Dark Sky

This is by far one of the most shallow deckbuilders I've ever played, which is a shame because the systems exist to support something much more robust. Having movement as a defensive option in addition to your standard block cards is interesting, but almost impossible to use in a meaningful way since enemies usually hit your entire side of the field. Card options are incredibly limited and boring. Enemies defense and health drastically outscales player damage, reducing every single fight, no matter how trivial, to a tedious slog of waiting to cycle through your deck enough for kills. There are way better options out there if you want a deckbuilder with some kind of unique spin.

I really wanted to like this game because the story and the environment and especially the character designs are cool. The mechanics of the game are fundamentally sound, but I'm approaching the midway point and the battles have become a slog. The amount of damage party members do barely scale and the best way to take down characters is to attempt chaining the status effects that still aren't explained fully in the tutorial codex. I'm not winning battles because I feel like my deck has improved or focused in any meaningful way despite upgrading as much as I possibly could. I'm winning because I keep retrying the battles (not even boss battles, just regular mid-quest battles where my party members may not start with full health) and taking advantage of the infinite revival mechanic for downed characters and winning via attrition. The deck-building aspect is weak compared to most other deck-building games because there's a more limited pool of cards to choose from. Right now in my game every character has a pool of roughly 10 cards with branching upgrades to choose from, so the flexibility is still limited. And watching as enemies (who also have multiple resistances) throw AOE atta…

Pretty nice Card Battler. The Game oozes Character, especially with Norton playing off pretty much everyone. That Goofball is just too likeable. The Battles are pretty decently balanced and the different Characters have interesting synergy between them. Give it a try!

I would love to recommend this game as I really enjoy the characters, artwork and music but I have to agree with other reviewers that the combat is unbalanced. It's very frustrating to do barely any damage while your party is being wiped out, and just reviving over and over again to make it through the battles. I've attempted to complete the game twice and each time have given up late game. I don't think I'll ever finish the story unless this aspect is addressed.

Dark Sky, developed by Ganymede Games and published by Midwest Games, is a refreshing take on the increasingly crowded deckbuilding genre. Instead of relying on endless roguelike loops, it presents a structured, story-driven adventure that combines tactical positioning, character progression, and card-based combat into a cohesive experience. Set on the troubled world of Wolf Prime, the game invites players into a universe that has been irrevocably changed by a mysterious celestial event. Ships have fallen from the sky, settlements have become isolated, and an unsettling force lingers across the landscape. From the opening moments, the game establishes an atmosphere of curiosity and impending danger, encouraging players to uncover the truth behind the planet's downfall. The story centers on Squig and Norton, two ordinary workers whose lives are disrupted by extraordinary circumstances. Their journey evolves from a simple survival tale into a larger quest involving ancient mysteries, unlikely alliances, and the future of Wolf Prime itself. Throughout the campaign, players recruit additional companions, each contributing unique abilities and personalities that enrich both the narrati…

boring