Hoo boy. This one is a "Reccomend", but with LOTS OF CAVEATS. I started off loving this game, to hating it, to playing until I had one hour fifty five minutes and seriously considering refunding, to giving it another go when I found an update that made the game a bit slower, to starting to enjoy it to absolutely loving it.

Suffice to say this is not for everyone. I hope to explain if this game is for you.

First off with what this game is good. It is SMART. It takes the foundations of Megaman Battle Networks tile-based, positioning-focused combat and takes its own spin with cards that are weak at a glance but incredibly strong with synergy. It is VARIED. There are a ton of possible card combinations, each one playing on specific combos that feel incredibly satisfying to pull off, and the various characters offer themselves very different playsets for when you get tired of the first character. It is REWARDING. Practicing and practicing and managing to beat a lategame fight with a Flawless makes you feel like a complete badass. The challenge keeps going up with ascensions that make the game harder when you are feeling a little too comfortable with your strategies.

BUT THERE ARE ISSUES THAT KEPT ME FROM ENJOYING IT FULLY AT FIRST AND MAY KEEP YOU FROM ENJOYING IT AS WELL. The extent of MMBN is its combat system: if you hope a world, a lengthy story mode and a sense of slow progression you are not finding it here: it is a roguelike through and through. It is a LITTLE TOO FRANTIC WHEN YOU FIRST PICK IT UP. The first few times I was picking cards and tossing them out at random, too focused I was on avoiding enemy attacks. I barely did not have time to see if I had flow, if enemies were properly Frail, what spells were on which slots and if I were in the right position to hit them. As you get better you will have a better grasp of what is going on, but it will make the first few times hell. Which brings to the next point that MORE THAN OTHER ROGUELIKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE PUNISHED UNFAIRLY THE FIRST FEW TIMES YOU PLAY. The fast-paced nature of the game and its very varied enemies and bosses means you might not even realize why you keep getting hit, and their attack patterns encourage you to learn over time, which is ESPECIALLY BAD FOR A ROGUELIKE AT FIRST BUT WHEN YOU LEARN IT BECOMES GREAT. This game will test your patience and determination to keep going in the face of many defeats that are incredibly unfair at first, but if you pull through you will find a game that is fast, fun, has great controls, excellent character and enemy variety and moments that will make you jump up in joy as you finally reach Eden god ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ damnit.

SOME HINTS:
- Do not take every card you are offered. Hell I often ignore close to 60 to 70% of the cards offered. Seek a specific combo and go for it.
- In your deck options at the top you can choose your "Focus", which increases your chances of finding specific card types. For your first few games with Saffron set at least one of those to Anima that are strong cards with solid synergy amongst themselves and simple game plans.
- Cards that hit in a large area that do not require you to position carefully to hit are your friends. Ditch that Thunder unless you are a sniping god. Minefield is a godsend against bosses when you are starting off.
- Stick with Saffron until you get a good grasp on the game and reach Eden at least once with her.
- Avoid cheesing combos. Learn how to dodge, learn how to position, learn how to be a good fighter.

Cheers and have fun peeps.