The Indie Informer

Grab a seat, order a drink, and prepare to lead the frog rebellion. A delightful blend of swampy eeriness and amphibian whimsy, Toads of the Bayou has pulled me into its murky depths and made me question my very gaming identity. Hot off the heels of Dungeon Inn, I find myself faced with a question: Am I actually a strategy sicko?

For most of my gaming years, I would have answered this with an emphatic no, and I’m still tempted to say the same. But I can’t deny the hold Toads of the Bayou has on me. After some thought, I’ve decided it’s not me that’s wrong, it’s my definition. Creators like La Grange are making games for this genre catering to a wider, more diverse audience than ever, folding approachability in with heart-snatching personality and mind-dominating gameplay. It’s a pot that’s been boiling for so long, I didn’t notice the heat until taking up the resistance in the bayou.

Our fight begins in a tavern. One of the last refuges for those willing to take on the sinister Baron Samedi, the effusively friendly proprietor welcomes me to her establishment and the rebellion in the same breath. She then points me to an objective map and I’m off to conquer back the swamp.

This first island is sliced into various sections representing different levels, each with its own objectives. My first mission is…successful. That is, I failed to save my toady companion-in-arms from a viscous death at the hands of the Baron’s black-magic-ensnared minions, but I accomplished in defeating the enemy. In an “ends justify the means” kind of way, I won.

The framework of the combat is turn-based deckbuilding. The grid-like battlefield houses rebels or resources I should defend, decaying boxes acting as obstacles, and enemies at home in the muggy, hostile surroundings. Formidably sized mosquitos hover in the murky air. Animated, tree-like grunts shamble forward from the fog. I get to place my soldier in, what I hope is, the best possible position to ensure victory.

I start with three action points and a handful of cards that allow me do basic things like take a long-range shot, hit adjacent baddies with pushback, and move around the marshy board. Thankfully, I can see where the enemies plan on attacking in the next round, so I can attempt to use my resources to move out of harm’s way while doing as much damage as possible. While I fought my way out of my first engagement with brute strength, caring little for the painful consequences, I soon learned this game favors the thinking player.

Failing to save my fellow rebel and complete my mission’s objectives triggers a curse card to appear in my deck. As I play through more stages, it pops up, sapping my AP and limiting my possibilities. It’s a brilliant incentive to prioritize the quest alongside my personal safety. However, these actually came in handy later in the game.

As my infamy and victories grow, I earn resources like oil and gold. This first I can initially exchange for new cards which let me push multiple adversaries away or heal bad status effects. The second begins to unlock the tavern’s various shops, lets me reroll inventory, and unlock more sale slots. By the end of my hour-long foray into the game, I had funded the grand opening of a cards shop, a recruitment center, a trap seller, and the items peddler. With each new establishment, it became easier to win.

Then I met Old Joe. My territory-hopping strategy leads me to this boss which, having been ensnared by a magic lantern, is capable of spewing fire across vast tracks of land. His health is also supernaturally increased and, if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, he controls swarms of deadly swamp denizens. This left me on the knife’s edge every turn, trying to shoot and run to safety, while avoiding fire from above and blows from every direction. Luckily, one of my newly purchased cards pushed back everyone around me as long as I had a card to discard — which I always did because of the curse cards I’d accumulated during my failures.

I know a game has me in its clutches when writing up my thoughts on it makes me want to jump back in. Toads of the Bayou is one of these. I can’t wait to see how things change up as I recruit a team of toads, carry increasingly deadly items into battle, and upgrade my strategy-enhancing cards.