One of my favorite games is Team Fight Tactics, an auto-chess game by Riot Games. This is a game with fundamentally simple mechanics that interact with each other to create a complex dynamic that carefully tries to balance strategy and a boat load of randomness. There are an incredible number of mechanics that have been added and modified throughout the years. The core mechanics that have always been present are the ability to gain currency, buy/sell champions, position them on a board, craft items with limited resources that you can equip on your champions, and have them fight other players’ boards. Each one of these mechanics are randomized except for the champion positioning. You cannot control what characters you are offered to buy, what item components you will receive, or who you will fight in the next round.
All these mechanics come together to create several different dynamics which clash with each other. On one side there is the resource management aspect of the game. You want to earn as much currency as you can so you can buy better champions than your opponents. However, how much currency you earn every turn depends on how long your winning and losing spree is and how much currency you are holding (as it is able to gain interest). This leads to tempo management. You have to strengthen your board with your current resources to maintain your winning spree and save health. However, this leads to lower interest per turn, which can weaken your board long term.
These aspects lead to an aesthetic of competition against other players, challenge against the randomness of the game, and the sense pleasure of seeing, listening, and interacting with dynamic characters and slot-machine-esque shops.
