Customer Reviews (100)

Egg • 2025-03-19T01:05:29.749Z

It's a slightly worse version of "Night of the Full Moon" but it's overall okay. Artistic direction is generic and gameplay is weaker than a lot of other deck builder games for android. Also, needs double-clicking for a lot of buttons to avoid misclicks between text prompts, and card rewards (they happen a lot if you're not careful).

Simon Canter • 2025-03-13T21:27:36.325Z

I have had this game for over a year and still play it near daily. A rare find in mobile games.

Jan Jedlinsky • 2025-03-13T12:11:19.432Z

I've played many deckbuilders for mobile. Played the heck out of Slay The Spire, too. Dawncaster is better. It is the GOAT of mobile deckbuilders, or deckbuilders in general. It's incredibly rich, robust, balanced, playtested. It works and it works great! If you like the genre, this is the king. (And the developers are still active and listen to the players.)

Summary of Key Insights

Dawncaster: Deckbuilding RPG is generally very well-received, with a strong emphasis on its quality as a mobile deckbuilder, especially its lack of microtransactions and its deep, replayable gameplay. The game is frequently compared favorably to other popular deckbuilders like Slay the Spire. However, some users have reported issues with balance, RNG dependence, and occasional bugs, as well as concerns about DLC pricing. There's a strong positive sentiment overall, with a significant portion of users considering it one of the best mobile games they've played.

  • Strengths: Deep gameplay, high replayability, no microtransactions, active developer, significant content, good value for money.
  • Weaknesses: Balance issues with certain bosses/mechanics, RNG dependence, occasional bugs, DLC pricing perceived as high by some, lack of clear tutorial/explanations for new players, some UI/UX issues.
  • Overall Sentiment: Overwhelmingly positive
  • Overall Rating: High (based on review distribution)
  • Score Distribution: 1-star (5%), 2-star (5%), 3-star (13%), 4-star (3%), 5-star (74%) - Indicating a strong positive bias.

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 100 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but assumed to be recent based on the version number and recent update mentioned in the description.
  • Analysis Methods: Sentiment analysis (qualitative assessment of positive, negative, and neutral opinions), keyword extraction (identifying frequently mentioned terms and topics), and thematic analysis (grouping related issues and suggestions).

Key User Pain Points

  • Balance Issues: Several reviewers mentioned specific bosses or mechanics that feel unbalanced or unfair, leading to frustration. Example: Matriarch Daisy, bosses with instant-kill mechanics.
  • RNG Dependence: Some users feel that success is too heavily reliant on luck (RNG), with limited viable builds and inconsistent card draws.
  • DLC Pricing: While many appreciate the absence of microtransactions, the cost of the DLC is perceived as high by some, particularly for a mobile game.
  • Loss of Progress: A few users reported losing their progress after reformatting their phones or after updates, which is a major source of frustration.
  • Lack of Clear Tutorial/Explanations: Some new players find the game confusing due to a lack of in-depth tutorials or explanations of game mechanics.
  • Bugs and Crashes: Some users experience crashes or bugs that disrupt gameplay.
  • Battery Drain: A few users reported that the game drains battery quickly.
  • Unintuitive UI/UX: Some users mentioned double-clicking issues, lack of options to minimize windows to see the deck during choices, and the need for UI improvements.

