you will also unlock some new cards. The seasonal experience points will unlock items such as new outfits, headwear, hairstyles, and other gear. The credits can be used to buy items from the Store, new vans skins, or outfits and other items which are featured in the daily and weekly offers in the shop.

There’s not much in the way of settings; you get Master, Music and Sound Effects Volume Sliders, Video Resolution, Mode (Full Screen, Windowed Full Screen and Windowed)

I did find the game a little bit repetitive and sometimes damn frustrating, especially when taking on the boss. I started well enough, but even with my best run and with added items giving me a boost, the boss's energy and the fact that they could smother my hand with nasty cards of theirs meant that I soon found myself only collecting five to ten Hype.  Previously, I was collecting fifty to one hundred plus, so with only five to ten, there was no chance of me spanking his botty. I think it’s going to take quite a bit more grinding before I can stand toe to toe with the boss.

I don’t mind grinding, but the game does get repetitive, which leads to another problem; if you have to leave the game for any reason, you’re unable to do so because you cannot save the game and then come back to it at a later date.

Review written by Piston Smashed™ for Zeepond.com

Battle Bands: Rock & Roll Deckbuilder Steam Store Page