Stacklands Review: A Tower of Card-Based Bliss
A strategic deep-dive into the card-stacking sensation that's been captivating village builders everywhere.
last updated Dec 14, 2023
Stacklands is a village builder that deftly turns the simplicity of card games into an art form of strategic survival.
Gameplay - The Heart of Cardboard Kin
Stacklands beckons with its tantalizingly simple premise: stack cards, survive, thrive. But don't be fooled by the straightforward tagline – there's a surprising strategic depth here that would put some so-called 'big games' to shame. Players find themselves in a serene dance of resource management and survival, as they cultivate a bustling village from a meager handful of cards. With each drag and drop, you're drawing lines in the sand – or in this case, card-table – deciding the fate of your pixelated populace. Engaging yet unpredictable, the gameplay loop grabs hold of your inner micromanager and doesn't let go. And hey, if everything goes sideways, there's a sick, twisted satisfaction in stacking a pile of your dearly departed. It’s Darwinism on a deck, baby!
Serene Stacking Sonatas
Any village – or card stack – worth its berries needs a good tune, and Stacklands does not disappoint. The audio shapes the atmosphere with precision, blending quaint, harmonious tracks with the pleasing thud of cardboard on virtual timber. Whether it’s the slicing sound of a card freshly summoned from a pack or the soft tunes setting the 'just-one-more-turn' mood, the audio serves as both a comfort and a signpost through your journey. Do battles have the earth-shattering bass of a Thor punch-out? Nope. But when a goblin ambush does rear its ugly head, the tempo shift is enough to send a shiver down your strategically poised spine. It's the aural cherry on top of an already decadent card cake.
A Pixelated Picture Painted Perfect
Visually, Stacklands is a charmer – it takes those old-timey pixel graphics and polishes them into something both nostalgic and fresh. And let’s face it, when the performance is smoother than butter on a bald monkey, you can’t help but appreciate the craftsmanship. No waiting half a millennium for cards to move here, folks. The cards themselves are an aesthetic treat, each one lovingly crafted to stand out on your increasingly messy desk-simulator battlefield. And while there’s no facial expression on a wood card, you’ll swear it’s silently judging your every move, rendering each playthrough as beautiful as it is tactical.
The Devil's in the Details
Underneath the facade of casual play, Stacklands reveals a meticulous world where every stack counts. It thrives on the elements of choice and chance, teasing players with the 'what-if' scenarios that could turn your thriving card village into a ghostly cardboard box. The late-game pivot with DLC might throw some for a loop, forcing a reevaluation of one's stacking strategies and card placement philosophies, but that’s just part of the fun. As for issues, let's talk bugs. While they're not a deal-breaker, occasional mishaps, like villagers ballooning to comical proportions, serve as a reminder that in the realms of indie, perfection is about charm, not absence of quirks.
STEAM RATING
Developer & Publisher
Sokpop Collective
Release Date
April 08, 2022
The Verdict - Layering Joy with Every Card
Stacklands is a village builder that deftly turns the simplicity of card games into an art form of strategic survival. With an engaging loop that pulls you in like a magnet to steel, audio that serenades you through the highs and lows, and pixel-perfect performances, it's a title that truly stands out in a sea of indies. Yes, it can get as messy as a toddler's finger painting session, and there's the odd bug that turns villagers into titans, but these are minor smudges on an otherwise pristine painting. It well earns its indie gem status, and for an asking price that's less than a designer coffee – what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation? Go forth and stack!
