Cthulhu Realms

Cthulhu Realms

I’m going to start here by saying - yes, this game is technically a reskin of Star Realms. But so is Hero Realms. And Star Realms itself is nothing more than a reskinned, watered down 2-player variant of Ascension. None of this makes any of those ‘bad games’, so let’s just do away with that right now. If theme is an issue for you, and sci-fi is your favourite theme, play Star Realms. If fantasy theming is your do-or-die, play Ascension. But if theme isn’t a super huge issue for you, or you like Lovecraftian themed games, then you should definitely give Cthulhu Realms a try. In my opinion, the gameplay is FAR superior to Star Realms, as it now includes triggers for cards being discarded and cards being ‘abjured’, or removed from the game (‘trashed’ for those of you who have played Star Realms), and I felt like building colour-themed decks or concept decks actually worked in this game, whereas Star Realms felt like ‘always buy the biggest attack card possible, ignore everything else about the card’ - there are even official strategy guides for the game which say the same thing. Cthulhu Realms is a great deckbuilder, the art is great, and although the iconography of the cards can be a little confusing initially, trust me - you will pick it up very quickly.

Real player with 109.9 hrs in game


Read More: Best Lovecraftian Strategy Games.


A lot of people from the Humble Monthly are not familiar with Star Realms, but to break it down simply, this game is basically a variation on Star Realms, it is not meant to be like Hearthstone or Magic–in fact, I think it’s deliberately trying to avoid that format for something that you can pick up and play without worrying about “long-term investment.” Once you know the rules of the game and the basic mechanics, you’re set. It’s NOT a collectible card game. That’s kind of the point.

It is a deckbuilding game, predicated on factional synnergy. It’s highly similar to Star Realms, so let me explain the differences from that:

Real player with 15.3 hrs in game

Cthulhu Realms on Steam

Sinistrous

Sinistrous

Introduction

Discover an ancient dungeon and battle eldritch horrors in this Lovecraftian deck-builder. Play as either the Warrior, the Witch, or the Rogue and enjoy strategic turn-based combat as you carve your way through mind-bending labyrinths. With each new adventure you will face a unique and randomized assortment of mystifying events, phantasmal environments, and perplexing creatures. There are more than 100 unique cards featured in Sinistrous and each class introduces new mechanics and distinct play styles for high replayability. Seek out the Darkness, question your sanity, and uncover the secrets of Carcosa.

Features

  • Play as three cultists with their own unique skill sets while fighting your way through an unpredictable Lovecraftian world.

  • Make critical decisions in an attempt to preserve your sanity, or satiate your lust for lunacy and unlock your cultist’s untapped potential.

  • Customize your deck with over 100 ‘Cards’ and game-changing ‘Runes’ as you strategize against enemies of shapes and sizes unbeknownst to man.

  • Experience events that make you question reality as you explore and unveil the secrets of Carcosa.

  • Enjoy a dark, gritty art style featuring fully animated heroes, enemies, and more.

  • Experience a hauntingly atmospheric soundtrack that fuses orchestra and electronica.


Read More: Best Lovecraftian RPG Games.


Sinistrous on Steam

Call of Myth

Call of Myth

Call of Myth is a collectible card game set in the universe of Mythos of Howard Phillips Lovecraft.

In this dark world, full of dangers incomprehensible to the human mind, you have to challenge not only the Old Gods and their fanatical followers, but also your own madness. Will you be able to withstand the horrors of this world and the nightmares generated by your own mind?

All cards are important

Common cards are the base of each deck, they form its playstyle. Use them to create a new tactic and add Unique and Mythic cards that will introduce special interactions and hard but rewarding plays into the game.

A unique madness mechanic

Apart from strength and health, every creature has sanity. If the sanity drops to zero, the creature will go mad and get madness. You can either avoid this outcome or create a deck that can turn the insanity of your own creatures to your advantage. The choice is yours.

Leaders

Each Leader has unique active and passive abilities, as well as a different starting amount of health. Depending on the strategy you prefer each leader can achieve its potential in many different ways.

Do you want to crush the opponent with powerful creatures capable of single-handedly dealing with whole hordes of enemies? Or do you prefer to use cunning techniques and wait until the enemy’s strength is exhausted before you strike?

Using a variety of cards, you can build a deck that suits your playstyle.

Tactics and strategy

A special playing field encourages the use of tactics. Just playing the cards that come into your hand is not enough to win. To defeat the enemy, you need to thoughtfully place creatures on the table, combining their abilities and skills.

Iconic characters of Lovecraft’s works

Cthulhu and Herbert West, Nyarlathotep and Professor Armitage, Shub-Niggurath and Randolph Carter, as well as plenty of other momentous characters of Lovecraft’s works.

Some will become your opponents, while others will become loyal allies.


Read More: Best Lovecraftian Strategy Games.


