deckbuilder Archives

AppWizard

March 2, 2026

This week in PC games: Marathon, Slay The Spire 2, a promising Disco-like RPG and a monastic garden mystery

This week features a variety of new PC game releases, including: - The Abbess' Garden: A life simulation game set in the 17th century where players restore a botanical sanctuary. - Sad God: A game where players navigate a shaft filled with threats to reach the surface before lava engulfs them. - The Legend of Khiimori: An open-world courier game set in 13th-century Mongolia, now in early access. - Esoteric Ebb: A single-player CRPG where players investigate an explosion at a teashop during an election. - Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered: A remaster of the classic title focusing on narrative and choice. - Humanica: A city-building game where players can edit the landscape of their prehistoric city. - Luxman Moonlit Market: A night market simulation game with a unique art style. - Scott Pilgrim EX: A side-scrolling brawler based on the Canadian comic book series. - Slay the Spire 2: The sequel to the roguelite deckbuilder, now in early access. - Card Cultivation: A game combining elements of Cultist Simulator with Chinese mythology. - Planet of Lana II: A puzzle-platformer where players save a cyborg world alongside a kid and their pet. - Age of Barbarians Chronicles: An action game with a sword-and-sorcery theme. - Here Comes The Swarm: An early access survival RTS where players fend off gigabeetles. - Marathon: Bungie's reboot of the classic FPS set in a rich lore universe. - Ratcheter DX: An adventure game challenging players to escape a sunken ice base. - Mr. Peregrino: A game set in the 19th century where players manage food supplies while escorting pilgrims. - Over The Top: WW1: A game where players experience the frontlines of World War I. - Aethus: A game where players investigate a lost science expedition on a desert world. - Post-Apocalyptic Technician: Players repair Stroggs as an underground technician. - Frog Abundance: An exploration game centered around frogs in various time periods. Team members at RPS express interest in different titles, with Ollie favoring Marathon, James interested in Planet of Lana, Mark leaning towards automotive adventures, and Julian considering writing about Slay the Spire 2.

AppWizard

February 22, 2026

The devs of a promising Slay the Spire-alike are delaying their game to Dodge and Roll away from Slay the Spire 2’s launch: ‘You’ll be playing it, we’ll be playing it, everyone will be playing it’

Slay the Spire, a highly acclaimed deckbuilding roguelike, debuted in 2019 and received a 92% review score from PC Gamer's Evan Lahti. Its sequel is set to enter early access on March 6. The studio 58BLADES initially planned to release their game Handmancers during the #TurnBasedThursdayFest but decided to delay it due to the announcement of Slay the Spire 2, fearing it would overshadow their launch. They aim to enhance Handmancers with additional content and polish before release. The gaming industry increasingly avoids launching games on prominent dates to improve visibility and success, as evidenced by data from 2025 showing that nearly half of the 19,000 games released on Steam received fewer than 10 user reviews.

AppWizard

February 17, 2026

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and The Witcher 3 are coming to Game Pass

Xbox has added several titles to its Game Pass lineup for February, including: - Available Now: - Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass across multiple platforms. - Avowed in the Game Pass Premium library. - Aerial_Knight’s DropShot, a single-player skydiving first-person shooter. - Upcoming Releases: - On February 24: TCG Card Shop Simulator in Game Preview. - On February 25: Dice A Million, a roguelike deckbuilder. - On February 26: Towerborne, a co-op action RPG transitioning from game preview and early access. - Notable Titles Coming on March 3: - Final Fantasy III and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, which received multiple nominations at The Game Awards.

BetaBeacon

January 30, 2026

10 Games To Play On Your Phone Instead Of Doomscrolling

- Slay the Spire is a popular roguelite deckbuilder game that was released on PC and console in 2019 and later brought to iOS and Android. - The game offers quick plays on mobile devices and allows players to pick up where they left off. - It is considered one of the best games ever made and offers infinite play time. - The mobile version of Slay the Spire is properly priced. - The game Balatro, a poker-ish game, became popular on PC and console before being released on iOS and Android in 2024. - Like Slay the Spire, Balatro is worth the price and offers a unique experience with each run. - Polimines Deluxe is a puzzle game that combines elements of Picross, Hexcells, and Minesweeper. - The mobile version includes both Polimines 1 and 2, offering a challenging and clever gameplay experience. - The game makes players feel like geniuses when solving puzzles and is reasonably priced.

AppWizard

January 30, 2026

The Monster Train 2 DLC is very good: the Railforged, a challenging new mode, and a mechanical spider factory

The author has logged 370 hours and achieved 127 victories in Monster Train 2, feeling their journey was complete until a pre-release build of the DLC Destiny of the Railforged reignited their passion. The DLC introduces new mechanics, such as smelting blight cards into resources and a forge system that enhances strategic decision-making. It includes a new mode called Soul Savior, featuring enhanced units, powerful upgrades called souls, and increased difficulty with formidable enemies and new status effects. The DLC is set to release on February 2 at a reasonable price, enriching the gameplay experience and expanding the Monster Train 2 universe.

