Pyrene is a roguelike deckbuilding strategy game developed in Quebec. Pyrene has the visual of a strategic board game and is played solo. The visual signature is unique and very pretty, with flat colors and a cartoonish style that is suitable for children. It is a game of placement and conquest, where the player moves their character on a board of cards in order to progress and conquer chunks of territory. As the game progresses, the player can play as different characters, each with their own talents or strategic particularities. The objective of the game is to defeat the monsters around the village, explore the territories and accumulate resources to rebuild the destroyed village. The player must collect wood in order to rebuild the ruined village. Between each exploration phase, the player returns to the village and can then change their character, choose their difficulty level, buy perks, and prepare for their next game. In exploration, the game is played on a board divided into squares and territories. These tiles can have different characteristics, such as mountains, plains, or rivers, which influence the player’s movement and actions. When the player is in a territory that has no monsters, they can find artifacts, gold, and other resources that will allow them to rebuild the village and purchase perks. To progress, the player must gather cards in their hand that will allow them to heal themselves, collect supplies, attack enemies, and defend themselves. When the hero moves to a slot that contains one of these cards, it is played instantly, and the player benefits from its effects. However, before moving to a monster placement, it is important to have the health and protection necessary to defeat the monster and take the negative effects of the card. When the player is stuck because there are no more useable cards on the board, they can “spend the night”, and thus fill the board with new cards, positive and negative. The level ends when the votive altar card appears and the player manages to reach it without perishing. Each exploration phase has several levels, and up to three different biomes. You have to plan strategically to defeat monsters, gather resources, and survive each level.
There are confrontations with monsters, but we only see the cards move. There is no blood or explicit violence. Some monsters may look a little scary, but everything is still very cartoony.
Everything is very simple and short, easy to understand. Instructions are available at any time as needed. The language level is accessible to a young audience.
The game conveys a message of courage and hope.
There is no camera movement required, the entire game can be played with the mouse.
Local game modes
There is only the story mode, which is played solo.
Online Game Modes
None.
Expansions/Add-ons (DLC)
None.
Our opinion
Pyrene is a beautiful game based on Basque mythology, a rather unique theme that has not been explored much in the video game industry. The playable characters are very varied (yay, representation!) and the visual is coherent and interesting. Just like Roots of Yggdrasil, this is a nice game developed in Quebec that recalls the mechanics of classic board games. The whole thing is wonderfully exploited and without redundancy. The story is interesting and unique and the characters make you want to explore different game mechanics and strategies. The music is relaxing and is perfect for immersing yourself in the game and staying focused (think of the soundtrack of Banished or Minecraft, for example). In addition, the game offers a lot of accessibility options, especially in terms of difficulty levels. The game can be adapted to suit all levels and game preferences, adding bonuses (or penalties, for those looking for a good challenge) at will. In the watchtower, the player can change the difficulty level as they wish. There is also an interesting learning aspect, with simple additions and subtractions and strategic decision-making that is suitable for a young audience. It’s a game that will appeal to many, especially board and strategy game enthusiasts, but also people who simply want to discover Basque mythology, since the game demonstrates a fairly thorough research on the subject. The whole thing is well exploited in the story and adds value to the gaming experience. We don’t have much of anything negative to say, except that the game is very simple and above all offers a nice way to relax. People who want advanced challenges might find it moderately challenging, although the accessibility options offer difficulties for more experienced players. In any case, it is a Quebec indie game available in French and English that will appeal to a very wide audience and offer great replayability. Don’t sleep on it!
The game was offered to us for free for review purposes, but that doesn’t influence our opinion.
Featured mage property of Two Tiny Dice. All screenshots taken by Myriam Baulne (Steam ID: ComeToMomma).
Traductrice agréée aussi détentrice d'un DEC en animation 3D et synthèse d'images, Myriam est constamment à la recherche d'opportunités afin d'allier ses passions pour les jeux vidéo, les TTRPG et la rédaction. Armée d'un solide bagage journalistique, elle est outillée pour vous rapporter toute l'actualité et l'information sur vos jeux favoris.
