Roguebook

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,183 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • replayability
Roguebook Game Cover
It was Roguebook which kick-started my obsession with Slay the Spire last year.
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"Roguebook is a single-player Fantasy Turn Based Strategy game with a good plot and great gameplay, featuring marvelous visuals and ingenious music. It offers six hero pairs, each with unique abilities and card collections, for lots of replayability. However, the game is poorly optimized, has lots of bugs and grinding, which might deter some players."

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,183 reviews
gameplay264 positive mentions
grinding68 negative mentions
  • Roguebook offers a unique twist on the deck-building genre with its two-character system and map exploration mechanics, providing a fresh experience for fans of games like Slay the Spire.
  • The game features beautiful artwork and engaging gameplay, with a variety of cards and synergies that keep each run interesting.
  • The meta-progression system allows players to unlock new cards and abilities, enhancing replayability and providing a sense of growth over time.
  • The game suffers from frequent bugs and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to lost progress.
  • Some players find the difficulty curve to be inconsistent, with early runs being challenging while later runs can feel too easy due to powerful synergies.
  • The lack of card removal options can lead to bloated decks, making it difficult to create focused strategies and diminishing the deck-building experience.
  • gameplay652 mentions

    The gameplay of Roguebook is characterized by its engaging mechanics, including a unique dual-hero system that encourages strategic deck-building and exploration through a hex-based map. Players appreciate the variety of strategies available, the rewarding nature of building larger decks, and the innovative use of resources like ink for map exploration. However, some critiques highlight issues with pacing, repetitive gameplay, and a lack of depth compared to genre benchmarks like Slay the Spire, leading to mixed feelings about its long-term replayability.

    • “Roguebook is a delightful addition to the roguelike deck-building genre, offering a fresh take on familiar mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is super fun, lots of configurations/characters, building a solid deck feels good and finding the OP combos entertaining.”
    • “The exploration mechanic shines, allowing you to brush your way through its gorgeous maps by using different kinds of tools that you fight for and find in the wild.”
    • “I'm 11 hours in and I'm already bored; I've already seen all the new game + upgrades and the way you unlock higher difficulty is too grindy, which makes it boring when the gameplay is so shallow.”
    • “The gameplay is basically ctrl c + ctrl v.”
    • “The mechanics are boring and absolutely uninspired.”
  • graphics255 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, cohesive art style, which features charming hand-drawn elements and vibrant colors that enhance the overall aesthetic experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's polished visuals and animations, noting that they contribute significantly to the immersive atmosphere, despite some minor graphical bugs and performance issues. Overall, the artwork is considered a standout feature, making the game visually appealing and enjoyable to play.

    • “The hand-drawn art style is charming and fits perfectly with the game's storybook theme.”
    • “Gorgeous graphics, beautiful music and sound work, engaging strategy, and fun exploration mechanics.”
    • “The graphics are very nice and the progression feels satisfactory.”
    • “I do have to say it crashes a lot and has some graphical bugs which are annoying.”
    • “The graphics could use some polish, but the gameplay is excellent and deep.”
    • “The current release has UI bugs and performance-wise is very demanding for the graphics it has; hope the game gets better in the next patches.”
  • replayability119 mentions

    Overall, the game exhibits a strong sense of replayability, with many players praising its strategic depth, character combinations, and variety of gameplay options. However, some reviews note that it doesn't quite reach the replayability levels of similar titles like "Slay the Spire," citing issues such as limited character diversity and certain gameplay mechanics that can hinder exploration. Despite these criticisms, many players find the game engaging enough to warrant multiple playthroughs, especially with its ongoing updates and potential for future content.

