Heat Death

About

Heat Death is a single player tactical turn-based strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Gallistrix and was released on July 18, 2022. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

This ancient galaxy is under attack by the mysterious "Apparitions". They are huge star-like monstrosities which threaten to consume the world. Your planet is controlled using cards which you collect while playing. Creativity and resourcefulness will be the keys to your victory! Rewrite your cards!Improve your deck even further by re-writing your cards! The game's unique crafting system…

Skip User Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 62 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

story2 negative mentions

Unique and innovative card fusion mechanic allowing creation of powerful combos and deck optimization.
Engaging and solid deckbuilding gameplay with distinct planets offering varied playstyles and build diversity.
Appealing space-themed aesthetic and relaxing vibe with good music, making for a zen and immersive experience.

User interface and map navigation can be confusing and clunky, with insufficient clarity on pathing and card details.
Runs may feel short for some players, with pacing issues like a harder final boss and inconsistent difficulty curve.
Lacks polish in areas such as tooltips, card readability, visual effects, and occasional bugs due to early access state.

gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The gameplay offers a fresh and engaging roguelike deck-building experience with unique mechanics like card fusion and galaxy-map strategy, encouraging creative combos and thoughtful play. While some mechanics lack clarity and polish, the core system is well-designed, fun, and promising, especially for fans of the genre seeking novel twists.
- “A brilliant game, with excellent style and a card fusion mechanic that encourages you to create powerful combos.”
- “Less than an hour into the demo I realized this was an above average deck builder even in its early access state with a novel approach to many mechanics while still being familiar enough to pick up and understand immediately.”
- “Very unique roguelike deckbuilder with unique design choices ranging from mechanics on the galaxy map, positioning "minions," to the cards themselves (doing damage multiple times based on the number of certain cards you have). Even if it sounds simple and boring, how many other games have this?”
- “Sure, it's early access, so there are some not-so-great things like no anti-aliasing, poorly visualized mechanics (shield on enemies only shows as a blue + x number - a blue bar on the health bar would be a great addition here), some mechanics are confusing (how do I know how many fights I have left to fight this node on the map? When does the circle shrink?), but overall so far I'm enjoying it and hope the dev will keep improving.”
- “The one negative I can think of is that there's no clear in-game explanation of game mechanics.”
- “You can get similar card customization gameplay with the downfall mod in Slay the Spire, so the main selling point for me is how the numbers spiral out of control more quickly than in Slay the Spire.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
60%
10%
The graphics feature a simple yet appealing vector art style that is easy on the eyes and complements the relaxing visuals and music. While not as detailed as some other games, the aesthetic is charming and fits well with the sci-fi theme, though there is room for improvement and better clarity on card effects. Overall, the graphics effectively support the gameplay and atmosphere.
- “Though the graphics might not look like much from the store page, the aesthetic is actually surprisingly appealing up close and very easy on the eyes.”
- “I like the design choice of vector graphics with the cards.”
- “Relaxing visuals and music.”
- “I like the concept that brings something new to the table of this genre, though very simple graphics and some missing explanations on cards (effects). This game has a lot of space to improve, worth following through early access.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
42%
29%
The music is generally praised for its relaxing and pleasant atmosphere, creating good vibes that complement the visuals. However, some users suggest adding more intense or varied tracks, especially for boss battles, to enhance the overall experience.
- “Relaxing visuals and music.”
- “It's so relaxed, everything from the music to the atmosphere to the casual voice of the text is just, peaceful.”
- “I expect to add more planets and maybe fix the music mix because that is the only problem I see which is more of a nitpick, and I only bring it up because I am a content creator.”
- “I enjoy the music overall, but it would be nice to have something a bit more dreadful or intense to listen to as the bosses and final battle occur.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game lacks a narrative or story component, focusing instead on strategic movement and encounter management without any plot development.
- “This means you will only ever be allowed to travel at a 45 degree angle either way from the boss, with some planets out of reach (unable to keep them in your light cone while traveling to your end destination), but the ability to plot a course to the boss maximizing (or minimizing) your encounters.”
- “No story.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is praised for its relaxed and peaceful vibe, enhanced by soothing music, casual narration, and a captivating outer space setting. This calm environment complements engaging gameplay elements like card combining and difficulty ascensions.
- “It's so relaxed, everything from the music to the atmosphere to the casual voice of the text is just peaceful.”
- “I really like the card combining feature, the planetary outer space atmosphere, and the difficulty ascensions.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers moderate replayability, enhanced by varying difficulty levels that provide players with additional challenges and incentive to play again. Overall, it remains engaging for multiple playthroughs.
- “And even then, due to the difficulty levels, there is still tons of replayability.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game’s stability is generally solid, though some UI glitches persist, particularly when dragging non-targeted cards onto your planet. A workaround is to drop cards in the empty space between your planet and enemies to avoid issues.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users indicate that grinding in the game is very time-consuming and may require significant effort or multiple attempts to progress.