Vault of the Void

All the classes/characters feels pretty much the same and there is a lot of keywords in the cards and it is annoying that you have to read a lot instead of just chilling while playing

It would be better if the devs approach was "easy to learn, hard to master" instead of "annoying to learn"

The game is not bad, but i don't feel like playing this after just 3 hours of gameplay

Vault is a pretty great rogue deckbuilder. It is deterministic - no random elements - which is interesting and makes it entirely about strategy. This is a game for experienced Slay the Spire players. The mechanics are designed to provide variety and complexity for advanced players at the expense of Easy to Learn. For Example the threat system is pretty unintuitive and weird. Also the class mechanics and card mechanics are complicated and obtuse in many areas. If you're willing to handle some complexity, its a great addition to the genre.

great game. similar to STS, but has enough of its own unique mechs that its also a solid taker for gold standard in this genre.

A fun and well crafted roguelike deckbuilder. Not the best I've played, but definitely quite good and I've beaten it now on several difficulties with all the classes. If you can get this on sale it's even more of a no-brainer.

Card games as a genre can best be described as simple and fun.
Thats the whole point, easy to pick up and understand then you can start to figure out beneficial interactions and powerful strategies.

Vault of the void just has way too much going on, too many keywords/interactions/systems all thrown at you from the start with zero pacing.

Its like a 6 year old trying to tell you a story, they just include anything they can dream up that sounds cool and more is always better.

If Slay the Spire is a 10/10
Vault of the Void is also a 10/10

More people should know about this game

Really fun deck builder with a lot of great features with gameplay similar to Slay the Spire. Customize your deck, choose your path, fight various enemies. A few highlights
- Plan and highlight your route knowing enemies and possible rewards before hand
- Fun card mechanics such as purging a card to gain energy,
- The ability to add certain stats/abilities with void stones to individual cards as well as each card having an upgrade
- Variety of starting characters each with various decks and spells as well as the ability to get new spells,
- Strong user experience with a lot of quality of life features such as showing the damage/effects before playing a card, map legend, and an option for labeled keyboard controls so you can see the number of which card you're playing

Awesome Deckbuilder Game with TONS of cards and artifacts. All characters play very differently.

There is a lot here, and so far all of it plays really smoothly. And if you like unlocking new things after runs, ooh boy, modifiers/custom setups/cosmetics galore.

Way too many battle effects. After upgrading and socketing a card, it can have like 5+ effects, which then interact with 7+ other board effects when you play it. End up spending a ton of time re-reading all the cards and effects in play...

Other reviewers who have likened it to Slay the Spire and Monster Train are correct, but the major advantage those games had was their simplicity. They managed to keep text to a minimum while still providing a ton of possible strategizing. Vault of the Void doesn't do this at all. It feels a bit like throwing darts at a board when you play a card.

First of all, the game needs a lot of polish. The UI is sluggish and has a really alpha-build look and feel to it. And since the UI is where the gameplay matters, it matters a lot.

But the mean reason I can't recommend however is that it is too complex. This is from someone who has 500+ hours in StS with all characters on Ascension 20. Complexety from mastery is a thing, complex for complexity sake is another.

I would give it a thumbs up if the market wasn't so saturated from this genre. Slay the Spire being the reference obviously but even games like Monster Train, Roguebook, Tainted Grail are games inspired by StS but with a more unique touch and better execution than Vault of the Void.

If you have 500h+ in StS and you played the other 3 games mentionned then yes you might enjoy it a bit.

Great value for money! Different spin to most card based games, the energy system is fun when you get the hang of it.

This game is awesome. It's almost like if Slay the Spire and Ring on Pain had a kid (obviously also has very unique features). I somehow got an achievement with only 1.2% in my first run so idk what you guys are doing, maybe it was a new boss lol

Yeah, super fun game so far, can't wait to keep playing and I really liked the mechanic of unlocking things and characters as you go. Keeps it very engaging and the dev seems to keep adding stuff... so it's just a great game

Should be overwhelmingly positive so I'm mostly just reviewing to try to help it squeak above that 95% since it's so close

Incosistent. I bought a potion on level two and when I tried using it against the boss I didn't have it on me. Some items that are supposed to trigger don't actually give you the value.

