Monster Train

Lovely, casual deckbuilder that is easy to play and hard to master.
Factions feel sufficiently different in terms of vibe and mechanics.
A run is not that long (about 20 min) so it's great if you want to play something short.

A bit less depth than Slay The Spire, but that's also what makes it good.
9/10

For me, main downside of this game is its "mobile game" graphical style.
Everything else is good, or better. Pretty nice depth, customisation option, good amount of options to choose from during your run, 25 difficulty lvls and even top one feels pretty fair, that's why covenant 25 wins streaks of very experienced players are so high.
DLC is basically mandatory, don't play without it. 8/10. I will buy upcoming MT2 without waiting for any sales.

Fantastic deckbuilding roguelite card battler. One of the best. So much enjoy. Real fun. Good.

Oh this game is phenomenal. Deck building roguelites are a big comfort genre to me, and this game satisfied that niche in a huge way.
Runs can be explosive without too much fiddling, the designs are all neat to look at, the mechanics are mostly fun to fiddle with, and it's super easy to lose yourself in here for hours.
I got to covenant 10 before getting full, at which point I found it difficult to experiment with new builds.
I highly recommend it to fans of the genre.

100%, this game is an awesome roguelite deckbuilder game with tons of variety and replayability.
If you enjoy any aspect of any other deckbuilder-- you will love Monster Train and feel right at home.

Excited for the sequel!

12 of these hours i was asleep with the game up via steam link on my ipad lmao (sleeping w a game on my ipad has been a recurring thing in my reviews)

im new to deck-building roguelikes and this is another that chatGPT kept telling me id enjoy since i like abyssal chaos from LADS. thus far i am really enjoying learning about the cards and how to efficiently complete a run, bc i am really good at getting to a certain point without thinking too much and then the difficulty increases significantly lol. at first i wasnt sure if i liked this game visually, but since playing it, i have come to really like the visual aspects of the game. out of the roguelikes i have played so far, this one honestly might be my favorite-mostly due to the versatility and upgrades you can apply to your cards, but this may change as i continue to play more.

This game is middling. I did enjoy my time with it initially, however its too simplistic in its design space. The factions are cool from a first impression, but all the 'depth' that is so beloved is just number stacking and praying. There is very little variance in how you go about winning, and if you don't follow those limited routes, you will lose no matter what. All of these things though, would be forgivable, were it not for how the developers abandoned this game after making a cash grab dlc, and then decided to make a new game with new factions, still in the same bland art style, instead of continuing to support this one.

They could have continued to rebalance this game with the money from the dlc, but instead they just left it to rot, and I refuse to support any company that doesn't even bother to try and fix their game. It sets a precedent for how they will treat the next entry, and I refuse to be part of that problem.

They left this game to rot, so let the developer rot in return.

Monster Train is great. It's all about building overpowered combos that break the game which is really fun. Sometimes this can make things a bit too easy or uninteresting but I had a great time with it for nearly 30 hours.

Think this is by far my favorite roguelike deckbuilder I have played.
It is a lot easier than some of them. However, I think there is a more nuanced reason why it is so. A lot of decks in monster train can be replicated relatively consistently as long as you know what kind of deck and strategy is good. As such as you get better at the game you are creating crazy synergies more often and it all feels so fast paced and fun.
A true testament to how fun this game is, I think this is the only deckbuilder I consistently go and play the daily challange first before I do anything. They are very well designed and keep the game fresh and interesting consistently.

Game is good as hell. Simple, fun and bullshit free. Love it forever!

I originally put this game off back in 2020 as a "hearthstone looking knockoff".
After picking it up on sale, I can confidently say that the above was false, instead I experienced one of the best deckbuilder roguelikes I've ever played.

I can confidently recommend this to anyone who enjoys deckbuilders and is looking for something similar yet pleasantly different than games akin to Slay the Spire.

10/10 Sweep killing my morsels again D:

Highly addictive, a lot of replayability and some great ideas.

Love this game! Up there with Slay the Spire and Balatro for good Roguelike deck-builders!

Really fun game. Each run is unique with the different class and covenant options. I like the custom challenge options, and the daily challenges are also interesting,

I don't think I'm alone in thinking that one of the strongest appeals of rougelikes/lites (this is a stupid distinction, can we stop using it?) is breaking the game. To have all the pieces line up in such away that the numbers becomes comically large as you quickly defeat once challenging foes. Monster Train is all about those moments and it's biggest trick is that it's built for that. You have to become broken to survive a run in Monster Train. To sweeten this prospect is how the game allows you to mix and match spells, monsters, and buffs to create wild combos in a way that feels free form. The game rewards experimentation and cleverness in satisfying ways that games don't do often enough. In a crowded genre this is easy to recommend standout.

