SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech

SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a jRPG with card game elements and a turn-based combat system. The production is a spin-off of a well-known series of arcade and strategic games SteamWorld (including such titles as SteamWorld Dig, SteamWorld Dig 2 or SteamWorld Heist) developed by Image & Form Games studio since 2010. These developers are also responsible for creating the game discussed here. This time the publisher is Thunderful Publishing.

Plot

The funny world in which SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech's action takes place combines elements of classic fantasy and so-called steampunk (the term is used to describe a characteristic setting in which technology based on various types of steam machines plays an important role - steampunk worlds usually draw from the Victorian era, i.e. the second half of the 19th century). Unlike other titles in the series, we don't find here the motifs characteristic of westerns.

Mechanics

In SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech we observe the action from a side-scroll perspective. The mechanics of the game refer to the Mega Man Battle Network series or the iconic Baten Kaitos, known from the GameCube console. The game is an RPG where we explore the colorful world, talk to the characters we meet, acquire new items and fight - the latter aspect is by far the most important.

The key element of the game feom Image & Form Games is the characteristic combat system. It is based on the cards that we collect during our travels (there are more than a hundred of them in total). On each card we will find some ability, attack or item and it is up to us whether it will be used in our deck - and we can't change the deck during the fight. It is also worth noting that some of the cards can only be played if we have previously used a few others (they serve as a kind of finishing moves).

Importantly, the player simultaneously controls the whole party, consisting of three heroes: Galleo, Armilly and Copernica. Each of them has a different specialization and a different set of available cards. Heroes also receive experience points, thanks to which they can advance to subsequent levels.

Game modes

SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech can only be played solo. Despite the fact that the game uses elements characteristic for card games, the creators have not prepared any multiplayer modes - the base of the game is a story campaign for a single player.

Technical aspects

SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech features very attractive two-dimensional visuals based entirely on hand-drawn illustrations. Both maps and models are very colorful, full of details and nicely animated. The artistic style of the discussed production brings to mind associations with, among others, animated series and illustrated books for children.

Last updated on March 1, 2020