If you like Slay the Spire and Monster Train then you'll like this. Just a little different than those.

I've always enjoyed deck builders but could never get fully into them like some people. The RNG always made it hard for me because I'd get an idea in my head of how I'd want to build out my deck, but I'd have to inevitably abandon that idea because I wouldn't get the cards I need or I'd get too many of other cards that took away from my deck. I recognize in most deck builders part of the skill and strategy is being able to roll with the punches and make an awesome deck out of what you are given, but I've always been more drawn to the idea of focusing in on a specific set of strategies, and tweaking them and running them into the ground until I decide to try something else.

Vault of the Void really hits that sweet spot for me. Some ways Vault of the Void reduces RNG

You have a fixed deck size of 20 (not counting affliction cards), which means you don't have to worry about when to purge cards from your deck, and trying to maintain an ideal deck size.

You can also see card rewards ahead of time so you can plan your route to work towards the deck you want. That's not to say the game can't and won't throw you curveballs in terms of the types of enemies you face, some you will be less prepared for than others. But so far it has been a very satisfying gameplay loop.

I really like the way the classes feel in the game, each of the 4 classes feels very distinct in the styles of play while still having a good bit of variety. Each class has 2 starter decks to pick from which can drastically change the kinds of deck you build, plus a third one that can be unlocked. As an example, the hidden (thief/assassin archetype that you start with) can pick between a blade focused deck, which focuses around hitting multiple times iwth a single attack, or a bleed based build.

This is the first time I've felt excited about trying to rise up the difficulty levels in a deck builder and I look forward to playing it more. Oh also my hours on here aren't totally reflective as I've been playing on my phone and computer. the game supports very seamless transitioning between phone and computer allowing you to pick up where you left off.

It's my first ever game in this genre, very enjoyable, easy to understand but difficult to successfully finish a run.
I already got well over my moneys worth. Free demo sold it to me,
Highly recommended for filthy casuals like myself

Best deckbuilder roguelike if you like Slay the Spire with tons of mechanics and keywords.

UX and tutorial is not very ideal, so I guess this is just for rather hardcore players, or you would be overwhelmed by all the mechanics.

Nice little roguelike deck builder. Nice to see developers using actual art instead of pixel graphics or 'stylized' mush. I think I liked Across the Obelisk better in that genre, but both games are good and worth playing. I have to say, there's isn't much innovation here and it's all very classic for the genre, but it's a new set of cards, bosses and monsters, so a new set of puzzles. There are excuses aplenty to replay if you need them, with 200+ achievements, various 'challenges', grindy class unlocking/mastery, etc. If you like the genre, it's technically solid, well put together and very playable, if a bit 'classic'.

11/10

Great game so far - reminds me of monster train more than anything - though there are lots of similarities with StS too! Good balance, and the intro (tutorial) and normal mode are relatively 'easy' but not so easy that you can always beat the boss on the first go. Different card types for different characters means you can try different strategies each time. Looking forward to playing it some more! It definitely scratches the deckbuilder/roguelite itch! :)

I like this game because Tempest believes in the Heart of the Cards.

But for actual review, some pros and cons:

Pros:
- Very satisfying card system, where destroying cards from hand grants energy, thus making Draw mechanics far more valuable
- Classes are all very unique and approach combat differently
- Interesting map traversal, you can take incredibly short or long paths by traversing both horizontally and vertically
- You can view all cards offered on a floor from the getgo, letting you make a rough gameplan of your deck
- Fights have mechanics you need to pay attention to, even when you're having a crazy run
- You can adjust your deck at any time, swapping cards in and out.
- Void stone system gives card customization options beyond mere upgrading.
- Great boss variety. Bosses sometimes have mechanics that lead you to adjust your whole deck.