Also buy the DLC. Not only does it add more stuff, but it opens up the gameplay and allows even more broken combinations.

I like the format of placing units against other units. like battle cats or age of war

One of the best roguelikes I have ever player. Got it dirt cheap since the sequel is coming out, which I'm getting day 1

You'll probably like Monster Train if (but not only if!): You liked Slay the Spire, and want to play another one of the very best deckbuilder games available today (as of March 2025), with its own unique, fun gameplay mechanic (the three separate train floors) -- and you don't mind playing as the "forces of Hell" (although it seems that the "forces of Hell" may not actually be the "bad guys" in the Monster Train world!)

"Monster Train — a hellish blast on wheels! 🚂🔥

If you think you've seen everything in the world of deck-building games, hold on tight — this train doesn't just follow the tracks; it races through hell at breakneck speed!

From the very first minute, Monster Train takes your breath away. You think you're playing a regular card strategy game, and then BAM — suddenly, you're dealing with three floors, a bunch of demons, and a whirlwind of fiery chaos! Have you ever defended a train with infernal fuel from an army of heavenly creatures? No? It's time to try!

Every run is a new story. You pick your cards, collect artifacts, strengthen your demons, and everything seems to be going smoothly... until some boss shows up and starts tearing your ranks apart. But that's the beauty of it — each time, you get stronger, smarter, and come up with new strategies. Plus, the huge variety of faction combinations makes every battle truly unique.

The graphics are vivid, stylish, and perfectly emphasize the atmosphere of infernal madness. The soundtrack is a gem for fans of epic battle tunes, and the design of cards and demons is simply delightful.

Monster Train isn't just a game; it's a challenge you want to take on again and again. Grab your ticket and embark on a journey full of fire, pain, and pure enjoyment!

I think this is a good game for those that like rogue games, but get frustrated by the difficulty that most of them have. It is a very casual and fun game, it has a good variety and so far it seems that there is flexibility on how you want to play, more cautiously, or agressive. The different main champion with the combination allow for a lot of playability so each run will feel different for a while.

A solid card battler that is quick to pick up and with a decent amount of content to unlock as you progress.
The soundtrack is great too!

This is a rare format that needs to be stolen again and again. It's genius. Music, sound design, presentation, UI, writing, and art direction are all 10/10 no notes. I never had a frustrated moment. It's a delight to play winning or losing.

This is a great game to play while watching movies or what not. I actually like it alot better than slay the spyre because it's based on full team/card sets as opposed to for one character. I don't have any complaints about this at all.

Yes the UI looks like a mobile game SLOP but the game is actually as good as the ratings suggest. Worth the price tag.

EDIT: let me tickle the shopkeeper please

Monster Train is truly one of the greats of the genre. If you love Slay the Spire or other similar roguelikes then this game is a must buy. In my opinion, the biggest thing that keeps this from being the same level of Slay the Spire is the impact of micro decisions on overall gameplay. You can see the effects of the small decisions you make on every floor of STS in higher ascensions, whereas in Monster Train you are fine until you aren't. It can be quite jarring at first as most of the floors are practically inconsequential from a health preservation and overall difficulty standpoint and then you can just get crushed by a boss.

I believe this was a very conscious decision by the Devs as you know from the very start of the run which boss you will be fighting at the end of each "Act". This makes it so you know what types of decks and units you should be building and thus helps shape your run much earlier. Knowing these things is a difficulty curve in itself that you get used to with time, but it does feel like it takes away at times from the decision making process in-between boss fights.

Regardless, this is a phenomenal game that deserves the praise it gets and I can't wait for the second iteration in the series coming out later this year.

One of my all time favorite deck builders. I have probably 200 more hours of this on Game Pass, and I still play it all the time. Wish it worked better on Steam Deck though!

The train theme and the overall look of the game was honestly a huge turn off. I only purchased this game because it went on a super sale, and honestly I regret my harsh judgement. My only gripe with this game is that they directly and completely stole a ridiculous amount of ideas from Slay the Spire. The enemies are graphically and mechanically rip offs in multiple spots and the relics and cards have a ton of 1:1 straight up plagiarized content. The developers of STS don't seem to mind though! It's very well utilized and feels great, if you had no prior experience with Slay the Spire you'd think nothing of it.

