Slot The Sting — Game Review

Slot The Sting — Game Review

When a player scores or steals this agenda, do X net damage. X is equal to the number of copies of Sting! in the other player’s score area plus 1.

«‘It is my nature,’ said the scorpion.»
-Conceptual Frameworks in Bio-Ethics and Synthetic Morality, Moser University Press

Downfall (df)

Rulings

• Updated 2019-04-27

NISEI Downfall Release Notes [NISEI Rules Team]

How much net damage does Sting! do?

The first copy of Sting! Scored or stolen just does 1 net damage. Assuming no agendas are swapped or forfeited, the second copy does 1 net damage if the same player scores or steals it, or 2 if the other player does. The third copy does between 1 and 3 net damage: 3 if that player just scored or stole their only copy of Sting!, 2 if they already had one and their opponent had one, and 1 if the same player has all three.

Reviews

Why do we not have a review for this card yet? It feels like the elevator pitch writes itself.

• Don’t you wish you could fit more copies of Breached Dome and Snare! for the Runner to impalethemselves on in R&D or Archives?
• Do you want more copies of Ronin, Show of Force, and Neural EMP for more proactive flatlines?
• Don’t you wish the pesky subtext «Limit 1 Philotic Entanglement per deck» didn’t exist?
• Get Sting! today.

Commercials aside, the interesting comparison to make is against House of Knives, the original 3/1 agenda that has made its way into many a Jinteki deck:

• Knives does a total of 9 damage when all 3 are scored, spread out over several turns. Runs are more dangerous to do while there are still valuable cards in-hand, against ICE like Komainu, or when stealing that final Obokata Protocol, perfect for grinding down the Runner’s stack and options over a long game. Best scored early, to slow the Runner down and get those pings in.
• Sting does a total of 3 to 5 damage (best case 1, 1, 3 or 1, 2, 2) in larger chunks. This is perfect for setting up proactive flatlines since this burst damage can be done clickless for a future turn, similar to Ronin. And if enough copies of Sting are scored, this turns into a Gene Splicer where you got a good chance of giving the Runner no good options to steal it, threatening flatlines on follow-ups.

So which agenda do you put in your suite? That mostly depends on what the deck is trying to accomplish.

You can’t go wrong with either, but I feel decks aiming for a flatline will want Sting! for more chances at landing that killing blow. Decks that want to slow the game down early while seeing an empty stack late game will want House of Knives. Of course, you can always take both since they are doing different jobs.

And of course, you can’t talk about Sting! without talking about the ID this sits most at home with, Personal Evolution. It’s a bit scary how good this agenda is in there, making both defensive and offensive uses of the scorpion all that much more lethal.

Long live the scorpion.

15 May 2019
(Downfall era)
Excellent review. Long live the king. — BlackCherries 15 May 2019

Since the damage keys off the other player’s score area, you can’t do 1-2-3 without shenanigans; best case is 1-2-2 or 1-1-3. — Toper 16 May 2019

Thanks for pointing out that small mistake! I’ve updated the review to reflect that. — Mezuzi 17 May 2019

In PE, this is as close to a guaranteed 3x slot as a 3/1 agenda can be. It’s a reliable 2-4 damage on either steal or score. Defensively, 2-4 damage is comparable to a Snare or most Urticas, if they were free and could trigger from anywhere. Offensively, this is comparable to Ronin, except it’s a Ronin which only requires 3 advances and no extra clicks to fire, and also defends itself everywhere. Overall it’s one of the stronger net damage cards in the card pool.

Mitosis synergy: because this card works effectively whether the runner checks or not, it is exceptionally useful in Mitosis plays. In Jinteki’s card pool, Sting arguably generates the most reliable value from Mitosis’s 2 advancement counters. After you Mitosis, a Runner that takes 4 damage from your Urtica (first install) will get crippled by Sting (second install) whether they check it or not. They also have to guess whether your third manual install is a Snare or Reaper Function or another 3/1 agenda.

