[Steamworld] Questing and occasionally Digging and Heisting!

MNC Dover

Welcome to Steamworld!

The Steamworld universe is where the games from the company, Image & Form, take place. In each game, the narrative focuses on robots as the main characters, with no signs of humanity or human life to be seen. Each robot has personality and feelings as though they were either once human or just have developed emotions. Every game is charming, witty, and never takes itself too seriously.

Some of their previous titles include Steamworld Tower (on the original DS), Steamworld Dig, Steamworld Heist, and Steamworld Dig 2. Each of those games is great in their own right and should be owned by everyone. Even better is that each game tackles a different genre type, so it's not always just a sequel. Tower is tower defense, Dig 1&2 are action/adventure, and Heist is a turn-based tactical shooter.



But that's not all! The Steamworld universe expanded a little bit more with the release of Steamworld Quest on the Nintendo Switch! Like the other titles, this one goes in a completely different direction by embracing the RPG genre. You get have turn-based combat, spells, items, and all the usual RPG goodness.



The unique twist is that all the combat is handled by using cards. Each of your heroes has their own supply of cards that you build an 8-card deck out of. During combat, you draw cards and play them to attack, heal, cast spells, or buff/debuff. More powerful cards require Gear Icons to use, which are acquired by using basic attack cards. You can store up to 10 Gears and unleash a bunch of damaging cards all at once, or spend them quickly as you acquire them.

Some cards are combo cards where they gain bonus effects if a different hero played a card earlier in the sequence. And you can unleash a special 4th attack by playing 3 cards from the same hero. These special attacks change based on the weapon equipped. All of these interactions mean you can really have fun experimenting with different types of decks and synergies between heroes.

If you own a Switch, I'd highly recommend picking up Steamworld Quest. Besides, that loot ain't gonna go collect itself!

Naphtali

Just got to Chapter 4 and got new weapons... so what strategy are people doing with their decks? I've been trying to keep at least 4 gear generating cards and then a random assortment of spenders per deck, but it feels like I maybe need to tighten direction some more. Haven't really bought any of the cards yet from the merchant either.

MNC Dover

Naphtali wrote: »

Just got to Chapter 4 and got new weapons... so what strategy are people doing with their decks? I've been trying to keep at least 4 gear generating cards and then a random assortment of spenders per deck, but it feels like I maybe need to tighten direction some more. Haven't really bought any of the cards yet from the merchant either.

I just got to the town, so I'm quite a ways behind you yet. I'll update you as I go, but I imagine you'll have already figured that stuff out before me.

Drez

I'm still working on Heist. Maybe I'll go finish that now.

Naphtali

Best thing I've found is to always discard something even if you don't have to, and try to set up your next turn ahead of time with that (like if you already have 3 viable cards for one character in a row, discard others to try and get 3 for another character).

Fencingsax

Drez wrote: »

I'm still working on Heist. Maybe I'll go finish that now.

The last fight just wrecks me, so I put it away and kinda moved on.

akjak

I got this! It’s cute and fun!

Naphtali

Fencingsax wrote: »

Drez wrote: »

I'm still working on Heist. Maybe I'll go finish that now.

The last fight just wrecks me, so I put it away and kinda moved on.

Abuse Sally's infinite kill streak skill to clear the shields, it helps a lot. Got though with a team of Sally, Dora (to help snipe some of the far away shield units/mechs/turrets, as well as stun shot to CC larger enemies), Payroll (kill big adds with double up and his flanking), and Billy (general damage with a double-shot pistol to also help with shields & ability to tank the larger adds with melee vamp)

earthwormadam

Haven't picked this up yet. As much as I am not a card battle guy, they really achieved some pretty visuals here.

Noggin

At first I thought this was going for Slay the Spire, but it’s less roguelike and more adventure, ya?

I’ll probably finally get Heist and/or Dig 2 before this, but this seems cool just at a glance.

MNC Dover

Noggin wrote: »

At first I thought this was going for Slay the Spire, but it’s less roguelike and more adventure, ya?

I’ll probably finally get Heist and/or Dig 2 before this, but this seems cool just at a glance.

