Erannorth Chronicles
I got this game for free because I won it as part of a modding contest for Erannorth Reborn. So I had to put effort into making the mod and win the contest. So it wasn’t really a handout.
This is the best deck builder RPG I ever played.
The character creation alone allows a degree of freedom that no other game like this can hope to achieve.
“A-Stranger” and “DaGibus” reviews already say pretty much of what I would say myself (and much better than I would too). So I will point at their reviews instead. Let’s just say I agree with them.
– Real player with 439.9 hrs in game
Read More: Best RPG Card Game Games.
Edit: With the introduction of Pariah mode I’m having a lot more fun and feeling a good sense of progression. I’m getting some loot rewards that I can’t use yet which is a great motivation to keep going and get stronger. It was really tough to start out in that mode so I ended up starting in Quest mode until I felt I had good enough healing and crowd control to move my toon from the Book of Heroes to Pariah mode.
This is a really fun deck builder for people who love theory crafting and min/maxing character concepts. Many combinations of customization to explore. I like that you can play in different game modes so if you want to explore a world map you can do that, but if you’d rather just get to the tactical fighting you can run a gauntlet instead. You can also customize a lot of game parameters such as the number of enemies that will arrive in a typical encounter, etc.
– Real player with 158.4 hrs in game
HELLMALL
About This Game:
Beat your foes and save your souls! Lead Callaghan and his friends to victory in a reel-spinning, deck building roguelike in an infinite virtual mall. Craft your reels, make some friends, and talk to dogs. Pave paradise and check out the swag loot drops… all to escape the HELLMALL!
features:
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Dynamic character switching combat:
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Choose the right party character for the job. Whether it’s a vicious first strike, a powerful party buff or a quick HP injection, your friends have got you covered!
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Tactical deck building with a twist:
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Find items and equipment to modify each character’s reel with new attacks. Build your reels carefully and hit those triples!
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People to meet and things to do:
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Every run through the mall is unique, but the characters you encounter will remember you. Develop your relationships with the other doomed souls lurking in PleromOS for new party characters. Complete unique side quests to know your friends better!
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Secrets to find and new mysteries to uncover:
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Gain currency after every run to acquire new resources, questlines and character traits that can appear in your next run!
Read More: Best RPG Roguelike Games.
Dungeon Rollers
Dungeon Rollers is a turn-based dice game, where you and the enemies act depend on the dice. In every fight you and your enemy roll the dice, you can react to the situation by rerolling some of your dice. Dice contains offensive and defensive sides, so you can react to enemy action with the right choice. With the right combinations you can also cast powerful skill which helps you in the battle.
Features:
▪ Turn-based strategy
▪ Lots of dice
▪ Relaxing music and graphics
▪ Easy to learn
Read More: Best RPG Dungeon Crawler Games.
The Last Hex
–-UPDATE—
Several months ago, I reviewed this game and gave a generally negative review mainly because of difficulty. This was before the developer made substantial and significant changes to the game. I am pleased to announce that the developer has made this game much more playable with multiple difficulty modes (which all games should have) and added a lot more content. There is an element of strategy with this game, and by playing it many times, you can pick up on the cards and the gear that you really want to keep that will give you maximum success. After the develop made the necessary changes, I have logged in over 200 hours to this game. If you play on Initiate level, the potions don’t really matter too much until you get to the boss camps and the final boss where you can use as much potions as you want.Thanks to the developer’s earnest in making this game better, there is new content every month. Overall, because of these changes, I do finally recommend this game if you have an hour or two to spare.
– Real player with 312.2 hrs in game
Getting close to 20 hours in right now, and unlocked about half of the heroes to play with. So I wouldnt be surprised if this game will amuse me for 40+ hours, which is very good considering its current pricepoint and that its still in early acces. However, i believe the game is 90% complete so it’ll prob leave EA soon.
Anyhow, its a slay-the-spire-like deckbuilder that is easier at some points, and harder at others.
For example, in here you can take your time to build your char before you fight the big boss, no set path to take. You can actually go back to shops to buy specific cards or items.
– Real player with 131.3 hrs in game
Hand of Fate 2
Having not played the original, I didn’t know what to expect, but I have been pleasantly surprised. This game is equal parts choose your own adventure, collectible card game, tarot card game, The Price is Right prize game, and action RPG. And it all works together really well.