Outside of PE, it’s more ordinary. 3 deck slots for a potential 3-5 net damage is maybe situationally valuable depending on what agenda density you’re looking for and/or how much low-cost passive defense you need. It might be playable in Issuaq as a better-than-blank 3/1 even though Issuaq probably cares about 3/1 than about the net damage.

6 Jan 2023
(Parhelion era)

How My Stolen Cryptocurrency Was Recovered Hello to Everyone. I’m Hayato Hiroshi from a reputable recovery company, and I recommend WebShell for all cryptocurrency recovery requirements. I would currently be without a place to live and be heavily in debt if WebShell hadn’t assisted me in recovering all the money that had been stolen from me through bogus bitcoin investments.I genuinely appreciate his help and professionalism in making sure I get everything back, whether I’m at home, in jail, or both. After reading their message, I contacted them and protested about being a victim of a fictitious cryptocurrency and FX investor. Within 48 hours, all of the money that had been taken from me using Bitcoins had been restored. I wholeheartedly recommend their service to anyone who may have WebShell can be reached via Email / WhatsApp at ([email protected]) +13195191428.

Wild Swarm Slot Review

Wild Swarm is a classic casino slot from Push Gaming set in a beehive with the queen bee, sticky wild bees, and valuable honey pots. The player’s mission is to zigzag between these natural wonders, being prepared for whatever happens. The base game has instant prizes that can bring you 200X the bet – if you choose the correct wax block. You can also experience the hive exploding during the base game, triggering a free spins feature with sticky bees, staying on the reels for all spins.

Wild Swarm is a video slot from Push Gaming with 5 reels, 4 rows, and 20 paylines. The Min.bet is 0.20 and the Max.bet is 100. Players can expect an RTP of 97.03% by default if they choose an online casino providing the best version. Push Gaming also offers the game at lower RTP levels all the way down to 88.41%. The volatility is medium/high, and the max win is infinite according to Push gaming, although the highest observed win is 3069X the bet.

Our flying friends can help us out in several ways to hunt for big wins. The features in Wild Swarm are Wild Symbol, Scatter Symbol, Pick Feature, Collectable Bees, Swarm Mode and Free Games.

Wild Swarm Slot Information

This flying adventure is set in a tranquil forest. The reels are in the middle of the screen, surrounded by trees and a beehive swinging gently at the top. All buttons for playing the game and accessing the paytable are at the bottom designed in the way we are used to with games from Push Gaming. A few green leaves drop slowly from the sky every now and then, and the game’s golden logo is glimmering to the left. Apart from that everything is calm – until you start spinning. To make a win you need to land at least 3 symbols of the same type on any of the 20 paylines going from left to right, starting on the leftmost one. You can play Wild Swarm on desktops, notepads, and mobile phones.

The lower-paying symbols in this game are the wood-colored card deck symbols J, Q, K, and A. They pay between 2X and 3X the bet if you land 5 on a payline. The higher-paying symbols are purple flower, white flower, honey jar, queen bee and $. They pay between 7X to 30X for landing 5. The Wild Honey Symbol substitutes for all paying symbols, but not the Scatter Symbol or the Chest Symbol. There’s also a Sticky Wild Symbol, depicted by a bee with aviator glasses on the forehead. The Sticky Wild only appears in the Free Games and Swarm Mode. The Scatter Symbol is a shining yellow beehive, and if that wasn’t enough, is there a Chest Symbol that triggers the Pick Feature.

Wild Swarm Slot Features

What is the max win in the slot Wild Swarm?

The max win recorded is 3069X the bet. Push Gaming claims that the slot has an infinite max win.

What features are available in the slot Wild Swarm?

The features are Wild Symbol, Scatter Symbol, Pick Feature, Collectable Bees, Swarm Mode and Free Games.

