Re: the game itself.
The review I found online here (http://awesomerthanthou.blogspot.com/2016/02/game-reviews-aisleen.html) covers a lot of my feelings about it.
Re: balance changes.
Snack Time now weaker than coffee bun + meditation. (Intended?)
This increases the need for and value of both cards in your deck.
Feather Dodge chance improves the value of crow. Theoretical 100% dodge chance now exists.
Quick Sketching to 30 is painful. Expanding one's deck and getting the best cards is now more difficult, and once you hit Stick Guy you can't "safely" try to expand your deck to get combo-friendly cards and The Big Guy (who is critical for lategame and is notably hidden behind Quick Sketching). This requires you to rely more on Sketching to get more copies of good cards.
Feels like Studying got made a lot more rare (hidden behind Quick Sketching and unavailable.)
If these changes are intended (reduce "infinite draws" and force more interaction with the combat engine), you've done well.
I don't mind wizards having been nerfed into the ground (I actually thought they needed a buff to be viable because they fail to keep up in lategame), but the insulting bit is that the monster fire mage has longer range on the same staff of fire than a fire mage does.
Pop into the forums and take a look at the longer explanation post I made. If you still disagree, just leave a comment, we can discuss it. My main thing with the range vs enemy range is simply that: you still have spells, you still have darts, you still have terrain tactics. Greater range should not be the only way you overcome range enemies.
No save, damage multiplier features don't work (if I do 10x damage with a shot to a fighter that ordinarily takes two shots to kill it probably shouldn't still take two shots to kill). With those two fixes this could be fun.
Black bombs are simple wall-breachers, good for breaking a wall and grabbing a hostage. low blast radius.
Radio bombs are good for getting a goon on the other side of the wall from safety. Collateral damage. Note that they can also be used as remote mines.
Grenades are good for bouncing around corners. LOTS of collateral damage.
...it's a shame the game itself is so cumbersome because it's an excellent production. Movement is agonizingly slow, weapons do pitiful damage, your anti-tank artillery is apparently designed to destroy little plastic army men...
I wish I could rate this higher for the good voice acting and moderate attempt at a story, but the game itself has issues.
Remember, Super Mario 3 has iffy graphics, tinny audio...and is one of the most playable games of all time--tight but not twitchy controls, excellent mobility...you get the idea.
Desperately needs pause or checkpoints (after every objective or fighter group?) or at the very least ENEMIES NOT LEAVING THE MISSION AREA. This has been the failure of mission 3.
Although it kinda fits in a fridge-logic kinda way. Once you get in that cockpit, you're up to the mission...and if the enemy gets clear of you they hit unprotected civvies.
Poison is the best kind of damage, hands down. Any time you can do damage without actually being in melee with boss enemies that aren't staggered by your attacks...you want that. Long-term game, very Zelda-meets-Diablo. Make sure you use the guy's storage cases. High luck and high drop rate will generate more good drops. Good drops: customization gems, magic items, TOMES OF STAT INCREASE.
Personally, I like Entropy, Spirit, and Spellpower boosts. Ardum handles Creation, Spirit Healer, Spellpower, and the little bit of lightning he's got.
Angelee, Disrupt (off the Vicious Strike/Break tree) has two levels--the first drops 50 focus and one buff, the second 100 focus and two. That will kill most foes' focus pretty quick.
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Thanks for the review!