Each of the 20 or so scenarios will have an overarching story that is told through narration, text, and events occurring through randomly placed cards that the player traverses as a figurine. The player can select from their previously won cards before each scenario to choose the encounters, weapons/equipment, and fortunes they will face, in addition to cards unique to each scenario. Other cards and player companions will have their own stories that will be told over the course of many scenarios. The story itself is a meta game, as told by the narrator, known as the dealer. Your character plays the game of life and death against the dealer as the story unfolds.
– Real player with 121.0 hrs in game
_During your travels, you stumble upon somewhat unnecessary wall of text blocking your path. The scribble describes a sequel to a flawed game of age long forgotten. As you gaze through the text, you notice small ink marks both above and below it: “hrs on record”, “helpful” and “funny”. From the corner of your eyes you see a hooded figure to the left.
“You’re welcome to read it. But mind you, that’s just an opinion of mine,” a low humble voice echoes in your ears. The figure’s been watching you all this time._
– Real player with 98.7 hrs in game
Deck of Ashes
I’ve never left a review before, but this game deserves it. I see it has mixed reviews at this time and I understand some of the pain points that reflect the early-access-still-in-development status that have turned people off.
However, I think this is the best RLDB (Roguelite Deckbuilder) currently in Early Access on Steam (Or, at least, it is tied with Fate Hunters). It is already worth the money you’d be spending on it, as long as you have the patience to spend a few hours getting into it. And if you’ve played StS, a similar deckbuilder with long term campaigns, you really shouldn’t be afraid of putting in those hours because you definitely have the patience for the long term reward that sort of game gives.
– Real player with 65.1 hrs in game
This game is great! And it certainly deserves a much better review score! Naturally, Slay the Spire and Monster Train are better, so I would recommend getting them first. If you have already played your share of StS and MT, this game brings a LOT of new concepts and variety to the genre.
It is different, so here are the things you should know before you get it:
1. the runs are much much longer (e.g. my first run was 30min, but my second run was 8hr long), so it is not really a rogue-lite like other similar games. You can of course exit and continue at any point. You can’t have multiple “saves”, but you can buy “resurrection”, so that if you die you get resurrected (I didn’t buy any, as you can use that money to get stronger). On the other hand, it does have additional cards and modifiers and traits that you can unlock after the run, like in rogue-likes. Also starting hand for each run can be drafted, which is a lot of fun! I recommend playing a standard character deck first (just to understand the mechanics), and drafting on following runs. So it does have some rogue-lite elements: if you hit a wall (and/or get killed), you can unlock some additional cards, draft a different starting deck and try a different strategy.
– Real player with 18.3 hrs in game
Erannorth Reborn
I’ll start with the base game itself and tackle modding later on in the review despite it being my favorite part of the game. While modding is a major focus of the game it’s not what you expect to be paying for right off the bat.
First up, gameplay. There is an open world game mode that I haven’t played much of (yet) and thus won’t be talking about. The core game mode is the rogue-like card-based rpg formula we’re all familiar with by now. There are a great deal of difficulties and game modes such as draft in the base game letting you have your own variety. These game modes will set you on a journey across Folkswave, the area of focus within the setting, where you will hopefully but almost certainly not find success. On this journey you’re certain to make friends, find loot, kill monsters, explore the unexplored, and generally have a great time.
– Real player with 381.5 hrs in game
TLDR: Thumbs up for a very complex card battle game with rpg-like character customization and alot of depth. Though there is alot to learn from card text and tags, this game is an addictive hidden gem: 9/10.
This review is long because I was frustrated trying to learn about the game when I started. So I wanted to talk about what approach worked best for me.
At first the game felt linear, but there were so many abilities to discover that I didn’t mind it. Monsters are fairly diverse too as you move across stages. Plus there are events that give you choices. Eventually though it started to feel just a little repetitive, but that was only because I didn’t understand all the different game modes. Each mode has 3 tiers of difficulty so it’s easy to get locked into wanting to see how far you can survive through the tiers.
– Real player with 188.1 hrs in game
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
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Play as three cultists with their own unique skill sets while fighting your way through an unpredictable Lovecraftian world.
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Make critical decisions in an attempt to preserve your sanity, or satiate your lust for lunacy and unlock your cultist’s untapped potential.
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Customize your deck with over 100 ‘Cards’ and game-changing ‘Runes’ as you strategize against enemies of shapes and sizes unbeknownst to man.
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Experience events that make you question reality as you explore and unveil the secrets of Carcosa.
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Enjoy a dark, gritty art style featuring fully animated heroes, enemies, and more.
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Experience a hauntingly atmospheric soundtrack that fuses orchestra and electronica.