Wild Symbol

These bees are crazy and everywhere. You will actually find two different Wild Symbols because of the abundance of bees. The Honey Wild is a yellow and blue symbol with the letters Wild. It substitutes all paying symbols, but not the Scatter or Chest Symbol. Its wild buddy is the Sticky Wild, only appearing during the Free Games and the Swarm Mode. The sticky bee stays in the same position for all spins until the feature is over.

Scatter Symbol

When you see the hive, you’ll feel at home. Collect three of these anywhere on the grid, and you’ll be taken to the Free Games.

Pick Feature

You have activated the pick feature if the pink and yellow Chest Symbol lands anywhere on the grid. The game quickly reveals five honeycombs with different instant prizes written on them before turning them over and shuffling them. Now it’s up to you to pick the one you think contains the best award. The instant win can be up to 200X the bet or other stingy bonus features like a certain number of free spins.

Collectable Bees

If a bee lands anywhere in the base game, it flies into the hive in the top right corner of the slot, and a Wild Honey Symbol takes its place on the grid. Next to the hive is a counter, starting at 1 and leveling up after a certain number of bees have entered the hive. When it reaches the maximum level of 5, there’s a chance that the hive explodes, triggering the Swarm Mode.

Swarm Mode

A number of Sticky Wild Symbols are added to the reels after the beehive explosion that activates the Swarm Mode. The player is rewarded 10 free spins, and the sticky bees stay on the reels during the whole feature. Any extra sticky wild landing during the spins will also be held in place for the rest of the feature.

Free Games

This feature is very similar to the Swarm Mode, but it is triggered differently, and you don’t get to start with Sticky Wild Symbols already smashed to the reels. You open the feature by collecting 3 Hive Symbols anywhere on the slot. You will get 7 free spins for 3 hives, 10 free spins for 4 hives, and 15 free spins if you manage to collect 5 hives. Any wild bee that lands will, just like in the Swarm Mode, be locked in its position until the feature is over. The Free Games can also be activated as an Instant Prize in the Pick Feature.

Wild Swarm Slot Conclusion

Throughout the game, this slot machine follows its theme, with both small and big graphic effects of flying bees and other things going on in the forest. The symbols also look very good, but maybe the essential character in the hive – the queen bee – should also be the game’s most valuable symbol. The game offers several exciting features, and it is really easy to follow your wins on the 20 paylines. The Free Games are, as in many slots, the highlight. This game also has the Swarm Mode, which is a free spins feature going crazy, jacked up on honey. Most players will realize, though, that it can take an extremely long time to collect all the bees for the Swarm Mode to activate. The Pick Feature puts a sting to the game, mainly offering cash prizes but at times also free spins and level-ups on the collectable bee’s meter.

Wild Swarm can entertain most players for quite some time. Its medium/high volatility means that there are pretty nice wins waiting for you there in the forest. The max win, which can be won in the free games, is infinite although no one has reported a higher win than 3069X the bet. After playing Wild Swarm we feel that most features appear quite frequently, except the already mentioned Swarm Mode that is only for the most patient players. Another great thing is the RTP of 97.03%, putting Wild Swarm among the top of the video slots with the best RTP. Just make sure that you play the version with this RTP since Push Gaming has made 3 other versions with lower RTP.

Wild Swarm from Push Gaming takes us into a honey-sweet world where sticky wild bees crash on the screen to become valuable sticky wilds in the free spins.

Marvel Snap Review (Android, iOS, PC)

Second Dinner’s long-awaited, free-to-play digital collectible card game (CCG) is finally out now. First-timers and card game enthusiasts alike can now access the game’s early release from October 18th, 2022 on iOS, Android, and PC devices. While at first sight, Marvel Snap seems like an approachable game with an easily digestible UI for all players, it may not seem like that weeks or months into playing the game. Be sure to stick around for the full review of the good, the bad, and the ugly (if it’s there) of the newest card game in town: Marvel Snap .

