Armello Reviews
Armello presents an imaginative backdrop to a fantasy board game with deep mechanics. The steep learning curve and balancing issues may put off some players, but those who put in the time will be rewarded the most.
I enjoyed my time with Armello, as did the friends I played it with. While it doesn't quite compete with some of the compelling tabletop games I have played over the past couple of years—and it's marred by some confusing design choices that stand to stifle some of its more unique features—if you and a group of friends enjoy tabletop games but struggle to find the time to meet up and play them, then you'll likely find Armello worthy of your time.
Despite a few matchmaking glitches and standard multiplayer connection issues, Armello is a fun, tactical, fantasy board game that should be played by all strategy fans. The game will make you ally with, or betray, your friends and family as you work to win the throne of Armello and restore order to the land. Will you control through violence, peace, espionage and deceit, or through winning favor with the king? The choice is up to you as you forge your own path through the fantasy world of Armello.
Armello is a solidly-constructed and enjoyable turn-based title that offers a unique setting and plenty of depth.
Armello is a tabletop-style computer game that blends the two genres together in a near perfect mix.
Over all, though, I say Armello is the perfect game to play at the end of the day with a group of friends. Each playthrough won't take more than three hours at most, and it provides lots of fun and replay value for any who are interested in finding something to play while talking with a group of your best buds. It's definitely worth a pick up, just make sure you're buying the fourpack and getting other people involved. I can see this game getting pretty lonely and meaningless without anyone there to play it with you.
Armello is definitely a game I'd recommend if you are a fan of tabletop board games. It manages to capture that unique spirit and presents it in a magical world full of color and vibrancy. Even with the prologue helping teach new players, there's a deep learning curve on the main game that may take a few attempts to fully comprehend everything. With that said, it's not necessarily a bad thing though since Armello rewards multiple playthroughs. The single-player portion isn't terribly long, meaning a single game can be finished relatively quick, depending on the situation.
Board gaming come to life, with none of the missing pieces.
Armello oozes charm, and its myriad gameplay systems keep you busy for hours, but it relies too much on luck to keep things interesting.
In any case, Armello is a remarkable achievement. Instead of simply transferring a board game experience to the TV or computer screen, developer League of Geeks has managed to escape the boundaries of the board game format using modern innovation. Arthur C. Clarke suggested that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, and in that light, Armello is quite definitely magical.
The question of whether you should buy and play Armello comes down to whether you would enjoy its format as a turn-based four-player board game. If that description doesn't immediately make you grimace, then this is the best entry in its genre to arrive for the past five years.
I believe that Armello has many of the pieces of an amazing game, but those pieces don't quite fit together just yet. I think that the development team, if given the chance, could iterate on this design to hit a perfect mix of computer mediation and boardgame excitement. While Armello misses the mark for me, I look forward to whatever they cook up next.
The combination of RPG, 4X and board game really works, and with the exception of a tiny map size and some repetitive elements, it is an extremely promising debut for League of Geeks.
Armello is an excellent staple of turn-based strategy games. With its charming aesthetic, many subtle nuances and ways to foil opponents, fans of the genre will appreciate the depth on offer here, though it may be a little too slow paced for gamers new to the genre.
Armello has many amazing qualities. It is certainly the most authentic take on digital tabletop gaming I have seen. While it could have benefited from the inclusion of a dedicated campaign, the lore and background infused into it's world make it a joy to play. Board game fans should beware - once Armello casts it's dice-dueling spell on you, going back to the tabletop will never be the same!
It has probably been a decade or more since I played a real board game. It's just not a medium that appeals to me. However, the unique brand of magic that League of Geeks has distilled in 'Armello' is intoxicating, and the Xbox One version has lost very little in the transition. What a wonderful and fun experience.
There is a certain charm to a board game; whether that is the feeling of the dice rattling in your hand, the subtle plastics and resins of the miniature units, the detailed boards, the fact that you actually play it with real people, something. While I was excited for a go at Armello, I was also apprehensive; board games are like couch co-op, better with company. Digitizing the experience, I feared, would lesson the impact of a story, the tense nature of a close game, or the excitement that comes with an excellent roll of the dice. Fortunately Armello and the great folks at League of Geeks laid my fears to rest as the board game experience is translated quite nicely (minus the shouting and making up of house rules) to the Xbox One. In reflection I think that the reason it translates so well is because of the little things, like the idea that you use the left analog stick to rock back, then forward, to roll your dice for combat, or the hex-based overworld movement; tied that into an intriguing and genuinely interesting premise and it really is a winner.
Armello is a well-done, smartly crafted turn-based tabletop strategy game. Play if you love tabletops. Pass if you can't stand games that involve dice rolls and skipped turns.
Developer League of Geeks has succeeded in crafting a solid board game experience in video game form, albeit one that lacks environment diversity and player company. Armello ticks all the right boxes for a keen strategist, and whilst not being the group gathering experience some might hope for, does give a tightly woven system and narrative that is satisfying to conquer.
Back in 2015, League of Geeks launched a Kickstarter for a visceral, turn-based game full of anthropomorphized animals. Now, the Australian indie team brings Armello to the Nintendo Switch for those of us on the go. Join a range of animal characters as they fight, scheme, and scurry their way to the throne in a highly acclaimed table top interpretation. This is our review of Armello on Nintendo Switch.