AppWizard

January 27, 2026

This week in PC games: is Highguard a nothingburger? Plus, Winnie the Cthulhooh, Code Vein 2 and a plant-based RTS

- John Highguard: A sci-fantasy raid shooter developed by former creators of Apex Legends and Titanfall. - Winnie’s Hole: An early access title that transforms Winnie the Pooh into a cosmic horror roguelite. - Echoes Of Elysium: An early access game featuring six-player co-op in a procedural clockwork world. - Earth Must Die: A point-and-click sci-fi comedy from the creators of The Swindle and Lair of the Clockwork God. - The Spirit Lift: A roguelite deckbuilder set in a haunted hotel. - Roots Devour: A game where players control a malevolent tree deciding the fate of humans. - DON’T LET THEM IN: A horror game where players are supermarket clerks dealing with cautious customers. - Lanesplit: A first-person biking simulator with a cinematic style. - Ghost Keeper: An early access title where players manage a house full of ghosts. - Nova Antarctica: A post-apocalyptic game set in Antarctica focused on mysterious signals. - The Midnight Walkers: An early access extraction shooter set in a megamall with a poison gas mechanic. - Calyx: An RTS game featuring a military force against plant life. - Feastopia: A city-builder roguelite where players feed an infant god to avoid becoming part of the menu. - Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator: A sequel that escalates the absurdity of its predecessor. - Cairn: A climbing adventure game with narrative depth. - I Hate This Place: A survival crafting horror game inspired by comic books. - Don’t Stop, Girlypop: An arena shooter with Y2K aesthetics. - Code Vein 2: The latest entry in the anime Soulslike genre featuring time travel mechanics. - Half Sword: An early access physics-based medieval combat game. - Front Mission 3: A remake of the classic turn-based mech game.

AppWizard

January 9, 2026

I’ve just found a new cutesy Balatro, but instead of a deck of cards you get to tend to a garden and harvest flowers

The author began playing the game Balatro late and transitioned to a new game, Chosen Garden, at the beginning of 2025. Chosen Garden is a roguelike deckbuilder set to launch in March 2025, where players nurture a magical garden and face unpredictable weather every three rounds. Players start with a 9x9 plot and must harvest within a 3x3 area, with each round requiring them to meet a point goal. Harvesting yields coins for acquiring new plants, tools, or animals. The gameplay is similar to Balatro, making it accessible for players familiar with it. The author experienced challenges during gameplay, including a sandstorm that affected their score, ultimately finishing with under 300 points.

AppWizard

January 6, 2026

What games did you play over the holidays?

During the holiday season, various games captivated players in the gaming community: - Herdling: Players guide twelve creatures called Calicorns to the summit of a mountain within three hours, earning achievements along the way. - Ball x Pit: An indie roguelike that combines elements of Vampire Survivors with pinball mechanics, where players collect and upgrade balls to fend off enemies. - Lusternia: Age of Ascension: A text-based MMO where players engage in a fantasy setting as a snake-man Monk, featuring a community-driven experience with no microtransactions. - Tanto Cuore: A deckbuilder game where players hire anime maids and balance hiring staff while competing against rivals. - Lushfoil Photography Sim: A game focused on recreating photographs using a DSLR in serene landscapes, transforming exploration into an engaging experience. - Fallout 3: A nostalgic return to the game, played without mods, reaffirming appreciation for its atmosphere and quests. - Kletka: A multiplayer horror game set in a dystopian environment, emphasizing cooperative gameplay and resource management.

AppWizard

December 27, 2025

Slay the Spire gets the best Christmas present a deckbuilder could ask for: a new all-time concurrent player peak on Steam nearly 7 years after release

Slay the Spire recently achieved an all-time high for concurrent players on Steam, surpassing its previous peak of over 33,000 players from early access in 2018, with a current count of around 35,000 players. During the 2025 winter sale, the game was offered at a low price of .49, attracting many new players. Anticipation for Slay the Spire 2 and the popularity of the Slay the Spire board game, which has a user rating of 8.7/10 on BoardGameGeek, have also contributed to the game's resurgence.

AppWizard

December 14, 2025

Bargain Balatro-like deckbuilder launches to 91% Steam rating, and bundles with some of the best fake-gambling games

This Ain't Even Poker, Ya Joker, developed by Mash, launched on Steam last Thursday and has received a 91% positive rating from users. The game is priced at .99 or £3.99 and is marketed as an idle deckbuilding clicker game where players flip cards to earn money, expand their hand, purchase new decks, unlock upgrades, and aim to defeat the Jester. It offers a lighthearted alternative to traditional poker and is designed to be engaging and entertaining. The game is available at an introductory price until December 25, after which the price will increase by a dollar.