Call of Myth on Steam

Cards of Cthulhu

Cards of Cthulhu

Cards of Cthulhu is a casual little game, simple in design but with suprising depth. You pick cards for your deck from a choice of random two. Two cards at the beginning and more are added as you progress through the battles. Then you jump onto your motorcycle, grab your shotgun and ride across the wasteland to face off against Cthulhu himself - who stole your girlfriend, as villains in games have traditionally been fond to do.

Each opponent you meet on your way you fight by playing your cards (and autoattacking with your shotgun). Simple enough? The depth of the game is knowing when during a combat round to play each card, in battles with consequitive fights of more than one enemy which card to save for the next enemy, which card in a given situation perhaps not to use at all, which cards to deny your enemy from playing, and when to not play cards.

Real player with 13.4 hrs in game

This game packs a lot of style and fun in a simple package, It is relentlessly focussed on play dropping you right in the game and back to the start when the game ends, which is minor but a refreshing change from the typical game with lots of menus and cut scenes wasting your time. This one has confidence in what it is delivering and delivers it proudly.

Each game you collect a small deck of cards each of which can be used once against a monster or set of monsters. In this way each run feels fresh because you are building a new deck which will be played differently than other decks.

Real player with 8.2 hrs in game

Cards of Cthulhu on Steam

October Night Games

October Night Games

This is a nice little puzzle-like game, and it’s more complex than meets the eye at first time. I enjoyed it more and more, when exploring how things worked out.

I found the hunt for manage the achievements fun, and I have collected 21 of 23. Coming Halloween I will reach 22, but to get the last we all have to wait until 2039! (Playing during Halloween, beneath full moon)

But … after 98 hours playing the “Halloween” campaign I have reached my goals, more or less. Will I play the game again? There is a second campaign “Freezing Moon”. I didn’t see anything that interested me there. The only effect I could see was that you take injuries by the freezing cold. I will check it out again … but I don’t see it as that fun.

Real player with 102.1 hrs in game

Been having a really fun time playing this one and I’m not the most active board game player, love the setting and it’s inspirations. The developers have been releasing patches since the launch of the game making it better and correcting some bugs, there’s a lot of fun to be had here, even if you just play againts bots.

Real player with 22.8 hrs in game

October Night Games on Steam

Liberte

Liberte

♦ DECIDE THE FATE OF PARIS ♦

In Liberté, you immerse yourself in the rogue-like adventure that infuses the French Revolution-era setting with cosmic horrors know from H.P. Lovecraft. Choose your allies, fight relentless enemies and decide who will bring the new order in the terror-filled Paris.

♦ DISCOVER ORIGINAL PLAYSTYLES ♦

  • Burn your enemies as flame-throwing Whiskey Firebreath,

  • sneak into the brawl as the roguish Cutthroat,

  • enter with a bang as the gun-loving Pistolier,

  • or disorientate your enemies with your antics as marvelous Stage Artist.

♦ CREATE YOUR OWN WAY TO PLAY ♦

Every challenge will award you with new cards - powerful skills and specialized talents that capture the many combat ideas inspired by the real French Revolution.

♦ WITNESS THE CITY IN TURMOIL ♦

King Louis has died in mysterious circumstances. Now that Paris is left with no ruler, four factions clash to win the City for themselves.

  • Fight for the rights of the spiritual 💀Tribe

  • Reinstate the power for the aristocratic 👑Crown

  • Cleanse the evil with the devout ⛪Congregation

  • Spread anarchy with the flame-loving 🔥Rebels

♦ INSPIRED BY LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR ♦

Along with the revolt came Lady Bliss, a ruthless deity that brought you back from the dead to do her will. Solve the mystery of the blight that turns Parisians into numbed monsters, all serving the horrifying Lady Bliss. Enter her wicked gardens, and see what her arrival means for the city and its future.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1590160/Liberte/

Liberte on Steam

Neurodeck : Psychological Deckbuilder

Neurodeck : Psychological Deckbuilder


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What is this game about?

Neurodeck promises an interesting combination of deck building paired up with psychological challenges such as loneliness and exclusions and mental health issues such as phobias. If that sounds interesting to you don’t get your hopes up unfortunately. The psychological part is pretty much tacked on, with very thin connections to the main theme, while the deckbuilding is OK at best. Let’s dive in quickly:

Real player with 7.2 hrs in game

Solid deck building game.

On the + side:

The idea is awesome

Animations of the phobias are smart

Many interesting game mechanics: the shark phobia was a real challenge - it … behaved like a shark would, eating your cards.

In many subtle ways, the design was smartly done.

Very addictive until the realities below hit you:

On the - side:

Many cards are useless. Too expensive in terms of stamina, duplicating already existing effects, introducing effects which are irrelevant etc. I would say about 3/4 of the cards I have seen are horrid. After most battles you gain a card and the 3 choices are usually so bad that I had to skip selection. Thankfully, there is such an option ( = choose none of the cards) and you can also remove cards from your deck, which is very important for a deck building game. But still too much fluff.

Real player with 7.2 hrs in game

Neurodeck : Psychological Deckbuilder on Steam