Sneak Peek: Vanguard Exiles (PC)

I just stumbled back into the Early Access realm, and honestly, I love it here. Feels like watching a house get built from scratch, ya know? Early Access used to be this swamp of half-baked ideas and devs bailing mid-project. I mean, not all of them — just saying, it was a thing. But hey, stigma’s mostly gone now, and some real gems are popping up. Enter Vanguard Exiles, the next chapter in our saga.

Okay, time out. Vanguard Exiles comes from some Magic: The Gathering folks. Big brains, right? But here’s the twist — no cards, not in the usual sense. It’s this hex-based battler that has tabletop vibes. If it hits stores in a big board game box, complete with minifigures, I’m calling dibs.

Oh, side note: This is a quick look because, hey, Early Access, remember? Things are gonna change. Still, I’ve got beef with that dice-rolling RNG. Sometimes it gets wild — but whatever, game’s still a work in progress.

Picture this: you’re leading a group of mercs through tangled trenches. It’s a point game; capture locations, score big. Rooms? They’re like mysteries — one gives gold, another might have a bear lurking (seriously). Strategy’s in picking your battles ‘cause you can’t grab it all. Sounds intense, right?

And yeah, it’s an auto-battle game. Plot your troops, set a plan — but then watch as they do their thing. Maybe you hate that idea, maybe not. The way it all fights out isn’t sloppy, and that’s something.

Now, about the units. Weirdly diverse. Pick and buy cards between rounds — very random, very lottery-like. Oh, and there’s a freebie pick if you’re broke. So, no sweat.

Gameplay? Fun. But talk about a lack of backstory. Merc factions are mysterious — dwarves, elves, cultists — but why are they fighting? That fluff matters, right? Mechanics first, story later — I get it. Just hoping they flesh it out.

Balance can be tricky. Some matches feel like a stroll, others… not so much. Playing to 80 points, but one bad move early, and it’s like trying to climb a hill of wet spaghetti. Restart? Often. Because sometimes you just know, ya know?

What’s rough? Unkillable units. Armored dwarves that nobody can touch early on, and it’s stalemate city. Could use an update there — maybe armor late-game only, or give us tools to handle it.

Ignoring my grumbles, Vanguard Exiles is shaping up. Needs more love and polish, but heck, it’s fun for strategy junkies. Watching the calendar for updates ‘cause if they tweak the balance, this game’s gonna roar.

Note: Played with an Early Access code, so keep that in mind.