This game is like playing 3 copies of Slay the Spire at once. It's deep. Its complex. It's a deckbuilder. Its a tower defense. There's SO much to unpack in the games mechanics. You really truly feel like every run is completely different. Most roguelikes after about 10-20 hours feel very same-same but different. This game IS different. The idea of selecting a Primary Tribe and a Secondary Tribe really help the complexity of deckbuilding, allowing for some seriously cool and unique ideas. They really took a lot of Slay the Spire and made it MORE and made it set up in a very streamlined and efficient way. This game is an absolute masterclass in the Roguelite genre. You will not find a more complex deckbuilding game on Steam. Knowing what I know now, I would happily pay $20 for this game. But damn am I happy I spent under $5! Don't let the weird graphics and theme turn you away, this is awesome.

One of the most unique and fun Rogue-like deckbuilders out there. The art is charming and the gameplay is very addicting. A must-try for any fan of the genre.

Nice variation on the rogue-lite theme. Fun, fast, nice UI, variety of builds with 6 factions * 6 archetypes per faction * mixing 2 factions.

fun deck building game with a twist definitely worth a look

I just made it to covenant level 2 without using a guide. FYI, it was hard and took some perseverance.

Is it better than Slay the spire? I'd say maybe. Both are extremely addictive.

I'd rank them StS: Downfall, then StS, then MT in that order. However, they are all a solid 9/10.

Definite must buy if it's on sale.

Monster Train, Slay the Spire. Okay I said the two things. I'm going to compare them for those who are hungry for a deck builder at the moment. StS focuses on gradual micro choices over combats. There more frequent, but the impact isn't immediate until a bit later. Monster Train is similar, but more viseral in its choices. This can make it a bit harder to parce what a good choice is, but gives you more apparent benifits. Instead of 20 choices, some combat, some not, building to a boss fight. This game has 8-9 fights, and a box of choices to make per segment that feel a lot more impactful. So, it stands out, its cool, and might just scratch that itch if you have it. Give it a shot.

Got super addicted to it, played 50 hours and beat rank 25 in a little over 1 week, GREAT GAME.

Will be no lifing the sequel when it comes out

In the moment of writing slay the spire has 97/100 and this has 96/100, in that one percent there is a lot of quality. Monster train plays (and looks) like a generic mobile game. Monster train is one of the easier card games and is probably great if you have little or no experience with this kind of game but it will offer a veteran player nothing but dull disappointment.

Fun and addicting. Easy to learn, hard to master. They really knocked it out of the park with this one.

If you were playing Balatro, and want to try something a bit more complex but not nearly as hard to get in to as Slay the Spire, this is your game. It has the same feel to it with the way everything plays out after placing your units and playing your spells to provide that similar dopamine hit as Balatro when your jokers and hand are popping off.

Watch a video first, and even though it may feel intimidating, you catch on quick. BTW Umbra is awesome once you unlock that faction/deck.

As a huge fan of rogue-likes, deck builders, synergies, and replayability, this game certainly scratches that itch. I wouldn't consider it super underrated, but I feel like it still deserves more attention and to be included in more conversations alongside some of the other great in the space (Binding of Isaac, Slay the Spire, etc). I'd personally put it in my top 5 out of the ones I have played.

Every run is unique enough to keep you coming back. Plenty of different characters and builds. Plus the unique mechanic of choosing a combination of 2 characters for each run means that the diversity is definitely there.

If you are a fan of Slay the Spire then this is a must play. If you are a fan of deckbuilder games in general this is a must play. Such a great game and on sale for $7 on Steam sale is a steal for many hours of entertainment. Also a second game is coming soon!

Game has been out awhile, what more could I add? It is a great deck builder with nice visuals and tons of combo builds.

Fantastic. If you like Slay the Spire, this will keep you going. Unlike that game, having more than the one hero / unit is a good feature that makes it more fun. Pretty easy to learn but gets more interesting as you unlock things.

I love playing this game it has many choices for strategy and feels complex enough to keep my interest. There are a couple clans to pick from to play and each has a different way to play. Plus each clan has 2 heros to pick from and depending on the hero you pick, your strategy will change. Plus when you play and pick a main clan you will pick a secondary clan to be a supporting group, so depending on what 2 clans you play together will also change your strategy. There are many choices to make between battles depending on the cards you draw that adds more ideas to your strategy. You start out with only 2 clans to play and the more you play them other clans will unlock and introduce new ways to play. I have been looking for a game that can keep my interesting like this for a while... thanks developers.

Pretty fun. Similar to other games in its genre but feels less punishing than a game like Slay The Spire for example, more of a roguelite than roguelike experience. Got it on sale for like $3 so would recommend it at that price 100%.

A truly excellent game. It gives your deck and unit a great room for improvement in every run, and in particular an RPG-like feeling of preparing your "hero" for the final battles.

