Griftlands
Griftlands is a deck-building rogue-like where you fight and negotiate your way through a broken-down sci-fi world. Every decision is important, be it the jobs you take, the friends you make, or the cards you collect. Death comes quickly, but each play offers new situations and strategies to explore. Play as Sal, Rook, or Smith. Three unique character campaigns with their own specialized decks, abilities and maps to explore. Sal is an adventurer out for profit and revenge. Rook is an aging spy working his own agenda. Smith is an idle loafer who might just save the world. Each playable character's story takes place in a unique environment, with different factions and locations to explore and exploit.
What it feels like
Steam reviews and user tags highlight dark humor, suggesting a dry, cynical wit that runs through the world.
What it's about
The setting is explicitly a broken-down sci-fi world with sci-fi factions and locations. Sal's character arc centers on a quest for vengeance alongside profit in her campaign. Rook's character is an aging spy working his own covert agenda, bringing espionage intrigue.
How it plays
Deck-building is explicitly the core mechanic — assembling and refining a deck of cards structures progression and strategy across runs. Combat is resolved through card-based systems where cards are the units and actions of moment-to-moment engagement. Negotiation and persuasion via dialogue choices are equally valid to combat for advancing through the world.
How it looks and sounds
User tags note comic book style; the visual presentation uses bold inked outlines and panel-like framing. Hand-drawn 2D art is noted in user tags and creates the illustrated, character-driven aesthetic.
How it's structured
Play is divided into discrete attempts that reset on loss, with roguelike runs that carry meta-progression between attempts. Explicitly designed as single-player experience with no multiplayer component. Player choices about jobs, relationships, and alliances fork the story into meaningfully different paths and outcomes.
Kindred games
Shares Deckbuilding, Card Battler, Run-Based, Meta-Progression.
Both lean into Card Battler, Deckbuilding, Run-Based, Meta-Progression.
Shares Deckbuilding, Card Battler, Run-Based, Meta-Progression.
Both lean into Deckbuilding, Card Battler, Run-Based, Single-Player.
Shares Deckbuilding, Card Battler, Run-Based, Meta-Progression.
Both lean into Deckbuilding, Single-Player, Run-Based, Card Battler.
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