Mage Tower: Call of Zadeus

How this game isnt MUCH more popular, is beyond my understanding- I stumbled upon it purely coincidental, and hesitated to even try it, as the videos and screenshots left me with the impression that this would be another half-baked STS-clone. But, i honestly couldnt have been more wrong: Call of Zadeus is actually a LOT more than "just" another roguelike-deckbuilder. Its a very fleshed out card-rpg in the spirit of Magic: Shandalar, where you wander around, collect cards and battle enemies in turn-based card-battles, but has been improved in every possible way: - You dont start with one fixed character, but choose from different classes. - There are a lot of ways to interact with the world. You can construct buildings, upgrade or remove cards, buy new cards (and there are LOTS of 'em), alter your cards in specific ways, discover dungeons, find artifacts, experience events with clear outcomes, and, of course, fight for loot and ressources. - Battle-mechanics are very simple and easy to understand, but at the same time, complex and deep: You get 7 mana per round to play cards. Spells and creatures that deal damage will target the first enemy (if not stated otherwise), and overla…

Really good deckbuilder with a very unique combat system that feels great when you get into the swing of things. Lots of unlocks and different classes that promote different playstyles. Mostly reviewing because the game definitely deserves more love. Criminal how under the radar it is.

This game is based on a terrific tabletop tower defense card drafting game. When this game first released to backers in early development, it was essentially that card game with a clunky overland map. To be clear, all I was hoping for was a digital version of the card game, and this was great. Most of the cards were the same as the print game. There were some signs of innovation in some of the monster decks. I enjoyed playing it and set it aside. Returning to this now, it is a different and dramatically improved game. Virtually all of the cards have been changed, the progression has changed, the variety of available monsters to battle is substantially increased, as are the other mechanisms (relics, town abilities, character classes, etc.) I cannot believe the amount of work that this developer has put in to this project and would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Mage Tower or who is interested in a variation on fantasy-themed deckbuilding.

I am thoroughly enjoying my time with this game. For a while I have been looking for a Shandalar like, and this game is able to scratch that itch. Currently, 22.11.2025, during early access, the game is still quite rough around the edges, but that mainly relates to the visuals. There are bugs to be found, and the graphics range from perfectly fitting to 3D objects without shadows. BUT, the gameplay is fluent, and the card play is enjoyable and not affected by the graphics. The bad graphics are contained to story scenes, and the cards are beautiful. Deckbuilding and deck battles are a lot of fun, and all the cards feel unique. Cardplay manages to feel very fair with the possibility to build powerful decks. If you want to try a Shandalar like, that does not have enemy deck AI problems and combat that is not easily trivialized, try this game.

This is the most fun roguelike I've ever played in the first 3 hours I've invested into it. UI/UX is a bit rough but this game is an actual hidden gem if I've ever seen one

I kickstarted this ages ago and got tired of waiting for full release so I gave it a try today. No idea what Shandalar is, but I really enjoyed this game! A little unlike other card battlers I have played, yet the mechanics are pretty easy to figure out with a little trial and error. I liked the aesthetics as well.