Elemental Raiders

Runaria sets the stage for an otherworldly battle between the evil gods and the elemental heroes you command: Fire, Water, and Nature heroes all battling a common enemy and its malevolent forces. Elemental crystals are their primary focus, and they will disregard any life they come across. It's your task, alongside your elemental heroes, to keep everyone safe and send these evil forces back from whence they came.

Gameplay

First and foremost, let's talk about the art. The art within the game is amazing; the heroes and their abilities are well-crafted and visually stunning. Every hero is detailed and possesses a clear personality. The abilities of each hero leap from the screen with vibrant colors and visual effects that make them pop! Additionally, the arenas you'll encounter are visually pleasing.

Now, let's delve into gameplay. The game is easy to understand, as it's familiar to most trading card games and turn-based hero battlers. You can assemble your team from nine different elemental heroes, with each team consisting of three of them. Each hero has their own element from the three, along with unique abilities and skills. You can personalize each hero by customizing their abilities to your heart's content.

This adds a strategic planning element, and no hero setup will ever be the same, especially as they also gain levels for each of their abilities. While this affects gameplay initially, it may not be a long-term issue, as eventually, all players will max out their abilities, and success will come down to team composition and RNG.

During your playtime, you'll unlock rewards in the form of ability power-ups and new heroes through the progression system. Unfortunately, the story presented is in text and lacks the engagement that could be achieved through cutscenes and more immersive storytelling.

The aforementioned issue recurs in various game modes. While PvP is straightforward and serves its purpose, the same cannot be said for the progression/story mode and raid mode. In the latter, you'll battle your way through a variety of mobs to face off against a boss in the end. Although the concept is well-executed with progression of moves and health throughout the game, it lacks the immersion you'd hope to see. Ultimately, it falls short of the potential for an engaging story, character development, lore, and a deeper connection with the heroes and evil gods.

Review

The game is easy to pick up, offering a bit more challenge due to the multitude of abilities available for all the different heroes. However, with only three elements, it might leave more experienced players in the genre feeling unsatisfied. While some games overdo complexity, Elemental Heroes might be underdelivering in that regard.

Setting aside the points mentioned above, I do enjoy the game and its visuals. Of course, it's not perfect, but it has a solid foundation and a strong intellectual property that can be further developed. The games are enjoyable to play and visually appealing. With more time and development, this could become a rich universe to explore and engage with for years to come.