Floppy Knights Review (PC)

Captain Thistle has good attack and solid movement range, especially when relying on his special plow card. I quickly reach a Quiver Kid (ranged cat-like enemy) and cut it down. I end my turn and a sibling drops one arrow, while other enemies move toward me. A special rock offers some more HP and I take down another ranged opponent.

But I fail to account for a flying Behemoth, and I am down to just one health. My only chance would be to get the cactus unit in my hand next turn, along with its special healing potion. If the cards do not go my way I need to restart and try out another way of moving towards Big Mad, the boss I have to defeat, preferably without taking any damage on the way.

Floppy Knights is developed by Rose City Games, with publishing in the hands of both Rose City Games and wiip. I played it on Steam on the PC, but it is also offered on the Xbox One. The title mixes turn-based tactics with cards and a quirky image.

The story is centered on Phoebe, an inventor who has already created a cool robot arm named Carlton and now aims to get enough money to become independent from her parents. This is easier imagined than done and soon the pair is moving through a wide variety of locations, helping people who are ready to pay them for services rendered. The writing aims for funny and fresh and mostly works well, although the need to move through all the dialogue again when hitting Retry on a battle is a bad idea.

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Floppy Knights is mostly focused on cards. Once a level’s core and bonus goals have been revealed, players will get a hand each turn, alongside a number of action points. A hero unit is played first. Cards can bring in new units or activate special abilities, but they are also required to move and attack (each unit has one free strike per turn). Units have associated cards, but the player can use them with others. It’s entirely possible to end up with a hand with no movement cards, making it very hard to push towards an objective. Players can craft new cards and build their best deck when outside a level.

Once a movement card is chosen it can be applied to one creature. The same for an attack or a special card. The idea is to use the player’s hero and an assortment of allies to take down the enemy, seize checkpoints and reach the objective. It’s important to look at enemies to have a clear idea of how they can move and attack before committing to any plan. Make sure to note any environmental hazards that can add chaos. A carefully put together deck is important for success but isn’t a guarantee for it. I tended to quickly fail my first attempt at beating a level to see how the world reacts to my moves. It is then time to make a plan, try to implement it, and then see what tweaks are needed to achieve the objective.

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There’s a tension between Floppy Knights’ universe and its mechanics. The banter between characters is fun and breezy but one bad move during the turn-based combat leads to a push of the Retry button. It will certainly appeal to veterans of this genre, who want to carefully consider plans and refine them based on circumstances. It will not be a good introduction to card-focused action for someone who looks at the art style and just wants to experience this cool universe and see what the robot arm can do.

Floppy Knights chooses a visual identity that suits the universe and the mechanics. Phoebe and the rest of the characters have charm, and the combat arenas and cards manage to be informative without sacrificing style. Make sure to always click on enemies to get information about their potential moves and attacks. The game offers all the info required to make solid plans, although it takes a little time to become accustomed to the cards. The soundtrack is very fun, with enough variety and some pretty catchy themes.

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The Good

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