Frequently Requested Features

  • More Content (Events, Weapons, Monsters): Many users desire more variety in events, weapons, and monsters to fight.
  • Longer Story: Some users felt that the story mode is too short, especially after purchasing expansions.
  • Cloud Save Improvements: Users want more reliable cloud saving to prevent progress loss.
  • Skipable Sections: Some users want to be able to skip sections of the game on repeat playthroughs.
  • Better Card Acquisition: Users want more control over obtaining specific cards they need for their builds.
  • Tablet Rotation: Users playing on tablets want to be able to rotate the screen.
  • Looping/Endless Mode: Some users want an option to continue playing at a higher difficulty after beating the final boss.
  • UI Improvements: Allowing players to minimize choice windows, remembering card pack selections.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Deep and Engaging Gameplay: Users consistently praise the depth and complexity of the deckbuilding mechanics, the strategic choices available, and the overall fun factor.
  • High Replayability: The game offers a lot of replayability due to the variety of classes, weapons, cards, and randomized encounters.
  • No Microtransactions: A major selling point is the absence of pay-to-win mechanics, ads, or timers.
  • Active Developer: The developers are responsive to feedback and actively update the game with new content and improvements.
  • Good Value for Money: Many users feel that the base game and expansions are worth the price.
  • Unique Card Game Mechanics: The game introduces novel mechanics that differentiate it from other deckbuilders.
  • Designed for Mobile: The UI and gameplay are well-suited for mobile devices.
  • Accessibility: One review noted that the game is accessible for blind players.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address Balance Issues: Investigate and rebalance problematic bosses and mechanics (e.g., Matriarch Daisy, instant-kill mechanics) to ensure a fair and enjoyable experience for all players.
  • Improve Cloud Save Reliability: Fix the issues with cloud saving to prevent loss of player progress.
  • Enhance Tutorial and Onboarding: Provide more comprehensive tutorials and explanations of game mechanics to help new players get started.

Medium Priority:

  • Optimize RNG: Adjust the RNG to reduce the feeling of luck dependence and increase the viability of different builds.
  • Consider DLC Pricing Adjustments: Evaluate the DLC pricing to ensure it aligns with player expectations and perceived value.
  • Address UI/UX Issues: Implement improvements to the UI, such as allowing players to minimize windows to see their deck and remembering card pack selections.
  • Fix Bugs and Crashes: Prioritize bug fixes and performance optimizations to ensure a smooth and stable gameplay experience.
  • Reduce Battery Drain: Optimize the game to reduce battery consumption.

Low Priority:

  • Add More Content: While the game already has a lot of content, consider adding more events, weapons, and monsters to further enhance replayability.
  • Expand Story Mode: Explore the possibility of expanding the story mode.
  • Implement Tablet Rotation: Add support for screen rotation on tablets.
  • Add Looping/Endless Mode: Consider adding an option to continue playing at a higher difficulty after beating the final boss.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Deckbuilding Game with Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment: A deckbuilding game that dynamically adjusts the difficulty based on the player's performance, minimizing the feeling of unfairness and RNG dependence.
  • Mobile Game Cloud Save Management Tool: A tool that allows players to back up and restore their progress in mobile games, addressing the common issue of lost progress.
  • AI-Powered Deckbuilding Assistant: An AI-powered assistant that provides suggestions and guidance for building decks in deckbuilding games, helping players learn the game mechanics and improve their strategies.
  • Subscription Service for Mobile Game Expansions: A subscription service that provides access to a library of mobile game expansions for a monthly fee.

Trends and Observations

  • Positive Sentiment Dominates: The vast majority of reviews are positive, indicating a high level of satisfaction with the game.
  • Comparison to Slay the Spire: The game is frequently compared to Slay the Spire, suggesting that it appeals to fans of that genre.
  • Emphasis on No Microtransactions: The absence of microtransactions is a major selling point and a source of positive feedback.
  • Community Engagement: The active developer and Discord community contribute to a positive player experience.

Conclusion

Dawncaster: Deckbuilding RPG is a highly regarded mobile deckbuilder with a strong positive reputation. Its strengths lie in its deep gameplay, high replayability, and lack of microtransactions. However, addressing the balance issues, RNG dependence, and DLC pricing concerns would further enhance the player experience. By focusing on these improvements, the developers can solidify Dawncaster's position as one of the best mobile deckbuilders available.

Overall Recommendation: Highly recommended, with a suggestion to address the identified pain points to further improve the game.

Original App Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=games.WanderlostInteractive.Dawncaster