"Duelists of Eden" is a card-grid-fighting game, where players build custom decks and battle online in real-time action. With over 14 unique characters, players can create their own spell combinations and synergies to eliminate opponents. The game features a dynamic cardtridge and combo system, as well as a tutorial and training mode for learning the mechanics. Custom rollback netcode ensures smooth online gameplay.
Duelists of Eden is an innovative fighting game that combines fast-paced card-based combat with competitive PvP, making it a unique experience for fans of the genre.
The game features a diverse roster of characters and extensive deck-building options, allowing for countless strategies and playstyles, which keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.
At a low price point, the game offers great value with no microtransactions, smooth rollback netcode, and a supportive community, making it accessible for both new and experienced players.
The player base is currently small, leading to long matchmaking times and difficulty finding opponents, which can hinder the overall experience.
Some players have reported issues with the online connectivity and netcode, particularly with high ping affecting gameplay, making matches unplayable at times.
The tutorial and UI could use improvements, as they may not adequately prepare new players for the complexities of the game, leading to a steep learning curve.
gameplay
192 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
55%
2%
The gameplay of "Duelists of Eden" is praised for its engaging mechanics, blending elements from the Mega Man Battle Network series and "One Step from Eden" into a competitive PvP format. Players appreciate the depth of deck-building, strategic options, and the fast-paced, skill-intensive nature of the game, though some note that it can feel slower and more complex than its predecessor. While the game features smooth online play with rollback netcode, concerns about a small player base and a lack of casual single-player content have been raised, impacting overall accessibility.
“Unabashedly the best indie fighting game on the market, it's super tight gameplay, deckbuilding mechanics that allow for infinite playstyles, and rollback netcode make it a must-try.”
“The gameplay evolution of Mega Man Battle Network, with rollback netcode and infinite replayability, offers a fresh and engaging experience.”
“Duelists of Eden delivers incredibly tight, magically expressive, and wildly inventive gameplay, making it a unique fighting game with interesting mechanics.”
“If you liked OSFE for its fast gameplay and gimmicky builds, you probably won't enjoy this much.”
“The changes made to the gameplay to balance it for a fighting game result in a slower game with weirdly more to pay attention to than OSFE.”
“This has got to be one of the worst tutorial systems; this game does a poor job in explaining its mechanics.”
music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
38%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive and catchy quality, often described as "fantastic," "hype," and "god tier." Players appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, with many considering it worth purchasing separately. The music, alongside the game's vibrant visuals and engaging mechanics, contributes significantly to its nostalgic appeal and competitive atmosphere.
“The music is fantastic, the spritework is great, and navigating everything just feels good!”
“This game has great net-play, incredible music, and is wonderfully competitive.”
“The music is absolutely worth the 5 bucks alone, but there is a whole game that comes with that!”
“Worth it for the music alone.”
“The music is very catchy too, and a couple tunes are already in my head.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
25%
11%
The graphics of "Duelists of Eden" are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art, unique character designs, and clear visual elements that enhance gameplay. Reviewers appreciate the charming art style and the intuitive mechanics, although some have noted issues with online performance affecting the visual experience. Overall, the game's aesthetic is considered a standout feature that could attract a broader audience if given the chance.
“Duelists of Eden is a brilliantly intuitive game with great mechanics and a sharp aesthetic.”
“I've told the developers this before but a Mega Man Battle Network inspired fighter, with beautiful visuals, music, and unique, fun characters, sounds like something that would exist in a timeline that isn't ours.”
“It's a shame that this game is mostly for a niche audience - because especially with the beautiful pixel aesthetics and the superb gameplay, I could see this pull in a huge crowd if they just gave it a try.”
“Also please fix the ping issue, I can't play online with friends without experiencing PowerPoint presentation graphics, although we live really close.”
“This is a boon, though it doesn't stop me from constantly messing myself up with attacks like Harissa's brush swipe, which looks like it should hit in front of her with a very obvious brush swipe graphic, but no.”
“It only hits two tiles ahead of her, despite graphically looking like a beefy melee attack.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by clever references to other characters and franchises, with players enjoying the challenge of spotting these nods. The mix of fighting game archetypes and amusing sound effects, like the "funny bonk noise," adds to the comedic experience, although some players feel that certain aspects, like the humor in "One Step from Eden," fall flat. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor through creative character designs and playful mechanics.
“The deckbuilding is great, and the fact that there is rollback is genuinely hilarious.”
“Mix and match FGC archetypes is pretty funny, lmao.”
“Morshu alt for shopkeeper is funny.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
Character development in the game is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting the excellent and varied character designs that resonate well with players. The seamless integration of the developer's unique style, despite being a one-man project, enhances the overall experience, making the characters feel both lovable and engaging. Additionally, the game features customizable loadouts and a high skill ceiling, further enriching the character dynamics and gameplay.
“A pure gem of a card battler; I never expected the original game to get a multiplayer release with improved gameplay, animations, character designs, and everything.”
“I love the art, music, and character designs.”
“Character designs and palette swaps are peak.”
“The character designs are just as lovable as the predecessor One Step from Eden, and the game has been fine-tuned.”
“What's amazing is that the game was essentially a one-man job by the developer, so you can really feel the dev's style in the game and character designs, and it all seamlessly comes together.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be manageable and enjoyable, with no excessive or pointless grind for unlocks. Achieving level 10 unlocks all necessary content for deck building, though some players note a lack of post-level 20 rewards. The gameplay remains engaging, with a focus on fun theorycrafting and diverse play styles.
“There is also a lack of much content other than PvP grinding, which I understand since there is a whole other game based on this engine already, but after hitting level 20 there are no more milestone rewards like titles or banner images.”
“No pointless grinding for unlocks, just get to level 10 (5 bot matches in unranked) and you have all the content to build decks with.”
“However, training does seem relatively simple so it shouldn't be as tedious or specific as most fighting games.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
62%
The game features a non-predatory monetization model, with no microtransactions or paid DLC, allowing players to earn all cosmetics through gameplay. Reviewers appreciate this approach, highlighting it as a significant positive aspect of the game, especially given its indie development.
“I especially appreciate the non-predatory monetization and wish all the best to the dev. I would rather play this over League of Legends 10 times out of 10.”
“Cosmetics are all attainable from simply playing the game—no microtransactions or paid DLC.”
“It has absolutely no microtransactions and is made by a very small indie team.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers highlight the "infinite replayability" of MegaMan Battle Network, attributing it to its gameplay evolution and the implementation of rollback netcode. The passion behind the game is evident, suggesting that players will find endless opportunities for engagement and enjoyment.
“The gameplay evolution of MegaMan Battle Network, with rollback netcode and infinite replayability.”
“It clearly has a lot of passion, and I can see the replay value being endless.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's user interface has been criticized for being difficult to navigate and lacking optimization for controller use, which hampers the overall user experience.
“The UI is difficult to navigate and not optimized for a controller.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game lacks a narrative component, focusing exclusively on player-versus-player (PvP) gameplay without any story elements.