    • “Lots of replayability and room to grow and master with enjoyably challenging battles and run-altering options.”
    • “The mix of playable characters, variety of cards, and power-ups make for a very replayable experience.”
    • “With multiple characters to mix and match, each with unique cards, the game is highly replayable.”
    • “The truth is it has a lot of fun ideas and is a decent deck-building game, but the replayability isn't as good as other games of this nature (like Slay the Spire) and its annoying painting system doesn't allow you to really explore each map as much as you would like to.”
    • “The problem is it just doesn't have enough to make it replayable at the moment.”
    • “The challenges are very easy and the replayability is gone.”
  • story103 mentions

    The game's story is often described as simplistic and lacking depth, with many players expressing disappointment over its abrupt ending and limited narrative progression. While the charming art style and whimsical themes are appreciated, the overall storytelling feels underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more character interaction and world-building. Despite these shortcomings, some find the gameplay engaging enough to overlook the narrative flaws, though many agree that a more substantial story would enhance the experience.

    • “The hand-drawn art style is charming and fits perfectly with the game's storybook theme.”
    • “They took lots of creatures and ideas from classic fantasy/myth and made them their own, with lots of little story bits that can change depending on the heroes in your team.”
    • “The story is interesting, the characters are fun to play, and the many card/character combinations keep me coming back again and again to try out different strategies.”
    • “The whole run is limited to three maps and the storyline abruptly stops.”
    • “This is a pretty fun spin on the roguelike deckbuilder genre, with a lot of polish, but it's also an abandoned project with no end to the story.”
    • “The story is very lackluster; there's a bit of explanation of the setting at the tutorial and that's the end of it.”
  • music92 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its orchestral quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others find it generic, forgettable, or even disappointing compared to other titles in the genre. Many appreciate the cohesive presentation of music alongside the game's vibrant art and engaging gameplay, but a significant number of reviewers note that the soundtrack lacks memorability and depth. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, it does not consistently stand out as a highlight.

    • “The art is gorgeous, the music is magical, and the gameplay is addicting.”
    • “The visuals and the musical score support the card game really well to create a beautiful fantasy setting, as you'd expect from the makers of Faeria.”
    • “Roguebook has beautiful art, animations, music, and atmosphere, something I have been craving from this genre for a long time.”
    • “Even achievements aside, the music and world are pretty bland, with lackluster worldbuilding.”
    • “The music is especially powerful on this front: there was a moment in my first run where I closed my eyes and I was transported back to the rogue encampment in Diablo II.”
    • “What I'm not too impressed by is the music; I'm sure the composer worked really hard on it, but it's mostly just generic-sounding and forgettable orchestral tracks.”
  • grinding69 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the game suffers from excessive grinding, with many players finding the meta-progression system tedious and unengaging. While some appreciate the art and potential for replayability, the slow progression and reliance on grinding to unlock meaningful upgrades detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to feelings of boredom and frustration. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a significant barrier to fully enjoying the game.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Nice game, but it's just too grindy and not enough content.”
    • “I'm 11 hours in and I'm already bored. I've already seen all the new game + upgrades, and the way you unlock higher difficulty is too grindy, which makes it boring when the gameplay is so shallow.”
    • “The leveling system, by the way, is just tedious and much slower than other roguelites. It feels designed that way to stretch out what little content there is, and the upgrade tree also feels needlessly bloated.”
  • stability46 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, crashes, and glitches affecting gameplay. While some players find it enjoyable despite these issues, many express frustration over the frequency and severity of the problems, suggesting that it feels unfinished and in need of significant polish. Ongoing updates are noted, but the overall consensus is that the game's stability is a major concern, making it difficult to recommend at this time.

    • “I mean it's a very fun game and not buggy, but it's very short. Normally, games take so long for me to finish that I get tired of them before completing them, but this... this took so little time. Even if you die, you just upgrade everything and try another run that's basically the same, just with the difficulty set down.”
    • “I do hold those games in high regard, and at least they are mostly bug-free unlike this title.”
    • “This is my favorite roguelike, yet it's almost still hard to recommend for what a buggy piece of shit it is.”
    • “It's a buggy mess... I've had to restart the game at least 4 times per run due to soft-locking.”
    • “The game is also riddled with bugs and glitches.”
  • optimization21 mentions

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting frequent performance issues such as slowdowns, stuttering, and crashes, particularly on lower-spec systems. Many players express a desire for improved speed options and better overall optimization, as the current state detracts from the gameplay experience. While some find the game enjoyable, the consensus is that it suffers from poor optimization that needs urgent attention.

