Drop Duchy

About

Drop Duchy is a single player quiz game with a kids theme. It was developed by Sleepy Mill Studio and was released on May 5, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Drop Duchy combines geometric puzzle mechanics with deckbuilding and rogue-lite elements, challenging you to build and defend a realm using strategic block placement. Optimize your tiles to gather resources, protect your castle, and assemble an army across unique, ever-changing landscapes. Progression unlocks new content, rewarding tactical skill and adaptation.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,328 reviews

gameplay120 positive mentions

grinding22 negative mentions

Innovative mashup of Tetris and deck-building roguelite mechanics that offers great depth and replayability.
Challenging yet rewarding gameplay with a satisfying progression system that keeps players engaged.
Charming visuals and sound design that enhance the overall experience.

The UI can be cluttered and difficult to navigate, especially on smaller screens like the Steam Deck.
Some mechanics and card interactions are not well explained, leading to confusion during gameplay.
The game can feel overly reliant on RNG, making runs frustratingly dependent on luck rather than skill.

gameplay
399 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
2%
The gameplay of "Drop Duchy" is a unique blend of Tetris mechanics, deck-building, and roguelite elements, offering a surprisingly deep and engaging experience. Players appreciate the strategic depth and variety introduced through different factions and unlockable mechanics, which keep the gameplay fresh and encourage experimentation. While the game is accessible for newcomers, it can become complex as players progress, leading to a rewarding yet occasionally overwhelming experience.
- “Nice mashup of genres (Tetris and deck-building roguelite) that has some great depth to the gameplay.”
- “The core gameplay is basically just Tetris with lower speed/stakes, especially with the greatly appreciated 'undo' button for any accidental drops.”
- “Every run feels different, and the way the core mechanics evolve as you unlock stuff is surprisingly deep for a game that looks this clean and simple on the surface.”
- “The gameplay loop is very short and quite boring, unfortunately.”
- “The tutorial does very little to fully explain the in-depth mechanics of the game, and the difficulty even on normal ramps up infuriatingly fast.”
- “The game mechanics are convoluted.”
replayability
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
51%
5%
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its diverse factions, unique strategies, and a variety of mechanics that encourage different playstyles. Many players appreciate the depth and creativity, with some noting that the randomness of card drops and progression systems further enhance replay value. However, a few reviews mention that the replayability may diminish over time for certain players, particularly if they prefer more content variety.
- “Incredibly creative with a lot of depth and replay value.”
- “With so many cards and combinations to choose from, this game is going to have nearly infinite replay value.”
- “Each round of Drop Duchy introduces random tiles and cards, making for a lot of replayability as you work your way to beating the bosses.”
- “Replayability was not super high and content is pretty light.”
- “Really fun game with lots of interlocking mechanics, but it's not the most replayable - I don't think I'll get much more than 20 hours out of it.”
- “Unfortunately I am not that kind of player, so the replayability wore itself out after a while, but I very much enjoyed my time spent with it and will certainly revisit it from time to time and see if they've added new factions/cards/etc.”
graphics
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
35%
5%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, hand-drawn aesthetic that enhances immersion and complements the gameplay. Reviewers highlight the colorful and detailed visuals, which are described as both polished and relaxing, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience. Overall, the art style, combined with effective sound design, creates a cohesive and appealing atmosphere that resonates well with players.
- “The art style is gorgeous and full of charm, and the mechanics feel unique while still being easy to pick up and super satisfying to master.”
- “I can’t get enough of how well the gameplay and visuals fit together—it feels polished, thoughtful, and really fun.”
- “The medieval graphics are immersive and fun, the music is fitting without being overly distracting, the UI is streamlined and clear, and there's been no bugs or issues playing.”
- “For some reason the game uses a lot of GPU power despite being very average in graphics.”
- “Simply cramping all religious buildings next to each other for the passive bonuses is not very aesthetically pleasing.”
- “The graphics are clean, and pleasing.”
music
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
39%
6%
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and maintain engagement throughout gameplay. The soundtrack is described as charming, fitting the medieval theme well, and is noted for its pleasant and immersive qualities, although some find it repetitive. However, a few reviews express disappointment, citing a lack of variety and depth in the music, contrasting with the overall positive reception of the game's visuals and mechanics.
- “The soundtrack really enhances the experience and keeps the atmosphere engaging.”
- “The medieval aesthetic and music are wonderful; if you feel even the slightest bit interested in this game, I would highly recommend checking it out.”
- “The game boasts charming, hand-drawn visuals reminiscent of board games like Carcassonne, coupled with a soothing musical score.”
- “Disappointing, the music sucked, game sucked.”
- “The music is truly, truly bad.”
- “To the composer: I'm sorry man, you tried, but you did not listen to nearly enough medieval music, and did not exercise your ambition or hone your skills, enough to sell this as anything other than, say, the background music at a tavern in a sketch comedy show.”
story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
84%
8%
