The deckbuilder genre is an incredibly fun style of game that has undergone quite a lot of innovation over the past few years. Games like Slay the Spire have brought the genre into the spotlight by combining classic turned based gameplay and traditional deckbuilding that captivates fans that enjoy theory crafting. As a niche genre, there are still so many games that are doing incredible things. In today’s playlist feature, we shine a light on the top 5 deckbuilders that each offer their own unique take to the genre.
Morimens
Morimens is an amazing and well crafted deck building visual novel game set in a cosmic horror environment. It’s a title that has mostly flown under the radar due to it being a small indie game in a niche genre. However, gameplay and visual design wise it’s one of the best in the deck building category. Combat mechanics and deckbuilding options are deep and strategic. Read more here.
Chaos Zero Nightmare
Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN) is a story driven turn based deck builder with incredible animations and skill effects. Its visceral combat, skill animations and sound effects make each fight satisfying and fun. It’s not too often you get this type of impact from a turn based game, but CZN does this extremely well. Its initial impression is quite favorable with short story segments and combat sequences that are fun. Read more here.
Thronebreaker
Thronebreaker is an exceptionally crafted narrative driven deckbuilder set in the Witcher universe. It’s a smaller scale project compared to the mainline Witcher games; however, it still presents an intriguing narrative full of surprises and twists like you would expect from the series. It also expands upon a modified version of the Gwent card game adapting it for more PVE and puzzle style encounters rather PVP as in The Witcher 3. Altogether, this may be a title that many have missed. Nevertheless, those that enjoy Gwent or deckbuilders or even those new to this world, who are looking for a unique experience with a narrative focus should check this out. Read more here.
Deck of Haunts
Deck of Haunts is a unique take to a tower defense that incorporates deck building and city building elements within a roguelike. The premise is simple. You play as the villain responsible for creating a nightmarish haunted house set to destroy those who enter. You progress by defeating various humans that enter and gain access to more cards/building options. There’s enough creativity in the cards and building elements to allow for combinations that make for a surprisingly fun and addictive experience. The combination of genres gives the gameplay a unique feel allowing for strategic decisions that cater to varying playstyles. Read more here.
Empire in Decay
Empire in Decay mixes chess with deck building and roguelike elements to create a strategic tactical turn based game. In this way you have the deep strategic gameplay of chess mixed with the flexibility of a deck builder and the randomness and challenge of a roguelike. Altogether, it makes for an intriguing mix of ideas that can pull you in with an array of strategic options. Read more here.
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