Children of Zodiarcs
Children of Zodiarcs - a review by Wind
1 • First Impressions
I came across this game while perusing through a Square Enix sale. Found it quite beautiful and decided to give it a try. The stuff of dice along with cards deck was a bit too much to my head, which is mainly why I buy games at the first place. I never go for common ground. And this one would keep its promise.
At my first run of the game, I recall feeling dragged inside its atmosphere. The opening song (and of course all other outstanding songs) by Vibe Avenue is superb. It really gets you pumped up. I stood still for some time just to listen to this artwork.
– Real player with 54.3 hrs in game
I want to start with saying I enjoyed my time with this game but I still feel it has many flaws. Children of Zodiarcs has many things going for it and to me fulfilled most of its goals. I played the entire game including the side story and the complete arena, along with probably 12 skirmishes and it lasted me around 25 hours. I was sold on a strategic deckbuilding game with dice, so if you don’t care for deckbuilding or dice rolling, you may want to pass on this game.
Story
The story is centered around a band of children thieves and murderers. Even though when you kill someone, the body disappear, the game make sure that you know that you are killing people and that most of your actions are unjustified, as much as your characters themselves feel that they are. The story is about a heist for this group to get rich and explores how the environment of the main cast has shaped them into basically villains. It worked for me but for the most part lacked depth due to the amount of characters and length of the game. I enjoyed most of the characters, I feel most had interesting stories but would have enjoyed a lot more if the characters and world just got a little more fleshed out.
– Real player with 27.6 hrs in game
Cross Blitz
Are you ready? It’s time to BLITZ!
Cross Blitz is a new, exciting card based role-playing game set in a fantastical world teeming with vibrant characters and fierce battles. Select one of five heroes and adventure through their story as you uncover the many wonders of Cross Dawn Isle! From bloodthirsty lion pirates, to showy pop-star bards, you never know what you’ll run into next in this quirky fantasy universe.
Taking inspiration from beloved JRPG franchises like Breath of Fire, Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy - and mixing them together with elements from popular card games like Hearthstone, Slay the Spire, and Steamworld Quest - we aim to deliver a unique, thrilling adventure for all types of players.
Cross Blitz contains multiple content-heavy single player modes with regularly planned updates - from narrative driven story modes like ‘Fables’, to the deadly rogue-like challenge of the ‘Hollow Hunt’. And for those who love a heated PvP experience, an exciting challenge awaits in the ‘Coliseum’ - an online competitive mode with cross-play functionality between all platforms (PC, Mac, iOS, and Android).
- Play through each hero’s story as they face a variety of trials and tribulations! Sail the dangerous waters of the Southron Sea alongside the pirate Redcroft or explore the underbelly of the bustling city of Dawndell with Quill the thief! Unique mini-games and dialogue choices keep each adventure fresh.
- Collect over 150 cards across 5 factions - War, Nature, Balance, Fortune, and Chaos! Gather materials from winning battles to craft even more powerful cards.
- Partake in fierce battles that require strategy and cunning - build the perfect deck to stomp your enemies into dust! Easy to pick up, but difficult to master, you’ll have to harness the strength of your minions alongside a plethora of spells, trick cards, and Hero Powers if you’re to claim victory!
- An expansive world awaits, filled with colorful characters and curious locations. The hex map exploration system makes it easy to navigate from region to region - with plenty of secrets to be found along the way!
- The Hollow Hunt beckons! Play against increasingly difficult opponents as you make your way through this exciting rogue-like game mode, venturing deeper and deeper into the abandoned ruins at the border of the Hellwilds.
- Partake in the Coliseum and battle against opponents online with cross-play across all supported platforms.
- Participate in various Daily and Weekly challenges to earn exclusive rewards.
- Beautifully rendered pixel art awaits you at every twist and turn.
Cross Blitz is the third project from Tako Boy Studios. Development began in 2019, shortly after the completion of their first game, Candies ‘n Curses. Tom, the studio’s lead programmer, has dreamt of developing his own full-fledged card game for years - and Cross Blitz was his opportunity to turn that dream into reality.
Tako Boy Studios is an independent game development studio, co-owned by Tom Ferrer and Phil Giarrusso. Their design philosophy prioritizes juicy, exciting gameplay populated with colorful, quirky characters - building on the foundations of their favorite games, and melding these inspirations with unique twists of creativity. Lovingly crafted pixel art is their specialty.
Community engagement is important to Tako Boy Studios, and they actively participate in discussion on Twitter and Discord with their audience. By listening to players and incorporating their feedback, they aim to develop the best games they can.