Circadian Dice

About

Circadian Dice is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Strumbones and was released on July 11, 2022. It received very positive reviews from players.

In "Circadian Dice," a cosmic entity has created an endless time loop to control reality, and you must lead a group of heroes to destroy its source. Instead of deck-building, upgrade a set of dice to bend chance in your favor during skirmishes. This unique blend of board and video game elements offers a challenging and joyful experience, reminiscent of "Slay the Spire."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 886 reviews

gameplay136 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Circadian Dice offers a unique and engaging dice-building mechanic that adds depth to the roguelike genre.
The game features a wide variety of characters, abilities, and relics, providing extensive replayability and strategic options.
At its low price point, the game delivers exceptional value, making it a must-try for fans of deck-building and roguelike games.

The game's UI and graphics are considered basic and could benefit from improvement, which may detract from the overall experience.
The scoring system can feel restrictive, forcing players to prioritize points over fun and interesting upgrades during runs.
Some players find the RNG elements frustrating, as they can lead to runs feeling overly dependent on luck rather than strategy.

gameplay
336 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
59%
1%
The gameplay of "Circadian Dice" is characterized by its deep and engaging mechanics, offering a satisfying blend of strategy and randomness as players roll and modify dice throughout their runs. While the visuals may be lacking, the game compensates with a rich variety of unlockable content and a well-paced introduction of new mechanics that keeps the experience fresh and addictive. Players appreciate the unique class abilities and the meaningful choices presented, making it a compelling option for fans of roguelike deckbuilders.
- “Its got a lot of content for its price point, and its depth comes from its ease to play, hard to master gameplay.”
- “The gameplay loop is quick and satisfying with a fair amount of control over the randomness of the dice rolls as you progress through runs.”
- “The slow reveal of new mechanics is masterful.”
- “Too many different mechanics that don't mesh well together, as if the developer kept on throwing in new features to try and make the game more interesting.”
- “My major complaint is that the classes do not feel unique - when you unlock a class all their unique die faces, abilities and mechanics get added to the shop/level-up pools, so aside from the weak faces on your starting dice and a couple of starting abilities, the classes don't play all that differently to each other.”
- “This means that the gameplay changes drastically and becomes less strategic the further along it goes, and much more luck-based as more stuff is added to the shop pool.”
graphics
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
66%
15%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the visuals are not cutting-edge and may appear amateurish or reminiscent of older styles, they are functional and evoke a sense of nostalgia for classic RPGs. Despite the low-budget aesthetic, most reviewers agree that the gameplay experience compensates for the lack of visual polish, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate the genre. Overall, the graphics are considered serviceable but not a focal point of the game's appeal.
- “A clear and concise interface, 80's fantasy style graphics that I really love, and the gameplay is fantastic.”
- “The art style is reminiscent of old 80s Wizards of the Coast content, and though it took a minute to get used to, I soon started to really enjoy it.”
- “I've seen many knock the graphics or UI, but I feel like if you grew up with old school fantasy books and D&D, you'll find the art nostalgic and charming, if not simply cohesive.”
- “Seeing a clunky art style, I had negative expectations from the get-go.”
- “My only criticism of the game is that the user interface feels a little amateurish in places and the visuals look very low budget, but I can certainly overlook those flaws because the core gameplay decisions feel so satisfying to make.”
- “Graphics could do with improvement.”
replayability
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
40%
5%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by diverse character classes, flexible build options, and a blend of luck and skill that keeps each playthrough fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the tactical depth and the ability to experiment with different strategies, making it a highly addictive experience. While some users note that it may not offer hundreds of hours of content, the overall consensus is that the game provides great value and enjoyment for its price.
- “There's a lot of classes and combinations, so the replay value is very high.”
- “Amazing game, a real gem with short playthroughs, tactical depth, and insane replay value.”
- “Each playthrough involves a fair amount of planning, and plenty of content provides crazy replayability.”
- “I think I played about 20 hours too long, which means the replay value is somewhat low.”
- “Pretty good game, I've logged about 33 hours so far and I haven't even done a fraction of the replayability that this game offers.”
- “Lot of replayability, though the RNG is heavy, but I suppose you could say that about most roguelike games.”
story
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
87%
6%
