Best Sci-Fi Deck-Builders

Key Takeaways

The deck-building genre is filled with a variety of sci-fi and fantasy options, offering unique and challenging experiences.
Games like Beneath Oresa, Zet Zillions, and Cobalt Core bring innovative twists to the genre, focusing on tactical elements and immersive presentation.
Dune: Imperium merges deck-building and worker-placement mechanics, offering a strategic experience with diverse gameplay and meaningful decisions.

As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours navigating through the realms of digital entertainment, I must say that the deck-building genre has truly come into its own with these remarkable games. Each one offers an unique blend of strategy, immersion, and tactical depth that keeps me hooked for hours on end.

Ever since the meteoric rise of “Slay The Spire,” I’ve noticed that the deck-building genre has been brimming with new entries. Games like “Monster Train” and the latest sensation, “Balatro,” have kept this genre vibrant in the wake of Mega Crit’s groundbreaking release.

In the realm of deck-building games, titles like Slay The Spire and Monster Train captivate players with their enchanting fantasy themes. However, for those who prefer a more futuristic setting, there’s a range of deck-builders tailored to science fiction enthusiasts. Games such as the strategic spaceship combats in Cobalt Core and the tower-defense style gameplay of Tower Tactics: Liberation are just a few examples that offer an exciting sci-fi experience.

1 Beneath Oresa

A Sci-Fi Fantasy Dungeon-Crawl With A Focus On Positioning

Platform(s): PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
Released: 2023
Developer(s): Broken Spear Inc.
Genre: Deck-Builder

In the realm of my favorite games, I’d say Beneath Oesa stands out as a formidable roguelike deck-building adventure with a captivating sci-fi fantasy flair. It masterfully blends classic fantasy motifs with futuristic elements, such as robot characters that add an intriguing twist to the narrative. The game truly shines with its stylish design, featuring unforgettable character models and immersive environments that transport you into another world. Yet, it’s not just about the looks; the gameplay is consistently engaging and rewarding, making each moment a delight to experience.

Except for its 3D visuals reminiscent of comic books, the game Beneath Oresa shares some resemblance with established deck-building games like Slay The Spire, as it incorporates turn-based combat using a card hand. Yet, what sets it apart in the bustling realm of roguelike deck-builders is its strategic focus on positioning within its zone-based system.

2 Zet Zillions

A Competent Deck-Builder With Incredible Style

Beneath its seemingly ordinary deck-building facade, Zet Zillions stands out due to its eccentric themes and visually striking imagery. The unique character designs and vibrant, eye-catching art style bring the game to life. Although its storyline might seem a bit scrambled with creative yet nonsensical elements, it’s the engaging gameplay that truly brings Zet Zillions to life.

In essence, what makes Zet Zillions stand out isn’t just its eccentric style, but also the intriguing blend of card combinations that delivers impressive outcomes. It’s important to note that Zet Zillions follows a roguelike format, which means if you aren’t fond of building up your gameplay through meta-progression, you might want to consider other options.

3 Tower Tactics: Liberation

A Unique Combination Of Tower-Defense And Deck-Building

Platform(s): PC
Released: 2023
Developer(s): asraworks
Genre: Deck-Builder

In this science fiction game that mixes genres, you’ll encounter gameplay that blends classic tower defense strategies with card-building aspects similar to games like Slay The Spire. Despite its simplistic visuals, the intriguing concept and intuitive gameplay mechanics offer a rewarding gaming experience.

In Tower Tactics: Liberation, the gameplay structure is straightforward yet engaging, similar to typical tower-defense games, but with a twist. Instead of setting up towers conventionally, players deploy turrets using cards. As the game progresses, these cards can be added to your deck and you can also collect diverse relics (passive items) that enhance your strategy. Interestingly, the card system isn’t limited to defensive structures; there are spell cards too, which can be used during combat, making each encounter more interactive than traditional tower-defense games.

4 Griftlands

Klei Entertainment’s Blend Of RPG And Roguelike Deck-Builder

In Griftlands, a game that uniquely blends elements of role-playing and deck-building games known as roguelikes, players find themselves immersed in a one-of-a-kind adventure filled with strategic decisions and varying gameplay. Players interact with numerous distinct non-player characters, some of whom can significantly influence the storyline. They also engage in negotiations with potential hazards, confront dangerous adversaries in turn-based combat, and experience a rhythmic flow to the game.

The quality of this game’s design is exceptional, as you might expect from the talented team at Klei Entertainment. Yet, it’s the RPG-style gameplay mechanics that truly shine, offering a more engaging, storyline-focused adventure and making many of the interactions feel mechanical in a satisfying way.

5 Cobalt Core

A Tactical Blend Of Familiarity And Innovation

Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch
Released: 2023
Developer(s): Rocket Rat Games
Genre: Deck-Builder

In terms of deck-building games, Cobalt Core offers an ideal mix of the familiar and the fresh. Gamers take charge of a vessel and its crew of three, each member being an intriguing and captivating character from a diverse ensemble. Each crew member’s abilities are represented by unique cards that players combine to create a thematically engaging deck for commanding their ship during tactical combat scenarios within the game.

The standout feature of Cobalt Core, you’ll find, is its strategic take on the deck-building genre. Rather than being typical, cards in this game let players maneuver their ship left and right, and fire weapons. But here’s a twist: the enemy ship can move as well! This creates a strategic back-and-forth that’s exclusive to Cobalt Core, making it unique. To top it off, engaging storylines and vibrant pixel art design wrap up an appealing gameplay experience.

6 Dune: Imperium

Deck-Building And Worker-Placement Packed With Meaningful Decisions

Platform(s): PC, Xbox, Mobile
Released: 2024
Developer(s): Dire Wolf
Genre: Deck-Builder

Dune: Imperium is a digital version of the well-known board game with the same title, offering a distinctive blend of deck-building and worker-placement strategies. In this game, players employ cards to dispatch agents to diverse locations, each providing its own benefits. Interestingly, these cards usually come with two exclusive effects, one activating upon play, the other during the card-drawing phase.

This results in an incredibly strategic experience packed with meaningful decisions, as nearly every single card played can be a momentous choice. The variety of playable leaders provides their unique strengths and weaknesses, and the diversity of cards and potential strategies keep the gameplay fresh for a good while. Furthermore, the game features a recently released DLC that only adds to the game’s strategic depth.

2024-10-06 01:04