Novus Orbis is the newest fantasy roguelike deck builder to catch my eye on Steam, and in only a short while playing it has me hooked on its combo-driven combat. Following within the footsteps of the very best card games like Slay the Spire, Novus Orbis is built around the concept of chaining your attacks in specific sequences to maximise their effects. It’s an idea that’s easy but effective, and you possibly can try it out for yourself with a free demo immediately.
If you’re as easily tempted by the delicious roguelike deck builder format of games corresponding to Slay the Spire, Monster Train, Wildfrost, and Nadir, then the essential setup of Novus Orbis will feel like second nature to you. If you aren’t, the structure simply sees you pathing your way through a run by selecting which room to enter next, with symbols denoting whether a fight, treasure, health, a boss, or some form of mystery lies in wait.
Completing fights and opening chests rewards you with cards, which may be used to construct out your basic starter deck into something able to taking down the sport’s hardest foes that lie ahead. As with the likes of Slay the Spire, most cards have a price to play them labeled within the top-left and an effect that happens once you play them. There are also blessings and pets that may be found over the course of a run to further up your power level.
The hook here, nonetheless, lies within the combo system. Many of the cards you’ll collect in Novus Orbis as your run progresses may have a number between zero and 4 denoting their ‘combo value.’ By playing a card at the suitable stage of a combo, you’ll get a bonus effect and advance your combo meter to its next stage. Play an off-combo card, and your meter is reset to zero.
As a straightforward example, the zero-cost ‘Kick’ card I start with deals three damage to a goal enemy, but 4 if I play it while my combo meter is at its starting value of zero. Doing so advances the combo meter to at least one, where now my one1-cost ‘Slash’ attack (listed with a combo value of 1) will deal seven damage as a substitute of its default five, and further increase my combo meter to 2 by doing so.
Reach the highest of the chain, and you possibly can unlock some incredibly potent options. ‘Sword Fracture’ is a four-cost card that, by default, deals only one damage to a goal enemy and resets your combo meter to nothing. Play it once you’ve built your combo all the best way as much as level 4, nonetheless, and Sword Fracture will deliver a monstrous 100 damage as a substitute – the climactic coup de grâce in your efforts.
You’ll must be mindful about the way you construct your combos up, nonetheless. Your foes each have a cooldown that ticks down with every card you play, and again once you end a turn. These are what determine incoming attacks – meaning you won’t at all times be targeted between turns, but you could face a sudden incoming blow midway through your turn in case you aren’t being attentive.
Novus Orbis continues to be in development, but there’s currently a demo available totally free on Steam that offers you the possibility to check out considered one of the sport’s classes (currently “not less than three” are planned for the total release), with over 100 cards, 49 blessings, and 5 pets included already, together with 22 different enemy, mini-boss, and boss fights to check your skills. Give it a shot and see what you think that – I’ll definitely be keeping a detailed eye on this one.
If you’re after more of the very best roguelike games for that one-more-run feeling, we’ve got you covered. Alternatively, browse the very best free Steam games for lots more great options to maintain you busy.
