The 8 Best Roguelike Deckbuilder Games of All Time, Ranked

The roguelike deckbuilder has definitely become one of the most popular genres. So much so, in fact, that some will completely lose interest in the upcoming game when it's described that way. While it's true that we've seen an awful lot of these games in recent years, there's also a very good reason. For those who enjoy fine-tuning decks, experimenting with the effects of different cards, delving into the hidden depths of the title and constantly progressing further and further, these games are absolutely perfect.

A lot of the best roguelikes eschew the main story to focus solely on the runs themselves, and many embrace the concept of deckbuilding. If you're looking for the latter, these are perhaps the best examples ever released.

7

Encryption

A fascinating, terrifying experience that may be too mysterious for some

It is often stated that the players are brand new Encryption If at all possible, you should go into the experience without knowledge and a guide. That's because it has a fascinating, mysterious story to dive into, surprises around every corner, and some incredible moments that you just don't want to spoil beforehand. Suffice to say, the seemingly simple story of Luke Carder and his discovery of a mysterious card game known as “Inscryption” will have far-reaching consequences.

It's far from a traditional horror game, but it provides an extremely creepy atmosphere in everything from the live cards to the mechanics of removing teeth for scoring purposes. The idea of ​​being trapped in a cabin to play, but being able to move around and interact with certain items like in a grim escape room only adds to it. The fact that the game mixes genres and keeps the player guessing ensures that you never feel completely comfortable with the game and what it's trying to do as you progress, which is surely exactly the feeling the developers were going for. At the same time, however, it also detracts from the focus on core deckbuilding, and those looking for a pure experience of just that might find it somewhat detrimental.

6

Griftlands

A huge number of intrigues in which you can get lost

Roguelikes and rougelites often don't focus on narrative and characterization. That's part of what makes it remarkable Hades and its sequel is such a success, it lends further depth to Zagreus and Melinoe's relationships with their companions in the House of Hades and the Crossroads. Klei's Griftlands took a similar tack, tasking the player with taking on the role of one of three very different adventurers on their own unique mission in the Griftlands.

Each campaign takes place over the course of several days, during which you'll need to maintain, modify and upgrade two different decks: One for battles (focusing on attacks and shields in Kill the tower fashion) and one for negotiation. In the latter case, the cards instead deal damage to the opponents' argument or protect your own, and the goal remains to reduce the opponent's HP to zero. This dual system allows the player different choices. For example, you can simply choose to fight and kill a guard to get past them, but instead choose to enter the building they are protecting. This is important because you will meet all kinds of fascinating characters as you travel around the map and explore different areas. You develop relationships with them and they have their own with others and may love or hate you depending on your actions. For example, removing a prominent villain could lead to a character they threatened to love you, but at the cost of one of their loyal followers chasing you.

It's a great and involved system whose extreme relationships with others in the Griftlands result in various benefits. The thing is, there's so much to think about that it can be tricky to manage and you never quite know if a decision you made earlier in the campaign could ruin your chances towards the end. Griftlands it looks fantastic and the fights are pretty varied, but there are a lot of unpredictable twists and turns that could get frustrating.

5

Monster Train 2

Before you board, make sure you're ready to ride

summers of 2020 Monster Train is one of the most famous deckbuilding roguelikes of recent years. Where a lot of titles are quite content to emulate certain aspects of genre legend Kill the tower, Monster Train and its continuation went its own way. It introduced the concept of a train carrying the border, the last of the underworld heat, and the efforts of the heavenly forces to put it out for good. Your goal is to defend this critical resource by deploying your monstrous forces on different levels of the train and defending yourself.

You choose a clan and a secondary clan, each playing quite differently, from which to build your army. They will fight enemies that attempt to attack the Pyre automatically when they are accessible from their position. There is a lot of freedom of customization monster train 2, along with exciting, high stakes and fast-paced combat. However, you may find that there is something of a learning curve, with the sheer number of different effects and strategies taking a long time to get to grips with. If you want to grab everything quickly and vaporize it right from the start, this is a bit of a slower title that requires a significant investment of time to get the best out of it.

