About the Game
"Berserk" is a strategic fantasy collectible card game where two players assume the roles of commanders, leading squads of fantastical creatures into battle. During the game, you will maneuver across the battlefield and play tactical combinations to defeat your opponent. The player who destroys all of the opponent's creatures wins.
This collectible card game is loosely based on the world-renowned Magic: the Gathering, but unlike other direct clones, it is based on completely different approaches to the gameplay field and strategic planning. Mechanically, it's something of a cross between chess and battles from Heroes of Might and Magic.
This implementation introduces the so-called "Three Heroes" learning set, which consists of two squads of 9 units each. In the full game, each player has a deck of 30 cards, 15 of which are dealt at the beginning of the match, and the player must assemble a squad according to certain rules. Drafts and sealed tournaments are also possible, similar to MtG.
Modes (mode really)
Currently, only the Hot seat mode for two players has been implemented. I would very much like to create a vs CPU mode for single player, but I have not been able to implement AI logic on the first try. The game is extremely complex, even though it is just a tiny part of the existing cards and mechanics. I would very much like to get to implementing some form of computer logic, even if it's just something trivial. Additionally, it might be interesting to add a network play mode.
Rules of gameplay (shortly)
After both squads are positioned, the main game cycle begins. Each player, in turn, can perform any number of actions with any number of their creatures in any order until they pass their turn.
The possible actions for creatures are:
- Move to an adjacent free cell horizontally or vertically.
- Use a basic attack.
- Defend a neighboring card from a basic attack (performed on the opponent's turn).
- Execute the card's special action.
After actions, the creature "sleeps" and cannot act further, but after moving, it can.
Every unit has some health, movement points and attack. The basic attack of each creature is noted as X-Y-Z, where X is a weak attack, Y is a medium attack, and Z is a strong attack. When performing a basic attack on an opponent's sleeping card, the result is calculated from the roll of 1 die: 1,2,3 for a weak attack, 4,5 for a medium, and 6 for a strong attack.
When attacking a non-sleeping card, the math is a bit more complicated. Two dice are rolled (one for the attacker and one for the defender), and depending on the difference in the dice, damage can be inflicted either on the attacked card or on the attacker (counter-damage). In several cases, there can be an exchange of blows, which can be reduced to a less powerful attack without retaliation.
Also, a non-sleeping enemy card, located adjacent to both the attacking and the attacked card, can act as a defender, after which it will sleep.
In addition to this, nearly all cards have a special action, which can be a shot or damage of another type, poisoning (at the beginning of each turn, the card takes 1 damage), as well as various defenses (from shots, from poisoning, from strikes of a certain type).
Controls
The controls should be straightforward and not cause any confusion, with X for making a selection and O for the "back". Separately, I want to note that choosing end the turn or defeat requires a double press for confirmation. This is made to prevent accidental presses.
I hope you enjoy the game and feel the need to play the full version of this wonderful game, which was also released to the global market through Kickstarter over 10 years ago.
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