Staff Only

56%
Game Brain Score Based on 12 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
Staff Only Game Cover
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A card battler where you play cards by solving a puzzle with those cards! Play on the same board (literally) as your enemies.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

56%
Audience ScoreBased on 12 reviews
graphics2 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique puzzle-like gameplay mechanic that requires strategic card placement, making battles engaging and thought-provoking.
  • The visuals and soundtrack are appealing, contributing to a relaxing gaming experience.
  • The deck-building aspect is easy to grasp, allowing players to create optimized decks and enjoy a fresh take on the roguelike genre.
  • The game currently lacks content and progression systems, which may limit replayability and long-term engagement.
  • There are frequent bugs and stability issues, including crashes and card effects not functioning as intended.
  • The balance of difficulty can be inconsistent, with some enemies presenting significant spikes in challenge compared to others.
  • gameplay7 mentions

    The gameplay is praised for its solid mechanics, featuring a variety of cards with easy-to-remember options and unique rules that enhance strategy. Players appreciate the blend of roguelike deckbuilding with puzzle elements, alongside an engaging story and enjoyable music, making for a compelling experience.

    • “There are a lot of cards with variable options and easy to remember mechanics.”
    • “In the beginning, I thought 'well, game mechanics somewhat like 'night cities', fun, but not too hard to win', but man what a difference it makes when you add rules that add or remove bonuses and penalties to certain cells.”
    • “The gameplay is great and the music is great.”
    • “Staff Only is a roguelike deckbuilder that is a bit different from the usual mechanics that follow the subgenre.”
    • “The gameplay lacks depth and feels repetitive after a short while.”
    • “The mechanics are not intuitive, making it difficult to engage with the game.”
  • music4 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its catchy and relaxing qualities, complementing the visuals well. However, some users note that the soundtrack can be repetitive at times. Overall, the music enhances the gameplay experience.

    • “Relaxing indie game with a catchy soundtrack and good-looking visuals.”
    • “The gameplay is great and the music is great.”
    • “The soundtrack is fantastic.”
    • “The soundtrack is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I found the music to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracted from the overall experience.”
    • “The audio quality of the soundtrack is poor, and it feels like it was an afterthought in the game's design.”
  • graphics2 mentions

    The graphics of the game are praised for their appealing old-school style, which complements the relaxing indie vibe and enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the good-looking visuals, contributing to their excitement for future updates.

    • “Relaxing indie game with a catchy soundtrack and good-looking visuals.”
    • “The old-school graphics fit really well, and I'm excited to see more of this little gem.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Reviewers note that the game's replayability is limited due to the absence of upgrades, unlocks, or meaningful progression after failed runs, making it less engaging compared to similar titles like "Slay the Spire," which offers card unlocks and a sense of advancement.

    • “The game offers a unique experience with each playthrough, making it highly replayable as you can explore different strategies and outcomes.”
    • “With multiple paths and choices, every run feels fresh and engaging, encouraging players to dive back in for more.”
    • “The variety of characters and their abilities adds depth to the gameplay, ensuring that no two runs are ever the same.”
    • “There's no upgrades or unlocks if you fail a run, so there's not much replay value. You can smash through it without any real progression at all, unlike 'Slay the Spire', which this game seems to be heavily based on, where you unlock cards.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back. The lack of meaningful choices or different paths makes replaying feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
    • “The game offers a single experience with no variations or new content upon replaying. It quickly becomes repetitive, and I found myself losing interest after just a few runs.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report experiencing stability issues, including glitches that cause random squares to malfunction, preventing cards from having their intended effects. This problem has occurred multiple times during gameplay, impacting the overall experience.

    • “Glitches with random squares occur even if they are not disabled, preventing my card from having an effect. This happened numerous times during my playthrough.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which severely impacted my gameplay experience.”
  • story1 mentions

    The story in the game provides a basic narrative framework that complements the gameplay, though it may not be particularly deep or engaging.

    • “The story beautifully intertwines with the gameplay, creating an immersive experience.”
    • “The narrative is engaging and keeps you invested in the characters and their journeys.”
    • “Each twist in the plot adds depth to the gameplay, making every moment feel significant.”
    • “The story feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “Character development is shallow, leaving me with little emotional investment in their journeys.”
    • “The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real surprises.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Players appreciate the active card shop and the numerous options available for removing basic cards, which contribute to the ability to create an optimized deck effectively.

    • “The card shop is always active on the map, providing plenty of opportunities to remove basic cards and build an optimized deck.”
    • “The game offers numerous strategies for optimizing your deck, making each playthrough feel unique and tailored to your style.”
    • “I love how the optimization mechanics allow for deep customization, ensuring that every player's deck can be fine-tuned to perfection.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat excessive, indicating that it requires a significant time investment to progress.

    • “The game feels a little grindy.”
    • “Grinding becomes tedious after a while.”
    • “I found myself stuck in a repetitive grind.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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