4

Shogun Showdown

Some of the meanest fighting you'll find in the genre

Not to be confused with fighting streaks Samurai Shodownthis title is instead an intense deckbuilder starring a samurai who is constantly beset by bloodthirsty enemies. Many genre titles also include turn-based combat and timers that show how long you have left before enemies attack and/or what they're about to do, but things are a little different here. Both your character and enemies fight on a sort of horizontal stage that allows forward and backward movement. Your cards consist of a variety of attacks, from a fairly standard ranged arrow shot to melee moves that can send you flying back to hit an opponent behind you. The turns also reverse, so you really have to pick up every action and keep in mind what all your enemies are planning.

There's a lot to juggle at the same time, with a number of potions that all have different effects, cooldowns on your moves to consider, and the fact that waves of enemies will spawn and become active instantly. It is relentless and requires you to constantly adapt to situations you may never have anticipated. The controls are somewhat unorthodox, and the unique approach may take a while to dawn on players, but when it does, it may well grab you.

3

Cobalt core

Entanglement with hostile life forms in space

Cobalt core is a deckbuilder that focuses on its story rather than some. We start with a fairly basic understanding of the events: We play as a group of three pilots trying to get their spaceship out of a strange time loop in which they are trapped. This attempt will involve fighting another starship in a manner that requires placing your ship in the middle of the battle to ensure that its weapons are aligned with the appropriate point on the enemy ship. That's the big appeal of this adventure: playing with your spaceship and trying out the different attacks and abilities that your combination of crew members (in your deck) gives you.

The event is still appealing because new pilots joining don't just mean new cards. They advance the narrative and have their own unique pieces of the puzzle. This motivates players not only because they improve and unlock more options, but also because there is also a story to progress. Hades He also did a great job with this idea (although of course there are no cards involved). Cobalt core is one of the best entries in the genre, and the only thing keeping it from a higher ranking is that its content isn't as broad and it hasn't made a name for itself. Ultimately, our last two titles are the best of the best.

2

Balatro

It's poker, Jim, but not as we know it

As noted, many roguelikes completely abandon the idea of ​​a main story. Balatro he does not need such trivial matters. You're here to throw cards and aim for increasingly absurd high scores, and that's exactly what you're going to do. Nothing more, nothing less. Some may ignore it Balatro at first sight. From still screenshots, it's far from impressive to look at. When the hypnotic effects start to grab your attention and those numbers and multipliers start dancing across the screen, you realize the true beauty of it. When it clicks with you, it clicks hard, and you realize it's 5am and you're still playing.

Balatro is a wonderful lesson in the purity of the best game design. There is no extra pixel on the screen. You have everything you need, everything works perfectly and you don't waste a moment. It may take some time to learn the finer points of interacting with the Joker, what's effective and what's not, when you should hold onto your money, and other known rogue stumbling blocks, but stick with it despite the initial frustration and you'll see why this one made such a splash upon release. Even if you don't know anything about poker, if you're a fan of the genre, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.

1

Slay The Spire

Still a great genre (if that's possible)

Of course we know that now Slay the Spire 2 is on the way, even if it hasn't graced us with a 1.0 release yet. This is a title that fans of the genre will flock to as soon as possible, as the original was an absolute phenomenon. Although it is very different Balatro When it comes to gameplay, it shares a very important characteristic: an efficient and confident design. He knew exactly what he wanted to be, and there is no superfluous element in his make-up.

From its card balance to its relics, from enemy action icons to potion effects, it's a game that many have tried to emulate ever since. There are officially four different characters (of course the talented modders have added every kind possible) and the balance is amazing. Each plays completely differently and has its own unique mechanics with an exclusive deck of cards. Those who stick around long enough to climb the Ascension ranks with everyone will find themselves developing new tricks and unexpected synergies at every turn, and may end up switching favorite characters several times. You can pick up the basics in minutes (some beginner tips will help), but keep learning new strategies and tricks for months and maybe years. This is the yardstick by which all rogue deckbuilders are measured, and knowing that a sequel is on the way is a real thrill.