Yeah, it's way more RPG than Roguelike/StS. And to be honest, I think that's a good call. StS really is the creme of the crop in regards to a deck-builder Roguelike. I've played a few others that try to imitate it and they just don't hold up.

akjak

No rogue at all.

I don't know why I keep NOT getting all the chapter treasure. I'm exploring all the side rooms etc, but not getting 100%. Dunno what I'm missing.

MNC Dover

akjak wrote: »

No rogue at all.

I don't know why I keep NOT getting all the chapter treasure. I'm exploring all the side rooms etc, but not getting 100%. Dunno what I'm missing.

Some of them are pretty sneakily hidden. The first one I missed was in Chapter 3:

Going left in the very first area revealed the chest.

I hate having to replay chapters, so I'll probably use a guide to find them all as I go. Exploring is for those with time.

Jam Warrior

Into chapter 4. Thus far enjoyable and charming but a bit ridiculously easy. Kinda wish I’d gone for hard rather than normal.

Jam Warrior

akjak wrote: »

No rogue at all.

I don't know why I keep NOT getting all the chapter treasure. I'm exploring all the side rooms etc, but not getting 100%. Dunno what I'm missing.

Getting 100% has been nothing more than making sure to push up against all screen boundaries so far.

Morran

I have been playing a few chapters of SQ now, and I must admit that I'm slightly disappointment.

I think I would have preferred just slightly fewer RPG influences; the randomness of the specific cards dealt in each hand is enough, I don't want to deal with % to hit and resist on top of that.

I'm also not a fan of having the same resource (gold) being used for consumable items as well as upgrade - I always feel like I'm "wasting money" by buying a one-time item instead of a permanent upgrade or card.

That said, the graphics is great and the game-play feels smooth enough for me to overlook my grievances for now.

But I must say that I'm getting really excited for Slay the Spire now....

Naphtali

Jam Warrior wrote: »

Into chapter 4. Thus far enjoyable and charming but a bit ridiculously easy. Kinda wish I’d gone for hard rather than normal.

It definitely picks up post chapter 6 on normal.

Non-spoilery tips

Bring mixed damage types (phy & mag) cards for the boss in chapter 10 or 11, I forget when. it has an annoying shield that goes immune against the first damage type that hits it a turn. I brought a stacked physical damage team and turned that boss into a miserable slog

Jam Warrior

Chapter 4 boss actually caused a loss and retry with the need to put the healing cards back in my deck so maybe it is indeed ramping up.

akjak

What party/decks are you guys running?

I’m doing Galleo (full healbot/SP generation), Copernica (frost low SP use), T&T poison.

Working pretty well so far (chapter 15)

Naphtali

akjak wrote: »

What party/decks are you guys running?

I’m doing Galleo (full healbot/SP generation), Copernica (frost low SP use), T&T poison.

Working pretty well so far (chapter 15)

that sounds really strong. which frost spells are you using?

I've been using Copernica with fire spells/thunder ones that generate extra card draws, Armilly with melee dps and self healing and stacking interrupts, and the samurai guy with his heals and focus on using charged thunder dmg and the scaling multihit card

akjak

Copernica’s deck is:

Arcane Detective
3x searing lash
2x brain freeze
2x creeping cold

T&T are using Expose, which lowers frost resist.

Currently trying out Orik as healbot, with his “play extra cards” chain.

Naphtali

He isn't as good as Galleo, but in combination with Copernica dropping group shields it seems good but I'm starting to struggle with it in chapter 14.

akjak

I think I’m at the final boss? Maybe? Anyway I bailed because I didn’t have a “boss build” really.

I’ll go back for all the treasure I missed, level up the B Bots, do more coliseum, and go back later.

socks

Naphtali wrote: »

Just got to Chapter 4 and got new weapons... so what strategy are people doing with their decks? I've been trying to keep at least 4 gear generating cards and then a random assortment of spenders per deck, but it feels like I maybe need to tighten direction some more. Haven't really bought any of the cards yet from the merchant either.

