A few days ago, I posted in the water-cooler section asking if there were any small games that didn't require spending money, allowed weapon crafting, and could be played anytime. A big shot recommended 'With This Strike of Mine' in the comments. At first, I saw the name and thought it was some kind of annoying ad game, but after downloading it and playing all night, I'm here to submit my review.
First, let me talk about the core gameplay as I understand it. In each round, you control a little character running around the map, picking up weapons from the ground. Two identical low-level weapons can be combined into a higher-level one, getting stronger and stronger as you combine. The map seems to be a bit different each round, with obstacles, items, and you can also pick up random skills. Fighting isn't just mindlessly hitting; you have to move strategically while combining weapons. Sometimes if you try to greedily combine, someone else can sneak up from behind and steal you 😭. I'm not very skillful, so in the first few rounds I was just pressing buttons randomly. Later I realized that you need to combine first before fighting, otherwise going up with just a basic weapon is basically giving yourself away.
What makes this game fun for me is its randomness. The skills you get are different each time, and the equipment attributes are also random. Sometimes you can combine a particularly handy weapon, and with one strike, the opponent's health bar is gone—it feels really awesome in that moment. The heroes are also quite quirky; I saw ones like Wukong, and the weapons are flashy. Although I'm a newcomer and haven't unlocked many heroes yet, just watching them fight is quite entertaining.
I'll mention a few real feelings about the advantages. It's free; at least so far, I haven't encountered any situations where I had to pay to continue playing. Each game doesn't take long, which suits someone like me who plays in short bursts. The merging and random skills are refreshing, so every game isn't exactly the same. There are also drawbacks. The tutorial is a bit lacking for me; in my first game, I didn't even know weapons could be merged. Also, there's quite a bit of luck involved. Sometimes the skills you get are not good, and if you run into a skilled player, you get chased around and beaten, making me so frustrated that I want to throw my phone but can't bring myself to delete the game 😂.
Here are a few tips for beginners like me. At the start, don't rush to fight others; first, collect weapons to combine, and at least make a weapon one level above white gear before engaging in fights. Don't just look at skill damage; movement and healing skills are more beginner-friendly—surviving is what lets you deal damage. Make use of items on the map, like speed boosts or bombs; they can allow a counter-kill at crucial moments. Don't only pay attention to the gear color; attack speed and critical hit rate work well for me, but it really depends on what feels right for you.
In short, thanks to that expert for the recommendation. This game really suits my taste, and I will keep playing. If there are experienced players on the forum who are also playing, please carry me a bit; as a newbie, I really don't want to get one-shotted again 😵. I also recommend it to friends who like brawls, crafting, and random skills. Downloading it is worth a try, it's free anyway, and playing a couple of rounds will let you know if it suits your taste.