As the name implies, Pixel Heroes: Byte and Magic is a turn based RPG developed by The Bitfather and published by Headup Games. This game reminded me of Gameboy Color games, including the charm and style.
Previously released on Steam, Pixel Heroes has made the move to Xbox One, and is available in both English and German.
Our story begins at a tavern, where you roll for characters, and pick the best three of the bunch to make your party to defeat the ancient cult, The Sons of Dawn. Every play through is totally different, with every weapon, character, dungeons, and events randomized for uniqueness. The characters available for the player differ every game, with known classes such as templars, rogues, and warriors. Other, less common classes include plague bringers, skyweavers, and brewmasters. Each character has five stats: life, strength, intelligence, faith, and dexterity. Each stat has a different effect on gameplay, and you’ll want a balance. For example, you may randomly come across a chest in a dungeon. In some instances, you’ll need to make a high dexterity check. In other cases, only a character with a lot of points in faith can open a chest.
Every fight, barring boss battles, has three enemies. Each battle plays out similarly, given that the game is turn based. You make one move, the enemy makes a move. Each character has two skills, which work on a cool down timer, with each skill needing a different number of turns to be ready for use again. Your party members can also equip two weapons each, dealing magical or physical damage, or healing a party member. The player can see a rough gauge of the enemies health, again excepting boss fights. Different status effects can be cast and afflicted, ranging from stuns to damage over time effects.
While I enjoyed the game, it is not without faults. The inventory system displays the games PC origins, with a difficult to use click-and-drag system that does not translate well to the Xbox controller. The small inventory doesn’t help, either. Also, there’s a small lack of fulfillment when completing a quest; you accept the quest, go through the dungeon, and then return to town. In the dungeon, there is no mention of the quest goals, such as rescuing a pirate crew. I would leave the dungeon feeling as though I did not complete the objective. A simple notification after the dungeon boss would alleviate this. Another complaint is about party formation at the beginning of the game. When you choose characters, you can reroll the entire lot for different choices. Unfortunately, you reroll the entire lot, so you lose anyone you might have liked. I found this annoying, and would have preferred a Yahtzee – like system, where you save a few and reroll for the rest.
The uniqueness of each game keeps everything fresh. Sometimes you might pass by a kind dog on the road, sometimes you’re attacked by bandits. One time a dance might appease the dancing blob, sometimes your sweet moves attract monsters. Do you run from the dog on the off-chance it’s a monster, or do you pet it in hopes that this time, it’s nice? Not to mention pop culture references, like Dr. Who.
The game is also challenging. There are a total of 55 achievements to earn, though some are very difficult. If you’re an achievement hunter, this game will take some time, especially considering one achievement is to lose 100 times. And you can’t just save and lose a bunch in a row; Pixel Heroes has permadeath. But hey, that’s an excuse to keep playing!
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