Alina of the Arena

Alina of the Arena offers a neat blend of the typical deck-building fun, with the more complex battlefield of a grid-based strategy title. That said, it's a little underwhelming in terms of content, and even presentation (although the arena feel it provides is quite good). Plus it is in need of some rebalancing. Oh, and more cards that enable movement. Ah, yes, and the console-unfriendly control scheme leaves a lot to be desired on the Switch.

The strategic gameplay of Alina of the Arena is enjoyable and replayable with the starting class, cards, abilities, and weaponry you can receive during each run. The game isn't that difficult if you've played roguelikes before, but still manages to be fun.

I love this game. It’s one of the most addicting, simple-yet-fun roguelikes I’ve experienced in a long time and it’s exactly because I loved it so much that it upsets me how little of it there is. Alina of the Arena is definitely a must play for any roguelike or tactics fan, and I have absolutely no reservations saying that. The studio that published it, PINIX, is a Taiwanese studio with only two games to their name, including this one, but Alina of the Arena immediately put them on my radar. I’ll be waiting patiently for whatever they cook up next, because this was delicious.

Alina of the Arena is a good roguelite that challenges the player with each new run in a fair and quite entertaining way. There's a limitation on how much you can get out of it and some problems with the controls, but it's a title that will appeal to the most dedicated fans of the genre.

If there were more depth and longevity to the core experience–with a complete run taking about an hour–this would be an easy recommendation. As it stands this is a game for fans of the genre who are dying for something new to try. Like making a delicious soup out of the bones of leftover thanksgiving turkey, this is an excellent experience, but it will have you hungry for more; Alina comes up just short in that regard.

A simple-looking yet mechanically rich title, Alina of the Arena's addictive gameplay always felt rewarding no matter how long I played, and it always felt like there was a new card just waiting to be found.

In any case, Alina of the Arena takes some bold steps forward in maintaining the constant of deck-building while injecting plenty of fresh ideas and approaches to the game. It was satisfying, engaging and never left me bored. I didn’t always have the easiest time making choices, but that was part of the thrill, and I appreciate it. Players who love Into the Breach, but wanted a bit more chaos to it should give this a play, and for the rest of us it’s a great exercise in keeping you always surprised by video games.

Ultimately, however, Alina of the Arena is an absolute blast, and that's what counts most in a genre filled to the brim with games attempting to compete for the same niche audience. While it's unlikely to become the main deckbuilder distraction for players who frequent the genre, it's a great side quest, one that will take dozens of hours before growing old or stale. At just $14.99 USD, Alina of the Arena is well worth the price of admission.