Abalon: Roguelike Tactics CCG

Very bugged. Perks don't load and you can't progress, quite annoying. Re: Appreciate the interest. Yes I mean those in fast adventure: I do select them but only the summoner ability *sometimes* loads, all the rest does not.

Abalon: Roguelike Tactics CCG combines tactical turn-based combat, deckbuilding, roguelike progression, and tabletop-inspired exploration into a surprisingly cohesive strategy experience. Developed by D20Studios and published by D20Studios and WhisperGames, it distinguishes itself from conventional collectible card games by turning cards into pieces of a larger tactical system. Instead of simply playing attacks and abilities from a hand, players summon creatures, position characters, manipulate terrain, and take advantage of environmental objects across compact battlefields. Each adventure begins with choosing a Summoner before heading into a fantasy world filled with encounters, quests, merchants, characters, treasures, dangerous enemies, and unpredictable events. Exploration happens at a comfortable pace before encounters transition into turn-based battles. This structure gives the experience the feeling of a digital tabletop campaign, especially when random events and dice-driven situations enter the equation. There is a playful quality to the world as well, with strange creatures and unusual encounters keeping the journey from becoming a predictable sequence of battles. Combat is where the game's different systems work together most effectively. Positioning matters because characters and summoned creatures occupy actual spaces on the battlefield. Terrain, hazards, obstacles, and interactive objects can influence how an encounter develops. Knocking an opponent into danger can sometimes be more effective than attacking directly, while objects scattered around an arena can create unexpected opportunities. These environmental interactions make battles feel like tactical puzzles rather than straightforward exchanges of damage. Deck construction adds considerable depth to these encounters. With hundreds of cards available but only 20 slots in a deck, players have to decide what their strategy is supposed to accomplish rather than simply collecting every powerful option. Cards cover summons, spells, abilities, equipment, and other tactical possibilities, while different magical classes encourage distinctive playstyles. Combining the right Summoner with compatible cards and companions can produce highly specialized strategies, but the roguelike structure means players must also remain flexible when ideal options fail to appear during an adventure. Replayability is one of the strongest aspects of the overall package. Numerous Summoners, recruitable characters, hundreds of cards, multiple environments, randomized encounters, and changing opportunities ensure that subsequent runs can develop differently. Trying another Summoner can substantially alter how a deck is constructed and how battles are approached. The additional PvE Battle Mode is particularly useful for players who enjoy experimentation because discovered cards can be assembled into constructed decks for more focused tactical challenges outside the regular adventure format. The visual presentation supports the tabletop concept nicely. Abalon uses a colorful top-down perspective that prioritizes battlefield readability while still giving environments and creatures plenty of personality. Characters resemble pieces participating in an elaborate fantasy board game, making movement and positioning easy to follow. The fantasy setting can become wonderfully strange, and the willingness to mix conventional heroes and monsters with humorous creatures and unexpected interactions gives the game an identity beyond its mechanical complexity. There is a learning curve because several genres are operating simultaneously. Players unfamiliar with collectible card games may initially struggle with deck synergy, while experienced card players must adapt to movement, positioning, line-of-sight considerations, and environmental tactics. Roguelike randomness can occasionally disrupt carefully planned strategies as well. However, the compact deck size keeps management relatively approa…

This is a highly underplayed and underrated game. I was so impressed by this game that I looked up all the other popular releases around May 11 2023 to see if it was just overlooked by some viral gaming fad that had enthralled the gaming populace, and outside a very popular Switch game, nothing really stood out. So for some reason this masterpiece is sitting on the virtual "back shelf" of Steam collecting dust. Please buy and review this game, it deserves so much more attention, and a sequel.