Skogdal

About

Skogdal is a single player turn-based strategy game. It was developed by Erlend Kirkeboe and was released on April 28, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Something strange is afoot in the small rustic Norwegian town of Skogdal... This is a deckbuilding card game where you have to explore a large hand-crafted world across multiple runs. Immerse yourself in this weird but familiar adventure, and uncover an unsettling Carpenter-esque mystery… Skogdal offers more than 300 different cards for you to discover and draft. Fuse cards, bui…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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98%

Audience ScoreBased on 81 reviews

music20 positive mentions

Unique and charming setting with quirky 90s Norwegian small-town atmosphere, hand-drawn art style, and excellent Scandinavian rock/metal soundtrack.
Innovative and deep deckbuilding mechanics including retaining cards between turns, card fusion, and diverse synergies that encourage strategic play and experimentation.
Engaging humor, narrative progression across multiple runs, varied enemies and bosses, plus a lot of unlockable content and replayability that keeps the game fresh.

Early game can feel repetitive and a bit easy until harder modes unlock and some character decks lack distinctiveness.
The soundtrack, while excellent, can be polarizing due to vocals and limited track variety, making some players tire of it after a few runs.
Map encounters are largely static which can impact replayability for some players, and some upgrade/character mechanics could be better balanced or more distinct.

