Despite Roguelikes being my favorite genre, it’s easy to forget just how flexible it is. I’ve played First-person shooter, RPG, and strategy Rogue-likes, but card Roguelikes have picked up quite a bit of wind in their sails since last year, and we’re starting to see some really creative and innovative games spawning from this combination.
What is Leap of Fate?
Leap of Fate is a Rogue-lite cyberpunk top down hack-n-slash masquerading as a card game developed by Clever-Plays, and released on steam in Early Access on July 31st, 2015. Leap of Fate uses cards to determine stage difficulties, rewards, and upgrades, while giving the player total control of the path they wish to take.
Leap of Fate is one of the few Rogue-Like games to give highly skilled players a chance to grab the bull by the horns, rather than getting thrown around like a ragdoll at the mercy of the 20-sided die.
Leap of Fate- Gameplay
The goal of a complete playthrough of Leap of Fate is to confront 3 decks of fate which take the form of a twisted reality of your technomancer. The decks are each shuffled and cards are placed face down in random positions on the board with only cards near previously cleared stages visible.
The game consists of several card types including battle cards, loot cards, upgrade cards, and shop cards.
Leap is Fate is the most fair Rogue-lite game you could ever play, with skill being the biggest factor throughout the entire game. You will be slamming your palm into your head often, realizing that every mistake you made is completely your fault, but then you’ll have a glimmer of hope in your eye because you’ll realize that it’s YOU that needs to get better and not the game.
Leap of Fate never works against you, but instead stands still and lets you dig your own grave.
Your three combat abilities are your basic attack, your Shadow Walk, and your Glyph. Basic attacks are your average left-click damage ability with no cost, while Shadow Walks have a certain number of charges that reset on each card. Shadow Walks are a jump or stealth action that can be sometimes be used offensively, but are usually used for escapes.
Basic attacks and Shadow Walks are different for each character and cannot be swapped out for another character’s set.
Glyphs are very powerful skills that you can find and swap out with other from the same playthrough at any time while on the board.
Much like Shadow Walks, Glyphs also have charges, but the number of charges depend on usefulness of the skill and vary in numbers. If you use all of your charges for your Shadow Walk and Glyph, you will change to using Energy Cells, battery items that you can collect and use as a charge.
Leap of Fate works on two different currencies: Mana, and Karma. Mana is reset at the beginning of each playthrough and is used for shops and upgrades. Mana can be earned by killing enemies with Glyphs or Shadow Walks, opening chests, or getting an upgrade that gives you mana for killing or destroying in certain ways.
Karma is a currency that is only used for a one-time revive on your current level. Karma can be found in certain chests and reward rooms, or by completing achievements.
Boss cards are usually at the bottom of the pile, and contain one boss spawner that spawns several smaller enemies along with him. Unlike other games, enemies only spawn once, meaning you can clear the room before taking on the big bads boss.
Defeating a boss gives you once choice of 3 random character ascensions, and takes you to the next trial, with a total of 3 trials to complete the game.
What can be done to make it better?
The game currently has a beautiful formula that has everything it needs to be a fantastic title. Everything I could possibly ask for them to add such as more characters or spells is currently being developed for the full release.
Expectations from final product
Clever-Plays has stated the game will feature 2 more playable characters with their own spells and storylines to unlock will be added to the lineup on top of the two that are already playable.
More achievements, challenges, and spell variety are also in the works, as well as a nice coat of polish to their already smooth-running machine.
Final Verdict
I love Binding of Isaac, I love Crypt of the Necrodancer, I love Roguelikes, and I love this!
The replayability is astonishing, and the game is fun and challenging in a brutal, but fair way. I can’t think of anything else to say but OH GOD, YES!
This is an example of a superb Early access title, and if you want a game to make you a believer of the Early Access system, put your faith in Leap of Fate.
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