    • “Very good, but deeper optimization and more speed options would make it great.”
    • “It's a cute mechanic and allows for some different types of optimization during the game.”
    • “In most deckbuilders, there is a clear value of having a thin but optimized deck.”
    • “Performance issues, sometimes slowdown happens whether it be a moment before a battle begins when it is usually basically instant or notable delay in playing cards and the actions actually taking place.”
    • “However, the game is constantly stuttering, freezing, and crashing.”
    • “Really want to spend some time with this game but the performance is atrocious.”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The atmosphere in Roguebook is widely praised for its rich, whimsical, and storybook-like qualities, enhanced by beautiful art, majestic music, and engaging animations. Reviewers highlight how the compelling visuals and sound design create an immersive experience, although some feel that this strong atmosphere does not translate into the gameplay itself. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to its appeal in the roguelike deckbuilding genre.

    • “It starts out strong, emanating rich Faeria vibes, playing majestic music, and creating quite the atmosphere with its impeccable art.”
    • “The art is great and the atmosphere is storybook-like and whimsical.”
    • “Roguebook has beautiful art, animations, music, and atmosphere, something I have been craving from this genre for a long time.”
    • “The animations and voices/sounds carry the atmosphere as well, concluding my thoughts on why I think that Roguebook satisfies its niche in the roguelike deckbuilding world.”
    • “While the game starts out strong with rich vibes and majestic music, it ultimately fails to maintain that atmosphere as the gameplay progresses.”
    • “The initial atmosphere is captivating, but it quickly becomes repetitive and lacks the depth needed to keep players engaged.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players noting its funny interactions, light-hearted style, and interesting characters. Many find the comedic elements to be a highlight, contributing to an enjoyable and engaging experience, despite some critiques about monetization and game mechanics. Overall, the humor adds a significant layer of fun to the gameplay.

    • “Very nice art and funny interactions.”
    • “It's super fun, pretty challenging with lots of humor and interesting characters and enemies.”
    • “Very funny game, worth playing!!”
  • monetization7 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a series of low-effort, shallow cash grabs that detract from the overall experience. Many players express disappointment with the DLC offerings, viewing them as poorly executed attempts to capitalize on the game's name rather than genuine expansions. There are concerns that this approach could lead to a decline in player engagement, similar to other titles that prioritized monetization over quality content.

    • “Honestly, both packs are just really cringey, low effort, shallow cash grabs that cast a bad light on the game as a whole.”
    • “I loved Faeria, but it's hard not to call this what it is: a name drop cash grab.”
    • “Terrible DLCs (seriously, just ignore them; they are extremely lazy cash grabs).”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is met with mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the charming and visually appealing character designs that enhance the overall experience, others criticize the animations as stiff and the designs as lacking cohesion and inspiration. Overall, the art and character design contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “First off, the art design is lovely, much like Faeria; it oozes with storybook charm, bright colors, and really beautiful character designs.”
    • “Overall, the game feels right; it's snappy, the combat and effects are satisfying, and I'm really taken by the character designs.”
    • “The game has retained the combination of deck-builder and roguelite that initially appealed to me, and has fleshed it out with really appealing art, sound, and character design.”
    • “The animations feel stiff and unnatural; it seems like they just took a character model and stretched it in Photoshop. The character designs are uninspired, and none of it feels cohesive.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players report experiencing strong emotional responses, with some expressing joy to the point of tears, indicating that the game effectively evokes positive feelings and resonates deeply with its audience.

    • “I cried happy tears!”
    • “That made me feel good.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

Buy Roguebook

Play time

25hMedian play time
39hAverage play time
15-72hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 32 analyzed playthroughs

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