Slay the Spire

Slay the Spire is a roguelike tactical combat game with 2 modes: an overland map mode and a combat mode. In the map mode you you have limited strategic choices like fighting regular/elite enemies, finding treasure chests, rest sites, etc. In the combat mode you fight monsters using your deck of cards. You start off weak and with very basic cards, but you very quickly start to accumulate quite a deck. You also accumulate relics that give you permanent special abilities.

THE GOOD:

• Very fun tactical combat
• Card system is capable of a lot of sophistication
• Great tutorial—super easy to learn and jump right into the action
• The unlockable playable characters are quite complex and interesting
• Some of the Steam achievements are fun to aim for

THE BAD:

• There is no story at all explaining what the spire is or why you are trying to slay it
• The result of reaching the top is initially weird and underwhelming
• Not all the consequences of your choices are obvious, so expect some of your deaths to feel arbitrary.
• It is practically impossible to aim for a particular build, as your card and relic options are totally random. It can be very frustrating at times to waste an hour on an unlucky run that is doomed to fail.