Griftlands

[h2]I really tried to like this game.[/h2] Watching the promotional materials, everything looked genuinely great- and it still does. The visual style is really well done and has a lot of appeal. However, the story, as well as the combat and negotiation systems, are just boring. The first impression is particularly bad. The starting cards are overly complicated, and the player has to carefully read each one to understand it due to the overwhelming number of mechanics being thrown at them right from the start. It shouldn't be this way - the success of games like Slay the Spire or Hearthstone proves that. The narrative also fails to engage. There’s no proper introduction, you’re just thrown into some missions that feel completely uninteresting and disconnected. If you fix these issues in the next game while maintaining the same strong visual style, the reception will likely be much, much better.

Excellent deckbuilder roguelite with enough variety and flavor that the next run is always appealing. Well made, lots of fun.

A roguelite deckbuilder with some RPG/story elements, set in a comical sci-fi world. The mechanics for each character are interesting and allow for varied strategies. This is one I keep coming back to.

This is a game i would describe as more "interesting" than anything else but it definitely has a lot to offer in the way of art, music and story telling. The combat is a little weird and hard to understand at times but it starts making sense after a while and I would say this is a pretty decent game even though it has some dull moments, some frustrating moments and some totally confusing UI issues but overall, it's worth adding to your library. Great on Steamdeck!

I really wanted to like this game, but something about the whole thing felt way too over conceptualized

Enjoyable to play every character through at least once. Different stories, characters and cards.

Its okay-ish for me but just no drive to play it again. Too much mediocre written plot crap to sift through between fights. A rogue-like that has too much story for the genre.

Griftlands, developed and published by Klei Entertainment, is a refreshingly original blend of roguelike mechanics, deck-building strategy, and narrative-driven RPG elements that sets itself apart in a crowded genre. Released on Steam after a successful early access period, the game offers a compelling mix of negotiation, combat, and story branching that places player choice at the forefront. Klei, known for titles like Don't Starve and Mark of the Ninja, brings their distinctive artistic flair and gameplay innovation to Griftlands, resulting in a deeply engaging and thoughtful experience that emphasizes consequence, adaptability, and storytelling as much as tactical play. Set in a sci-fi world brimming with political intrigue, mercenaries, smugglers, and corporate overlords, Griftlands unfolds across three unique story campaigns, each centered around a different protagonist: Sal, Rook, and Smith. These characters each have their own motivations, playstyles, and social dynamics, provi...

unique gameplay mechanics, very good replayability, great setting and atmosphere - one of the best games i've played iin this genre

Unique story telling meets rouge-like deckbuilder. Exactly the marriage I wanted.