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A review copy was provided by the developer.
First Impressions
Legend of Keepers (LK) released 2 weeks ago, but almost has 2,000 reviews already. Several of these stem from when it was in Early Access, so there should be even more to appreciate now. From what I've seen, there seems to be some division amongst players. Some get addicted to what's available, and play for dozens of hours, while others give it a shake, but find themselves worn out by it. LK looks promising either way, so I wanted to try my hand at it.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2480318403
Gameplay
Dungeon crawling games are quite popular, and as others have done before, LK flips the traditional roles around, as instead of playing the heroes, you're on the side of the monsters. You start off with 1 Master, unlocking 2 other options as you progress. The Master is always the final barrier in a dungeon, with all other rooms generating in a random order. Using the resources available to you, you'll decide which traps to spring when, as well as which of your monsters will stand in the way of the 3 heroes. This is determined primarily based on the attacks the heroes can use, since being able to survive is necessary for your side to get some damage in, and if not defeat them, at least soften them up. The combat system is a simplified, turn-based RPG, as you can't use items and only have a few attacks available.
When you aren't protecting a dungeon, you'll go through week by week, selecting 1 of 2/3 options. There's a lot of possibilities, including: a random Event, sending 3 monsters out to Plunder, buying level-ups from the Trainer, and so on. It's up to you how you want to handle the resources that matter to a Master, gold, blood, and tears. Money is spent on several goods, so it never hurts to earn more, while blood and tears tend to help strengthen the monsters. You can see 2 weeks in advance, so this helps you determine the right time to select one activity over another. The very last activity will always be a fight against a Champion, with no weeks showing up afterwards, so you may as well throw everything available at them.
Controls
This is a game that's easily played with just the mouse, with no reason to want to play with a controller. Everything is done with just left clicks, though you'll sometimes drag the monster icons to move them from room to room or into the garrison. Since it's a turn-based strategy game, there's no hassle worrying about a time limit, so that's not a factor that could hurt the control scheme.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2480319322
Story
There isn't much of a story to LK. Each of the three Masters are hired into a company, which provides security for those who want to guard their treasure. It's a bit meta, as they will implement recovery stations for the heroes' benefit, since not doing so would mean nobody would want to raid the dungeon. Regardless, the 3 monsters you control are distinct in their design and approach at fending off heroes, but they're not characters and there's no story development.
Graphics
Most of LK's visuals are presented in still images, as various events with 3 options available won't display anything after you pick an option, only representing the general idea with an NPC making the offer to you. Even when in the dungeon and fighting heroes, there's not much action in the game, as each combatant has only 2 attacks, which always play out the same way, a recoil from taking damage, and a death animation. For the most part, they'll only stand in place and jostle slightly. Overall, I enjoy the art direction and aesthetic of the game, but the lack of movement can make it feel a bit droll at times.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2480318841
Sound Design
Strangely enough, throughout the game, there's not really distinct music in any of the sections. In some places, you'll hear thundering drums and deep horns playing, but it comes across less as music, and more like moody ambient noise. It does build off of the looming threat of a dungeon well enough, but not having more distinct music doesn't help the sense that you're doing the same things over and over again. Similarly, there's some voice acting, but it mainly consists of short statements, like when the Slaveholder states, “Let's get to work.” They sound fine, though the person with the most lines of dialogue is essentially a member of HR. She's a fine source for exposition, it just seems a bit backwards to have a tutorial-like NPC have the most to say.
Pros
???? You have to think strategically and respond wisely to the situations you encounter, but the simplicity of the design helps prevent your choices from being too complex. I've played strategy games where there are so many interactions and variables, it can lead to indecisiveness as you plan 5 moves ahead for the perfect, fool-proof plan. The learning curve in LK is short and simple.
???? I enjoy the design of the monsters, because even though most of them are basic fantasy baddies, the art style makes them stand out and look at least somewhat original. The orc not so much, but even he looks pretty good.
Cons
❌ It doesn't feel like you're getting anywhere as you clear the dungeons, as you always start back over at square 1. The game works against itself in maintaining your interest.
❌ I was surprised at how quickly I seemed to exhaust the pool of Events and random activities that could come up out of the dungeons.
Tips
???? Although you may think fighting weaker enemies initially is the better choice, it's not really necessary. The Master is quite strong, and if you play smartly, the tools available to you will suffice to get the job done. Plus, gaining early resources will give better inertia to clear the following weeks.
???? Inadvertently, I'd go for a fighting style that kills heroes more than scaring them away. However, having the flexibility to realize that dropping their morale is the best option, even when you hadn't planned on it, is very useful.
???? Variety amongst your troops is crucial, since you'll never know what stats the heroes will have. A weaker monster with the right resistances and elemental attack can devastate an otherwise tough foe.
Final Thoughts
Something I really enjoyed was when the circumstances were just right, and I could set up a 3-monster squad that'd synergize exceptionally well against the band of heroes. Having an Orc Sorcerer in the middle column, summoning more skeleton fighters as they die, feels like such an exploit. In spite of how enjoyable a well-executed strategy can be, there's a significant flaw to the design of LK, and that pertains to the long-term. With how it's set-up, progressing in LK almost always feels like a punishment.
Clearing a dungeon doesn't grant you the ability to maintain your current roster of monsters or artifacts, those are always pre-determined for you. All that carries over is the level-ups for your Master, but they're not very impressive: an attack is slightly buffed, a stat number increases a bit, etc. LK does a good job of hooking players, as I initially kept wanting to play more of it. However, it demotivates you as you're hit with same-y content repeatedly, with it feeling played out by about the 3rd or 4th dungeon. This is a case where I find the meat of the game good, but the framework could be improved upon so players feel more inclined to keep playing. I know some people will play LK for a long time, but I don't recommend it because it doesn't give enough reason for others like me to keep returning.
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Visit Save or Quit to see my full review, as it was too large for Steam.
