The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics arrives tomorrow, and as you might have already guessed, that means you’re going to come face turn-based strategy battles with some of the most vile villains in all of fantasy: the Skeksis.
If you’re not familiar with the series or the original movie, the Skeksis are the bad guys in Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal — twisted, almost maniacal creatures who rule the world of Thra with an iron fist. But, because they are slowly dying out, they know their reign is coming to an end, and they are determined to stay in power… even if that means performing horrific experiments on their loyal Gelfling subjects!
Once the truth comes out, the Gelfling clans find themselves mounting a resistance to their erstwhile Skeksis masters — which means that when you come up against them in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, you’re going to need to know what to expect!
The Chamberlain
While the Chamberlain can deliver some pretty serious blows in combat, the real danger he poses is that he can use “Please, Please” (his signature catch phrase) to Confuse some of your best heroes. And worse, he can use “Skeksis, Friend…” to convert Confused heroes to his side! Your best ally could suddenly become your worst enemy — so don’t count on any one hero to get you through a fight with the Chamberlain on the battlefield!
The Hunter
One of the most fearsome Skeksis around, the Hunter is fast and deadly. His “Leap Away” ability allows him to get out of reach… which he follows up with “Deadly Plunge,” leaping back to anywhere on the map and Stunning everybody in the nearby area. Between that combo and his “Cleave” ability, your best bet is to spread out to minimize damage… and even then, you might just have to sacrifice one of your heroes as a distraction.
The General
As his name suggests, the General is a master of strategy and tactics, meaning that he can use his “Command!” ability to let his allies take their turns immediately, or his “Intimidate” ability to reduce his opponents’ Attack and Defense, as well as Silence them (preventing them from using their own abilities). The General also hits harder than nearly any other Skeksis, so make sure you have a healer on hand!
The Scientist
Arguably the weakest of the Skeksis, the Scientist relies on his devices and alchemical concoctions — like “Explosive Cask” and “Salt the Earth” –to deal damage at long range or to Poison tiles, forcing heroes to choose between taking damage every turn, or going the long way around to reach their targets. Be sure you have someone on your team who can remove Negative Status Effects!
That’s obviously not all of the Skeksis you’ll face, but those are the ones whose capabilities will be most evident to you right from the start. Sooner or later, though, you’ll have to battle the Emperor himself… and you’ll be in for the toughest fight yet!
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics will be available at PlayStation Store starting tomorrow.
