Wednesday, 21 September 2016 00:00

Armello - The Usurpers Hero Pack Review

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The Usurpers Hero Pack is the first paid DLC for Armello, a successful strategy game, which combines adorable graphics, turn-based action, a rich storyline, and more. The latest DLC, which released for Steam on September 1st, 2016, adds 4 new character choices, which includes a hero from each of the in-game clans – namely Wolf, Bear, Rat, and Rabbit. The folks over at League of Geeks have had their work cut out in terms of expanding on an already rich, unique title, but the Usurpers DLC definitely delivers.

Introducing….

The Usurpers Hero Pack expands upon an already diverse character pool by adding new Heroes each with their own skillset: Elyssia of Clan Rabbit enhances Settlements by automatically fortifying them when she enters the tile, an effect that lasts the duration of the game, increasing the cost to enter from 1 Action Point (AP) to 2 AP for everyone but her; Ghor, of the Bear folk, has an affinity for Forests, which allows him to cast spells for less Magic costs, plus the ability to cast to any Forest tile on the map; the newcomer for the Wolves is Magna the shield maiden, who can burn cards in combat to have Reflecting shields against her opponents; and last but not least is Sargon of the Rat Clan, the Veil Gazer, who moves in puffs of smoke from tile to tile, with the ability to see the top most card on each deck before he draws. These four new Heroes stack wonderfully with the members of each Clan already in play and work to fill out the roster wonderfully.

The Steam discussion forum has been abuzz with players debating over which of these new additions carries the most advantage, and so far the consensus seems to be that Ghor’s skillset is slightly overpowered compared to the others. Having played numerous games with Ghor, I found that he is an excellent choice if you prefer winning with Magic cards and Soul Stone collecting. On the other hand, Elyssia’s ability creates a significant disadvantage for all of the other players, both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other members of the Steam community, which really counts in the early rounds, especially.

Let’s Talk Jewelry!

The four new Heroes expand upon an already strong pool of options, but in addition, the Usurpers Hero Pack adds four new Rings to the mix, each with a different property. Rabbits can wear the Rainbow Quartz ring for +1 Magic every Dawn; Clan Bear have an Aquamarine ring that gives +1 Moon in both Battles and Perils as long as he has zero Rot, something that comes in handy in battles versus the Moon-aligned Clans. The Wolves gain extra oomph in dire times with the Rubellite ring, which gives +3 Fight when they are down to 1 health; and Clan Rat increases its treasury with the Tanzanite ring thanks to +1 Gold whenever they escape a Peril.

I was glad to see that none of these Rings give a huge advantage, thereby awarding a considerable lead to players who have the DLC versus those who do not. Instead, they give a unique ability that can help sway your technique, and give an alternative method for gaining a lead while in the game. I was surprised that they are all Clan-locked, but after giving it a second thought, I realized just how OP it could be to combine other characters with these new items. The developers have done a great job maintaining the balance within Armello, and I experienced a pleasant mix of players preferring the new Heros in this DLC versus classic options.

8

The Verdict

As with the rest of Armello, the Usurpers Hero Pack comes with the same fantastic attention to detail regarding character design and visual appeal. Each newcomer has its own voice and personality, and all blend perfectly well with the original content. The added versatility brought by this DLC, especially in multiplayer games versus others, adds customization to the experience both late adopters and entrenched veterans will enjoy. The world of Armello is incredibly charming, and Elyssia, Ghor, Magma, and Sargon look sophisticated, complex, and utterly charming. I suppose the $9.99 USD price tag could a bit high for a DLC, the base game being at $19.99 USD on Steam, but it remains indisputable: The Usurpers Hero Pack is a valuable addition to my Armello addiction.

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Lori May

Lori is an avid video game enthusiast who enjoys blending her love of gaming with her work as a writer. She first cut her teeth back on the NES and Sega Genesis systems, and continues to be a Retro-gaming advocate with a soft spot for Point-&-Click Adventures. She's also a Survival Horror and Psychological Horror game collector, when she isn't coercing friends into any number of Co-Op multiplayer titles. If she isn't gaming you can find her working as a journalist and social media consultant, or perhaps dabbling in video game design among other hobby-with-big-dreams endeavors. Born in the heart of the Midwest, she's currently living in Colorado, where she prefers to avoid skiing, snowboarding, and other Mile High City attractions.

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