Zoeti, an upcoming turn-based roguelike with card mechanics from developer Dusklight Games and publisher Akupara Games, is officially slated to launch on April 20th, 2023. It will be available on PC via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store. You can watch the full announcement trailer on the official Akupara Games YouTube channel here:
At first glance, Zoeti’s new release date trailer feels a little generic. Its storytelling is all too familiar, and the art design is unexpectedly cute. Even the music sounds like traditional fantasy fare. However, the actual mechanics transcend those elements, with different modes, characters, and a clever poker-themed twist on card battling.
Rather than typical fantasy cards with spells or creatures, the heroes will rely on old school poker cards to activate abilities in battle. That’s a fun surprise, although it sort of contradicts the art style. The designs probably shouldn’t have been so friendly, and poker brings to mind other themes anyway. The artwork for the cards is so crisp and ornate, it almost feels like another game.
Either way, the poker mechanics are a brilliant little spin, and it should deliver the edge that Zoeti needed to intrigue curious gamers. Poker has long-established rules, making it a classy way to interpret luck-based draws and action in a fantasy world.
The heroes are nestled in safe tropes, so players can choose the knight, mage, or trickster. But they are distinguished enough by their mechanics to add some fair replay value. There will also be different difficulties, and the game’s official Steam page boasts that players could face “hundreds of different enemies”, which would be quite ambitious.
Overall, Zoeti seems like a solid game with a clever gimmick. Everything looks and feels clean for an indie game, too. But it’d be nice to see something more creatively ambitious from Dusklight Games, which clearly has talent.
You can read more about Zoeti, Akapura Games, and other upcoming roguelike indies by following our news section!
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