Against the Storm: Keepers of the Stone Review (ophnerd)
I haven't written a full review for the base game yet, but I feel compelled to write one for the DLC given how much I am enjoying myself.
Point of order: I'm a huge fan of the base game. I think it's one of the only builders that strikes the perfect balance for me between enough engaging mechanics to keep the game fun while also letting me step back a bit from micromanaging if I want to, and also - I cannot stress this enough - tutorialing *really* well.
The DLC has some huge highlights for me:
- Frogs: their boost to all masonry related activities (and water) makes perfect sense, and balances nicely with their housing tradeoffs (need species-specific housing that requires bricks). If you invest in what they're good at, they're good at supporting themselves. Taking water from the foxes also makes sense given how strong foxes are generally with scouting buffs. Also, I like the designs.
- Music: this is actually such a highlight. The game's score was already good but the DLC was noticeably incredible. My first storm in the coastal grove I actually had to just stop and enjoy the music for a moment, it was so well done.
- Biome (Coastal Grove): mechanically, I really enjoy this. The tradeoff feels in some ways similar to but better executed than the Scarlet Orchard. You receive fewer blueprints, but send expeditions out into the water to recover blueprints within specific categories, so you can target what you're weak in provided your food production is okay, because they take escalatingly complex food (which makes perfect sense to me). Expansion is also more complex as you have less space and need to pursue more dangerous groves typically, which adds another fun element. It's just really had me enjoying this game in new ways again.
- Complexity: there are a lot of small tuning optimization options you have that I think people who are far more into micromanagement will love (e.g. bait for fishing optimization), but it maintains what I've always loved about this game - I can play a perfectly enjoyable run without *needing* to get all up in that.
- Frogs again: I just think they're neat.
In conclusion: it's really good, and imo very much worth the price point. Also would LOVE to get the soundtrack for this one available in the future if that's not already a consideration.