The game's story is minimal to non-existent, with many players noting that it feels almost invisible amidst the action-focused gameplay. While there is a campaign mode and various missions, the lack of a strong narrative detracts from the overall experience, making it more about gameplay mechanics than storytelling. Players seeking a rich story should look elsewhere, as the emphasis is primarily on strategy and challenge rather than narrative depth.
- “If you're looking to progress through the story, get the high scores, and unlock all the things - you can sink your teeth in and really maximize your decision making; and if you're looking to start a run where you actively make less-perfect decisions and try fun things/builds - that's just as doable as well.”
- “There's also a post-story endless mode, which, while I appreciate the concept of, I find weaker overall than the campaign itself - but make no mistake, it's great in its own ways for those who've played through the story missions and found themselves wanting even more challenge and decision making.”
- “I'm not sure that the campaign mode adds much to the overall experience, and I hope they add some story interstitials or additional content there to make it feel more worthwhile.”
- “The story’s so thin that it might as well be invisible.”
- “No story, just pure action.”
- “There is a campaign mode, but there isn't much of a strong storyline here, so if that's what you're looking for, look elsewhere.”
music
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
79%
7%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the catchy tracks and atmospheric mood, while others find it repetitive and forgettable. Many users noted that they often mute the music, suggesting it may not be a standout feature. Overall, while the soundtrack has its moments, it lacks variety and depth, leaving some players wanting more.
- “Game play is fun for 2 hour stints at a time and runs can either be a struggle or you'll completely break the game, but what really caught my attention was just how good the soundtrack is for a $6.00 game.”
- “The art is unique and the ambient music is actually pretty nice and moody.”
- “The music tracks are all bangers too.”
- “Music: mute it”
- “Downsides are that the art is average and the music is forgettable.”
- “The music is very repetitive.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players enjoy the challenge, many find the process tedious and reminiscent of a free-to-play model that should offer paid unlocks. Critics express frustration over the extensive time required to unlock characters and mechanics, which can make the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience. Overall, the game may appeal to grinding enthusiasts, but others may be deterred by the lengthy grind required to fully appreciate it.
- “I feel like I paid to do work, not to play a game. It's not a bad game, but unlocking things just feels so tedious. It feels like a free mobile game that should have a 'pay $4.99 to unlock the full game' button, but there's nothing there.”
- “From watching people play online, once all the characters and their respective mechanics have been unlocked, the game looks interesting, but I can't be bothered grinding however many tens of hours to reach the point where the game stops feeling outright unfair.”
- “If you like grinding, this game is for you.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's optimization is well-executed, featuring a scoring system that encourages players to strategically balance resource management with risk-taking for point boosts. Additionally, performance-based unlocks, including mechanics that alter gameplay, enhance the overall experience and replayability.
- “There are plenty of unlocks based on performance in each run, including dice-altering mechanical changes.”
- “I also think they did a good job with their scoring system, which rewards both optimization of the player’s strategy and bypassing useful resources in exchange for a tactically useless point boost, tempting players to gamble and pushing them closer and closer to the edge of the bell curve.”
- “- there are plenty of unlocks based on performance in each run including dice-altering mechanical changes.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is highlighted by interesting and varied character designs that enhance immersion, although some players noted issues with unpleasant character designs and rough user interface elements. Overall, the character designs contribute positively to the gaming experience, despite some drawbacks.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game relies heavily on advertisements, which some players find intrusive but are willing to overlook due to the game's appeal to their specific interests. Overall, while the ads may detract from the experience, they do not deter dedicated players who are seeking this particular type of game.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Despite its barebones UI, graphics, and music, the game successfully creates an engaging atmosphere, enhanced by character drawings that convey personality and contribute to the overall mood.
- “The UI, graphics, and effects are absolutely barebones, as is the music, but it manages to set the right atmospheric mood, and the character drawings still hold their share of personality.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing concept of awarding a "jester award" to players who leave negative reviews, adding a layer of irony and playfulness to the feedback process.
- “It's also hilarious to me that anyone with a negative review gets the jester award.”