First Look: Vanguard Exiles (PC)

We’re diving back into the weird world of Early Access. Seriously, it’s like a playground where games start off as scribbles and somehow become masterpieces. Or sometimes just stay scribbles… Anyway, back in the day, this place was more like a junkyard of half-baked ideas. Devs would throw their half-cooked projects in, walk away, and still cash in. Not saying everyone did this, but, well, it was a thing. Well, mostly history now—thank goodness. These days, some gems are coming out, and I’m all fired up about this one: Vanguard Exiles. Oh boy, here we go.

Guess what? It’s coming from some big-time brains. Remember Magic: The Gathering? Yeah, those folks. But, plot twist—no cards here! This game is like a hex-based fighter with serious tabletop vibes. I swear, if it ends up in a box with spiffy miniatures, I’m first in line.

Let’s hit pause for a sec. Reminder: Vanguard Exiles isn’t the finished article yet. So, anything I nitpick? Well, it’s just me being picky during this stage. There’s a good chance that some of this will change, right? I do get a bit whiny about the random number stuff though — I’ll admit that.

You’ll be steering a crew of mercenaries through a trench maze, trying to hold tight on key spots. Each room gives points; snatch the first to 80, and boom, you’ve won. Some spots boost your gold stash or beef you up, others—surprise! Angry bear ambush. Choosing where to station your mercs isn’t just strategy, it’s survival.

Here’s the kicker: it’s an auto-battler. I know, I know—some folks flinch at the term. The strategy? It’s all about unit placement. Swamp a crucial spot and maybe neglect the rest—or go wide and thin. But go bare knuckles, the game’s on autopilot. It’s not lazy here though, promise.

There’s a heap of units, but you meet them slowly. Each round, you get cards—random, of course—to buy with gold. No gold? There’s always a freebie. It’s not about reactive play—it’s about smart setup from the start. Still, not a card game, don’t get it twisted.

Gameplay’s a blast, honestly. But lack of story mode? Meh, that’s a downer for now. We’ve got factions galore—dwarves, elves, creepy cultists—but why are they even fighting? Beats me. It’s all about the cool units doing cool stuff. I guess the story fluff can wait till the mechanics are nailed. But yeah, bring the fluff!

Balancing needs work. Some matches just feel lopsided. Race to 80 points—mess up early and you’ll be scrambling forever. By round three or four, I usually kinda know if I’m gonna make it or restart. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel competitive all the way? Tweaks could help, I think.

One more gripe: unkillable units. Some armored dwarves? Man, they’re tough nuts. Leads to stalemates. Either give us tools to deal with ’em from the jump, or hold off on those tanks till later.

But hey, despite the grumbles, I’m excited about Vanguard Exiles. With some tweaks, this could be strategy fan heaven. I’m keeping an eye on development and rooting for them. This game’s got potential—get in now, before it blows up. Could be something truly awesome. Fingers crossed!