Having 6 clans (one in DLC), mixing any two clans in any run, and choosing two variants for both clans all create a lot of replayability.

I think the game is very easy to understand, so that's another advantage. After playing for 10+ hours, you might begin to realize that there is some mechanics that you're not sure about (which is maybe the only slight cons of this game), but the game's wiki pages will solve this problem.

A very well structured turn-based game with rogue-like or possibly arcade-like elements depending on what you believe is rogue-like. Things will end eventually but you will progress as you gather better cards and evolve what cards you have.

The play field is multiple levels of train cars with the top car containing your Pyre or heartbeat of your train which you need to protect. Think of it like Donkey Kong with the top Car containing the princess. Creature cards are placed per Car on each level and the enemy starts from the bottom Car and works its way upwards. Again this is turn based with a limited amount of cards you can play in your hand which will contain creature cards as well as spells etc. The enemy marches towards the top each turn (ala Tower Defense) and if you can't stop them from reaching your top car then they will take a whack at your pyre which will also attack them back with extremely high damage. At some point the final round starts, the boss appears and marches it's way upwards.

Defeat the boss and you win, your train advances to the next map where you can do some upgrades get rid of some cards, purchase spells etc and then the next round begins on that map with a new boss.

At some point you won't have good enough cards or enough cards to win in which case the game ends and when you start a new 'run' you add to what you've been doing so you slowly get stronger and stronger.

The game is very very well balanced a blast to play and all the reviews here are accurate absolutely worth purchasing.

Yeah it's pretty good. Feels like a roguelike deckbuilder tower defense, a bit more loose feeling than Slay the Spire or Darkest Dungeon. There's nothing in it that feels super "wow amazing that's so cool" but it's a solid take on the genre and hits hard on the engine-building.

Permanent ads on Homescreen.
Always tacky, ugly, invasive form of ad creep.
Always a downvote.
Stop trying to normalize this practice.

This game is incredible. Very addicting, you will spend lots of time thinking of what to do next while not stressing yourself out, it's the perfect level of complexity. This makes time fly so beware.

Played it a ton on gamepass when it first launched. Bought it to support the devs on the second installment. This is easily one of my favorite roguelite-card battlers and Im super excited for the next one!

When Slay the Spire is about the meticulous, finely granular gameplay pattern of slowly building your deck by compromising between slightly better-statted cards for deck-size (and keeping an eye for insane card draws), Monster Train is about the explosive, broken combo of card games.

Were MTG Blue-White control is StS, then MT is amalgamation of Jund deck: it's about all the explosive turns, the big dudes, and the creative interlinks that glue the whole deck together.

MT skips the slow-burn of deckbuilding game by offering various cards which have absurd effects/stats for their mana costs, and since the stage is inspired from Dante's Inferno's 9 rings of hell, each ring gives you progressively more rewards as you complete each ring. At first and second ring, you may just remove a card or add a couple upgrades to a few core pieces, but by the final 8th ring, you can upgrade 3 cards, duplicate your best-upgraded-rarest card, remove multiple junks, buy 3+ relics, and so on. It is a nice stage progression that doesn't overwhelm you at the start of the run, but once you get the feel and direction of your deck from the card and relic drops each ring, you'll find yourself hammering and molding the deck to perfection as you go.

Admittedly, the Covenant levels (StS Ascension difficulty level) strictly limits the archetype variety on max difficulty, so RNG become more pronounced there than StS. But don't let that discourage you the best part the game has to offer: the daily challenge. Even better: community-created challenge. People added rules and restrictions that, while breaking the base difficulty, enhances the fun part of the game. I even encourage you to delve deep this mode just to understand the secret sauce of deckbuilding before tackling high Covenants.

Monster Train is very similar to Slay The Spire. The two games are virtually identical in concept, but different enough to be their own games.

Big difference between the two is Monster Train is far more forgiving with RNG and card/relic selections. Where Slay the Spire can and will throw complete bullshit at the player that will kill a run whether its stacking crap cards or picking a boss that the deck you built won't work against, Monster Train offers a different, less frustrating play style where the cards and decks available to the player synergize better making it easier to build a deck. The game's design compliments the RNG pretty well making it rather gentle. It doesn't feel designed to fuck the player over and piss them off like Slay the Spire does.

Difficulty wise, Monster Train's is variable. Playing it straight is pretty easy, but it's set up in a way where you have the option to crank up the difficulty pretty high if things are going to easily for you.

I've only played for a few hours and its pretty addicting. Finding it very enjoyable so far.

Presently Monster Train is on sale for pocket change. Not sure if its ever going to go as low as $2.50 again, but that price is a fucking steal for what it offers.