music
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
48%
7%
The music in the game is widely praised for its unique Scandinavian rock and metal soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's quirky, small-town aesthetic and atmosphere. Many reviewers highlight the punky guitar riffs and the authentic Norwegian vibe as standout features that enhance the overall experience, though a few note that the recurring theme song and lyrical tracks can become repetitive or distracting over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major strength, often described as a "banger" and worthy of listening to even outside the game.
- “The soundtrack is spot on, and if anyone out there is at all interested in music that is not radio-slop, you can play this game for the riffs alone.”
- “The music stands out as completely unique in the genre, it's big punky guitar riffs with snarly Norwegian vocals for the most part, maybe divisive depending on your tastes but it's cool as heck and fits the vibe of the game perfectly.”
- “I must also call out the music for being so good and worth listening to just on its own!”
- “The only two flaws I can think of: quite a few characters could be more distinct in terms of decks and traits, and the theme song gets old after a while (could we have a few?).”
- “The music is fine, but I guarantee you'll get tired of it in only a few runs as it feels like there are only a handful of tracks.”
- “The only 'issue' I had with the game is that I personally was not a fan of music with lyrics in the background (feel too distracting), and that runs are slightly too long (~1.5h).”
gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
57%
9%
The gameplay offers a fresh and engaging roguelike deckbuilding experience with unique mechanics like card fusing, follower recruitment, and strategic map exploration. It balances accessibility with surprising strategic depth, supported by a wide variety of cards, builds, and unlocks. Players praise its fun combos, risk-reward choices, and clever pacing, making it a standout title with a compelling, humor-infused gameplay loop.
- “Gameplay-wise, it's a roguelike deckbuilder with a twist: you're exploring a hand-crafted map across runs, recruiting followers like pyromaniacs or skaters, and drafting from hundreds of cards to build insane combos.”
- “The mechanics are fresh and allow for a surprising strategic depth, with many different kinds of enemies, lots of possible builds, and an insanely large amount of unlocks.”
- “From a technical point of view, more specifically the feel of the synergies and tactics, the game is designed extremely well, possibly the best card game I've ever played; the mechanics are fun and interactive.”
- “Too easy until you roll credits once and open up hard mode, which does a reasonable job of making you engage with the mechanics.”
- “There are some mechanics that aren't explained but that's part of the joy, I think.”
- “Perhaps there needs to be another mechanic in the game to obtain upgrade cards because you almost never see them.”
humor
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is widely praised for its dark, sarcastic, and punkish wit, filled with crude jokes, clever card names, and hilarious enemy designs that create a fresh and engaging experience. Reviewers consistently highlight the charm and nostalgia infused through its setting, art, music, and comedic surprises, making it both funny and memorable even for players new to deckbuilders. This blend of humor and style has clearly resonated, resulting in many laughs and a strong emotional connection throughout the gameplay.
- “A great deck-builder and also really funny – everything from the card names, descriptions and synergies to the enemies, animations, surprises, music/lyrics and so on.”
- “The humor is dark and sarcastic as hell – lots of crude jokes, booze references, and that dry Norwegian wit that had me chuckling out loud more than once.”
- “Was laughing for a good 10 hours straight, I really liked the game's sense of humor, some of the synergy builds like intoxicating were hilarious, giving you cards based on how drunk you were.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
55%
The graphics feature a distinctive hand-drawn, notebook-doodle aesthetic with strong Scandinavian and punk/metal influences, creating a charming, quirky atmosphere that sets the game apart. While simple, the art style is praised for its creativity, attention to detail, and ability to convey mood, though some minor font choices can feel inconsistent. Overall, the unique artwork strongly complements the game's vibe and humor, enhancing the player experience.
- “What an amazing job done on the artwork, which reminds me of some old punk and death metal drawings – super refreshing in the world increasingly obsessed with AI slop.”
- “Also, you can really tell how much love and attention went into this game; it’s got such a heart to it and the hand-drawn art style is obviously the cherry on top.”
- “The graphics are really something different, in a good way. I like the drawing style.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
25%
19%
The story is widely praised for its unique, evolving narrative that unfolds gradually through multiple runs, blending a charming 90s aesthetic with humor and mystery reminiscent of a small-town thriller. Players appreciate its integration into gameplay, adding depth beyond typical roguelikes, though a few found the story less engaging compared to other elements. Overall, it enriches the experience with intriguing content and memorable atmosphere.
- “The 90s notebook-doodle aesthetic and metal soundtrack is very charming, and the story unfolds in an interesting way to keep you chipping away at the mystery.”
- “Not only does it have a unique atmosphere, great music and fun 'what if Twin Peaks happened in a Norwegian small town' story, but the mechanics and vast amount of content in this game is astounding.”
- “And whatever story was being told just kind of felt uninteresting, which would have been fine if the game nailed the rest of the stuff a little more.”
- “It's just a really good 'slay the spire' like game with more story elements and jokes.”
- “Well made deckbuilder with innovative mechanics and a story that unfolds over multiple runs.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game is praised for its unique and immersive atmosphere, blending a late 90s vibe with a compelling "Twin Peaks"-style story set in a Norwegian small town. Despite simple graphics, its music and storytelling create a captivating mood that stands out among other deckbuilders.
- “Very atmospheric, recommended!”
- “Not only does it have a unique atmosphere, great music, and a fun "what if Twin Peaks happened in a Norwegian small town" story, but the mechanics and the vast amount of content in this game are astounding.”
- “I wish it had a demo, but you gotta trust me on this: its late 90s atmosphere won't leave you indifferent.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers strong replayability through depth, complexity, and unlocking new paths and characters, keeping subsequent playthroughs engaging. However, some find the map choices limited, and overall replay value may not match top-tier roguelike deckbuilders like Slay the Spire.
- “It's got enough depth and complexity to keep things challenging without being overwhelming, and the replayability is off the charts.”
- “Skogdal also seems very replayable, unlocking new paths throughout the world on subsequent playthroughs, as well as new characters with their own interesting starting decks.”
- “I might be a problem that the map has a few limited choices so far, but in terms of replayability, it's still going strong.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game excels in optimization by offering diverse deck-building events and strategic map choices that reward careful planning and risk management. Its balanced mechanics encourage deep tactical decision-making and heavy optimization, making it intellectually engaging compared to other card games.
- “Overall, I thought the mechanics and risk vs reward choices were very good. You constantly offered various optimization and deck-building events, as well as choosing forks on the map that are better or worse for your build.”
- “It's nice to see a card game that is actually balanced for people who play card games. It's super nerdy with tactics; I genuinely think getting legend in Hearthstone requires less brain power. It encourages heavy optimization, planning ahead, and taking risks while balancing out the RNG.”