It still feels unreal. With the huge potential of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and its plethora of superheroes and supervillains, how is a card game like Marvel Snap only now being released? Only when you get your hands on the game do you begin to realize how genius this card game is. And no, not solely because of the nostalgic thrill of collecting your first unique 12-pack Marvel deck, but because of how skillfully Marvel Snap masters the “easy to learn, hard to master” gaming mantra unlike any other CCG out there.

A Full-On Blast for First Timers and Card Enthusiasts Alike

MARVEL SNAP | Gameplay Trailer

Whether you’re a Marvel fan or clueless about most characters, Marvel Snap will easily draw you in with its gorgeous card designs. The game has no limits to the iconic Marvel superheroes and supervillains you can unlock. In addition to letting you unlock your favorite cards, Marvel Snap has a seemingly endless number of unique art variations that will bring in thousands more people.

With the latest Marvel Universe locations to play in, it’s no secret that developers at Second Dinner have once again outdone themselves in creating a show-stopping CCG for the books. Once you’re settled down, you start to sink deeper into Marvel Snap ’s fast-paced, intensely strategic card battles.

Streams of opponents, AI or real ones, constantly come your way as you return to complete daily and weekly challenges for a chance to rank high among the greats. And without notice, that first-time high starts to die down.

Sure, you’re probably always fueled by competitiveness, and weeks or months into the game, you realize the level of engagement Marvel Snap inspires is great. However, as fantastic as Marvel Snap is as a card battler, most players will want to explore other modes that encourage engagement and replayability, like casual gaming, for example, or friendly party-style matches, or even arcade-style.

At this point, you start to wonder, is Marvel Snap ’s greatest strength its downfall? But before we get ahead of ourselves…

Let’s Talk Gameplay

Marvel Snap — Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 — Global Launch! Fast-Paced Card Battles!

Marvel Snap ’s gameplay is pretty easy to learn. Unlike most CCGs, which have dozens or even hundreds of cards to master, each with its own set of powers and effects, Marvel Snap defies convention by providing a beautiful, easily digestible UI, a brief tutorial to get you started, and a few more hours of practice against an AI before throwing you to the wolves against other real-life opponents.

Players start by picking up to 12 different cards from their collection of unlocked cards to use in each deck. They then play those cards in one of three MCU locations on the board. Each card has a cost and a power value. The player with the highest value in two out of the three locations on the board wins. Pretty simple, right?

The Gameplay Isn’t As Straightforward As You May Think

Of course, it gets more complicated. There has to be some form of strategy to raise the stakes higher and make it much more interesting. Well, Marvel Snap delivers that extra dose of fun in two ways: the value of a card and randomizing locations. Let me explain.

So each card you play has its own unique, powerful abilities, pretty similar to the superpowers characters in the MCU have. For instance, Mystique is pretty high-value because she can pretty much copy the superpowers of the last card you played – which also means unlocking the Mystique card won’t come easy.

A character like Doctor Doom unleashes Doom Bots, while Nightcrawler can hop on over from one location to the other. So it’s pretty straightforward from here, right? The strategy you use to select your 12 unique cards for your deck matter. But that’s not all. Locations matter plenty too. Unfortunately, there’s nothing much you can do about that.

Randomized Locations

As Marvel Snap continues to grow, more and more randomized MCU locations spring up, which helps to keep the game interesting. That’s because each location has its own unique conditions. For instance, Fisk Tower will destroy any card that hops onto it from another location. Oscorp Tower, though, will swap your cards out at the end of the game. Just no limits.

The locations, by themselves, are interesting on their own because they’re based on iconic places in the MCU. So, fuse all these aspects together, and you’ve got the strategic depth you were hoping to find, that Marvel Snap isn’t just about building a strong deck but understanding which card to play at what time, where you want to position that card, and when they can give you the most value.

With each turn, you’ll have to stay constantly on your A game because your opponent will too. A deck may serve you well in one game but leave you helpless in the next. Relying solely on strategy won’t work. You need a bit of luck too. And it’s exactly this level of unexpected competitiveness that will keep you coming back days, weeks, or even months later.