Personal loves:
- Your deck size is set at 20 cards. Some may not enjoy this, but I love the extra thought you go through to make a good deck. You can still "thin to win" as in many deckbuilders, but you have to build your deck to expel itself, and having a thin deck usually means death in fights that flood your deck with useless cards
- It's pretty hard to become OP, which some may dislike. Even a crazy deck is one bad hand away from being mutilated in some of the final fights. Making a smart deck usually works out better than trying to make an "OP" one, especially as your difficulty level rises.

Cons:
- Not much music
- Common artifacts are generally too low impact
- Because you can choose to fight so many enemies every run, runs may become repetitive outside of boss fights

Personal gripes:
- Artstyle is a bit too "Disney" for the human chars
- Don't really like the "make your own difficulty" style of Impossible+, much prefer set increases in difficulty like StS Ascension and Astrea's Anomaly levels
- Some archetypes feel very feast or famine. Others may like that style, but in later difficulties those archetypes become quite frustrating to me
- Card upgrades feel inconsistent. Some starter cards and their upgrades are amazing, while others don't stand up.
- I wish there was a third act before the Void, but I also understand that runs can be made very, very long. I would love it as a run modifier someday though.

This review serves as a flex that i got a 0.4% achievement within refund policy. Amazing game reminiscent of slay the spire SHOUTOUT SLAY THE SPIRE

Its such BS this game isnt in "Overwhelmingly Positive" rn. I have played tons of other "StS Clones" but this game genuinely takes everything from the Roguelike Deckbuilding genre and makes it their own.

I have been playing off and on for years. The hours here are certainly not representative of my full time with this game. But i will say this new Nightmare update is absolutely incredible.

Saw I didnt leave a review years ago, so rectifying now.

If you want a very hard but very fair Roguelike Deckbuilder. This is your Go-To. This and Draft of Darkness both have amazing takes on the genre and are very worth your time.

Gameplay: 10/10
Visuals: Original/10
Music: Great
Worth your time?: 200% yes.

This game is really well made. Mechanics are easy to understand, hard to master, visuals are really amazing, combat phases are fun and fluid, while out of combat sequences really matter a lot. The game is updated often and new content is added.

I've played a lot of StS, Monstertrain and various other deckbuilders. While I haven't played this game a lot i can confidently say it's up there with the other ones.
I like that this game gives you a lot of options to optimize every little detail for every fight, but isn't so punishing (at least on the difficulty i'm at) that that is necesary to it's full extend.

All in all very solid deck builder, a lot of unique mechanics and a good amount of replay value

A great roguelike deckbuilder, it didn't hook me however. For me it feels a little too RNG dependant even on low impossible+ levels. The standard decks are for the most part very boring, you need synergy cards to sass them up otherwise the playing gets stale and you die. In most other deckbuilders it feels more doable even with low level cards to get by with the right strat or artifact. That is my only complaint however, it should be fun and the challenge coins are a great addition that I enjoyed a lot.

I found this more accessible and easier to understand than STS. Art style reminds me of spirit hunters infinite horde. Heard this was made by a solo dev? Thank you!

a decent deckbuilder

8.5/10!

Very solid game so far. I think it has a bit of a slower start with everything going on but once you're in, you'll be hooked!

From my understanding, this game has a solo dev who works tirelessly on updating and improving this incredible game. The deckbuilding genre has exploded with a number of very good entries. For me, this game rivals Slay the Spire and only falls behind because of a lack of modding support. The artwork is incredible and the gameplay offers plenty of variety and complexity.

Similar to Slay the Spire but with some major differences:
You can 'purge' a card (i.e. send it to the discard pile) to gain one energy (to spend on playing other cards),
At the end of your turn you retain any card that you haven't played or purged (and get that many fewer cards in the next turn).
And you must have exactly 20 cards in your deck, always.

That makes for a very different experience, imo, while maintaining the core concept of StS in most other ways. The look & feel is just right, the build diversity is phenomenal, the balancing is good, and the difficulty can be adjusted between very easy and very hard. Plus, there are so called challenge coins to unlock which are combinations of modifiers that put a twist on how it plays.

I can't say whether it's the 'better game' when compared to StS, but personally I find it much more enjoyable and interesting. Ten out of ten thumbs up.