The game's story aspect is largely absent, with players noting a lack of narrative and character development, focusing instead on mission-based progression and unlockable features. While the quest system provides a sense of achievement and encourages exploration, many find it frustrating and feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, as the gameplay often revolves around completing arbitrary tasks rather than engaging with a cohesive story. Overall, the experience is more about mechanics and progression than a compelling narrative.
- “It took me about 8–10 hours to reach the end of the three-part story, and a little over 30 hours to unlock all the cards.”
- “Three playable factions with unique abilities and systems increase the complexity of this game even further, and with the optional challenges and missions in addition to the normal campaign runs, this game just feels like a complete package.”
- “The progression is organic, the unlocks and achievements come naturally, and the quests are usually the type of 'don't worry about me, just play the game and have fun'.”
- “There is no story, no characters, no reason to be trying to win other than you like points and unlocking things.”
- “At a certain point, I felt it is a slog to go through achievements after achievements, quests after quests, when there's so much else to explore in the core game itself.”
- “I find it really bad that you can only play around 15% of a game when you buy it and have to finish arbitrary quests to even experience the majority of the game.”
grinding
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the replayability and fun mechanics, many feel that the progression can become tedious and repetitive, especially after the initial hours. The grind is often seen as necessary to unlock abilities and progress through the tech tree, but it lacks variety, leading to a sense of monotony in gameplay. Despite these criticisms, some players still enjoy the grind, particularly those who appreciate the strategic elements and meta-progression.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The progression feels grindy for the sake of grind because there is no variance; the bosses are the same every run and you're placing the enemy buildings during non-boss encounters in the same way you're placing your own buildings.”
- “The first few were fun, but after that, it all got so repetitive and grindy.”
- “My one criticism is that the roguelite elements are grindy.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as both clever and satisfying, particularly in moments of chaos where plans go awry. Players appreciate the witty achievements and amusing mechanics, although some feel that the humor may not sustain engagement beyond the initial novelty. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with gameplay, but its comedic appeal may wane as players focus more on strategy than on the jokes.
- “It's satisfying to have rounds where everything falls into place exactly as you planned, and hilarious when everything is going wrong.”
- “[b]Hilarious and clever.”
- “[i]It's not Versailles here[/i] is such a funny achievement.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game offers engaging optimization and resource management mechanics, creating strategic puzzles that challenge players to maximize their synergies while countering enemies. However, it suffers from significant optimization issues, including a laggy interface and performance stutters, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “Definitely recommend it for anyone who likes games of optimization, resource management, and absolutely smashing through your enemies.”
- “The mix naturally creates little optimization puzzles as you try to maximize your own synergies while minimizing the synergies of enemies.”
- “This system adds depth, requiring players to balance immediate needs with long-term deck optimization.”
- “However, lots of optimization is required in terms of UI and interface, which tends to lag and not be smooth.”
- “I've once accidentally left the game on for a day and had to restart my PC because it was stuttering and barely responding even after closing the game.”
- “One small gripe: the game seems to be poorly optimized.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game demonstrates excellent stability on the Steam Deck, with users reporting smooth performance. However, it may consume more battery compared to similar titles.
- “It runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “Chill, beautiful game and runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “Also runs great on Deck.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with a harmonious blend of art and music that enhances the overall experience. The soundtrack is particularly noted for its ability to maintain an engaging and relaxing ambiance, even during challenging gameplay moments.
- “The atmosphere is enhanced by the combination of art and music.”
- “The soundtrack deserves a shoutout — the music really enhances the experience and keeps the atmosphere engaging.”
- “This aesthetic choice creates a relaxing atmosphere, even amidst challenging gameplay scenarios.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The monetization model is praised for its simplicity, featuring no microtransactions and focusing solely on the core gameplay experience, complemented by engaging music.
- “No microtransactions, no nonsense, just Tetris, cards, and some swanky faux-medieval music!”
- “The monetization model is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “I feel like I'm constantly being pushed to buy in-game currency just to keep up with the content.”
- “The game is fun, but the paywall is frustrating and detracts from the overall experience.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game engaging, particularly through the introduction of a wholesome traveling artist character that enhances the narrative. Despite challenges in gameplay, the experience evokes feelings of empowerment and creativity, making players feel like strategic masterminds in a medieval setting.
- “And then they met a really wholesome traveling artist who brought the game board to life.”
- “Even though I'm not the best at strategy games, Drop Duchy made me feel like a medieval mastermind.”