I try to do this as well. I have been keeping Copernica for her group shield generation, which is amazing, but I've been mostly going through Chapter 4 without her and doing pretty well.

GMaster7

If I love RPGs, enjoy the SteamWorld aesthetic, and Hearthstone + Pokemon TCG on Game Boy are two of my favorite games of all time, will I enjoy this?

Jk, of course I will, but I didn't have a chance to pick it up this wknd. Will rectify that soon.

SatanIsMyMotor

I'm really enjoying it but wish there was more flexibility around building your deck. Only having 8 cards per character means you're always playing a thin deck build and have to lean heavily into a single strategy.

YggiDee

I like deck building games but I am always secretly mourning the end of Mega Man Battle Network, a gameplay style I've never seen fully replicated.

cooljammer00

Ironically not yet on Steam.

akjak

I've done all but one of the coliseum battles, went back for all the treasure, re-killed a boss a few times, and I don't have near enough gold to even buy one of those top level accessories. I haven't been spending money that much, I haven't even upgraded all the cards. My highest level guy is 43.

For an RPG, they sure don't give you any way to do even minor grinding. That last coliseum battle tops out at like level 58, and I don't see how I'd ever get that high before the game is over. I wouldn't want to grind xp/gold for hours, but it'd be nice to buy ONE good trinket before going after the Big Boss.

Also this game seems really short. Much shorter than the other Steamworld games. Seems like an RPG should be... A lot longer.

SatanIsMyMotor

I haven't had any problems finding areas to grind. Enemies respawn when you save so I just go retread my steps.

akjak

You haven’t noticed that you get only the tiniest sliver of xp for doing so? And like... 40 gold?

socks

akjak wrote: »

You haven’t noticed that you get only the tiniest sliver of xp for doing so? And like... 40 gold?

I don't think he's referring to Chapter Select. I think he means when you're within a level and you just save at a statue. You can then go back into some previous areas to grind a bit and get full exp and gold.

akjak

Not if you’ve already played the chapter. The only chapter I have left undone is the last one. Even if I go back to the chapter JUST before to kill mooks, I get trash xp.

So if you just play through normally, and then hit the last battle(s), go “oh shiii, I need more stuff!”, you have no way to go earn more xp or gold (to buy recovery items etc).

Naphtali

akjak wrote: »

Not if you’ve already played the chapter. The only chapter I have left undone is the last one. Even if I go back to the chapter JUST before to kill mooks, I get trash xp.

I think there's diminishing returns on XP once you hit the same "level" as the mooks.

akjak

Also: do NOT buy the “Learning Machine.” It is worthless.

socks

Naphtali wrote: »

akjak wrote: »

Not if you’ve already played the chapter. The only chapter I have left undone is the last one. Even if I go back to the chapter JUST before to kill mooks, I get trash xp.

I think there's diminishing returns on XP once you hit the same "level" as the mooks.

Yeah, I am not entirely sure how it works. I typically go back to previous chapters, in previous acts, and get trash exp. However, I just used chapter select to go back to a previous chapter on the current act I'm on and got full exp...or close to it.

Naphtali

Yeah, my Orik/Armilly/Copernica team isn't going to keep up with the enemy damage output. All it takes is real bad deck RNG and you're hurting; it isn't as noticeable in playing the game normally at this point but in the Colosseum you get wrecked. Shame, all three can really put out some strong damage but Orik isn't that good of a healer.

@akjak what's your T&T setup like besides expose? I assume you want the weapon has a poison link spell too?

SatanIsMyMotor

T&T's Doom card is the most overpowered thing in the game. Using it in conjunction with moves that hit multiple times is just ridiculous.

akjak

My T&T build is:

(Poison chain wep)
Against All Odds
Cutpurse (2)
Culling Axe (2)
Raven Strike (2)
Death Pulse

Galleo is doing most of the SP generation, Copernica about half & half.

Here’s a protip about those later coliseum battles where the enemies heal to full: Despair works. (I assumed the game would cheat, like it does for your poison)

Naphtali

Is that was Despair does? I wish they were a little clearer on what some statuses do. In any case thank you!

akjak

Yeah, despair means you can’t heal