At first I was not sure about this one. A bit much to learn but I'm so glad I did. And I regret not giving it a chance sooner.

The only real CONS for me is the Enlightened Class. I still enjoy the game with him but the "attack every other turn" is a turn off for me and feels a bit out of place.
And I wish there was maybe another song or two for the soundtrack to add a bit of variety.

That being said...

The other three classes are amazing to play with and when you get cards to combo with others it feels great. Using the cards feels snappy and responsive.
And the artwork for each card is really great. Even the most basic cards have artwork that shows time was put into them.
The music even though what I said prior is epic. Especially when you hit the Void fight. It REALLY feels like a boss battle.

I bought on mobile as well and syncing your accounts is very easy.

Lastly the Dev and team are very quick to respond to any problems. Usually I wait for sales with a game like this but I bought full price and have not regretted it one bit.

This is no doubt one of the best roguelike/lites on the market and after more time with it.....This may turn into my favorite deckbuilder. Ever.

Yes.

This is close to the better games in the genre (Slay the Spire, Monster Train). There's a lot of these games that either suffer from clunky UI or for whatever reason just don't quite hook me. I didn't have any major problems with the UI in Vault of the Void (perhaps some of it could have looked prettier), though some aspects of the game and how things worked confused me at first.

The gameplay itself I just found kind of boring. There were many, many options to upgrade things, and it almost felt like too much, I wanted a tighter experience.

Same level as slay the spire among rogue-lite DBG games--the only two in S+ tier.

Vault of the Void is a hidden gem in the deck-building roguelike genre that showcases the passion and dedication of its small, inexperienced development team. Despite its modest origins, the game manages to deliver a compelling and deep gameplay experience that stands out in a crowded market.

One of the most commendable aspects of Vault of the Void is the developers' commitment to their project and community. Despite facing economic challenges, the team continues to pour their heart into the game's development. Their openness to player feedback, swift responses to bug reports, and proactive stance against cheating demonstrate a level of engagement that many larger studios could learn from. This dedication is evident in the game's frequent updates and improvements.

The gameplay itself is rich and complex, offering a multitude of mechanics that provide depth and replayability. While this complexity might be overwhelming for newcomers, it rewards patient players with a satisfying and strategic experience. The variety of cards, abilities, and synergies allows for creative deck-building and diverse playstyles.

Visually, the game has a unique aesthetic that, while perhaps not AAA quality, has its own charm and effectively conveys the game's dark, mysterious atmosphere. The sound design and music complement the visuals well, creating an immersive experience.

However, the game is not without its flaws. The balance between different classes is noticeably off, with some feeling significantly more powerful or easier to play than others. This imbalance can lead to frustration or a sense of limited viable options for players looking to tackle higher difficulties.

The localization for some languages is subpar, which can be a significant barrier for non-English speaking players. This is an area where the game's indie roots show, and it's hopefully something that will improve with time and resources.

The learning curve is steep, and the game could benefit from a more comprehensive tutorial system or better new player onboarding. As it stands, new players might find themselves overwhelmed by the numerous mechanics and interactions.

Despite these issues, Vault of the Void succeeds in carving out its own niche in the genre. It offers a level of strategic depth that will appeal to fans of complex deck-builders, while its roguelike elements ensure that each run feels fresh and challenging.

The game's replay value is high, with multiple characters to master, various challenges to overcome, and an ever-evolving meta as new cards and mechanics are introduced. The developers' continued support and community engagement suggest that the game will only improve with time.

In conclusion, Vault of the Void is a labor of love that, despite some rough edges, delivers a rewarding and engaging experience for fans of strategic card games. Its depth, combined with the developers' passion and responsiveness, make it a game worth supporting and exploring. While it may not be for everyone due to its complexity and balance issues, those who invest the time to learn its intricacies will find a game that offers hours of challenging and satisfying gameplay.

Did you enjoy Slay the Spire, but wish it were much more complicated? This game introduces an overwhelming number of new mechanics, but if you stick with it, you'll be rewarded.