Putting It All Together in a Tightly Knit Package

As it’s highly marketed, Marvel Snap is only a few minute game, with just six simultaneous turns per player. So don’t worry if putting together the perfect deck takes a while. It’s pretty much trial-and-error in the first few rounds, and you’ll learn which cards work well together along the way.

Marvel Snap ’s fast-paced gameplay is genius for quite a lot of reasons. You’ll always feel it’s fresh and fun to play. Finally, claiming victory will feel good as you plan a good strategy to fine-tune your deck, finally, claiming victory will feel good. And, if you lose a round, you’ll rarely feel that sting because, in just a few minutes, you can push yourself toward the next card reveal and reclaim your status.

Of course, there’s no greater thrill than if you choose to snap your opponent, and it pulls through. Snapping is when you press the Cosmic Cube (stake) at the top of the screen to up the ante, essentially saying that you’re confident you’re going to win, so double up the Cosmic Cubes, please.

If you win, you raise your ranking. If you lose, though, your opponent takes the ranking win. And if at any point you feel unsure, you’re free to escape with the snap option, so you only lose the number of cosmic cubes at play.

Enchanting Visual and Sound Design

We’ve got to talk about Marvel Snap ’s enchanting designs. I mean, the cards themselves are absolutely gorgeous. Each card is unique, so unlocking new ones is a whole new experience. On top of that, you’re free to earn your way into collecting additional unique art variants of each card, customizing your collection even further.

Every card feels alive with its sophisticated, 3D holographic animations. If you specialize in one deck theme, like Thanos, the game takes notice and upgrades the card’s visual effects. The more you gain experience with a card, the more it customizes itself for you.

Bringing it all together, the game itself is beautifully designed, paying special attention to detail. From the colorful filters to the sensory vibrating feedback, and with all the action from each card, the board itself feels like it’s in motion.

Sound design rocks too. From each card having its unique audio lines in different locations to the background music, Second Dinner has outdone itself aesthetic-wise. But as much as Marvel Snap seems like all roses and rainbows, it’s not.

All Work and No Play…

You’re probably wondering how to climb up the ranks. Well, to do that, you need new cards to form stronger decks to win more matches. So how do you get new cards?

Marvel Snap ranks your gaming skill by Credits and Boosters. The more you earn, the more you upgrade your cards. The more you upgrade a card, the higher your Collection Level. And the higher your Collection Level, the more new cards you unlock. I know. It’s pretty complex.

You can spend real money on Gold to earn more Credits. But if you’re into the honest grind, the alternative is to do the work, completing daily and weekly challenges to earn more Boosters/Credits. At this point, you may start to feel the sting if you skip a day, which compounds to taking away the fun of it all.

Of course, this type of daily/weekly challenge has long been a norm in free-to-play games. But we’d have hoped Marvel Snap would try to combat its problems. Having just one single game mode doesn’t cut it. We need options to keep coming back with a smile, whether it’s casual gaming, friendly matches, or arcade-style, just anything that doesn’t always feel like too much grinding.

Or, at the very least, take away the randomized rewards and have players put the work toward unlocking specific cards. It’s so tedious competing for weeks or months, not knowing which cards you’re going to unlock next. Sometimes, you may end up unlocking a useless profile avatar.

The fact remains that Marvel Snap will retain the most powerful cards towards the end, which will take longer and longer to unlock with each stage. So then the question becomes, how much time and effort are you willing to commit?

Verdict

To be fair, Marvel Snap is an early release. It’s not uncommon for early releases to have drawbacks and for free-to-play games to have annoying progression systems. For all we know, Marvel Snap could be having in-store banger updates in the coming months.

Provided we get a more versatile gaming mode, Marvel Snap should continue to place in the high ranks among all other CCGs out there, especially given its already impeccable design, its easy-to-learn gameplay, and its overall solid concept that’s frankly more exciting than boring.