Union of Gnomes

About

Union of Gnomes is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Hoolignomes and was released on May 29, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Union of Gnomes is a card battler set in a whimsical fairy tale kingdom where you lead a gnome uprising against Snow White’s oppressive regime. Choose from three unique gnome heroes, assemble a squad with over 130 cards featuring diverse effects, and strategize to defeat iconic fairy tale enemies. Experiment with synergies and enhance your heroes to bring freedom to the land.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 114 reviews

gameplay11 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features a charming art style and humorous writing that adds to the overall enjoyment.
Gameplay mechanics are engaging, with a unique resource management system involving 'wieners' that adds depth to strategy.
The deck-building aspect allows for meaningful customization and experimentation, making each run feel fresh and rewarding.

The game suffers from balance issues, particularly with certain enemy types and the resource management system, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Progression can feel slow and grindy, with players often hitting walls that require excessive grinding to overcome.
Some mechanics, such as the fixed deck size and the inability to decline adding new cards, limit player agency and creativity in deck-building.

gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
59%
9%
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring a challenging progression system and engaging mechanics that encourage strategic thinking rather than mindless clicking. While some basic mechanics are poorly explained, the game offers a unique blend of humor, customization, and replayability, with a solid deck-building foundation that differentiates it from other titles in the genre. However, certain mechanics, like mana management and the "wiener" system, have received mixed feedback, indicating room for improvement.
- “In terms of gameplay, I appreciate that the progression is challenging enough to not be too easy, but still ultimately doable.”
- “The hero-upgrade mechanic is a personal favorite - instead of just unlocking cards, you're building a playstyle just for you.”
- “Overall, the game feels fine: the animations of gnomes are fun, the gameplay is solid, and the setting is unique.”
- “Despite all of the text you are given to read, multiple basic gameplay mechanics are not very well explained at all (bling, curses).”
- “The mechanics weren't introduced well - like you can add some bling onto one of your card slots but it is only for that mission.”
- “Promising game with solid foundations, but currently lacks fun combos and has problematic mana and wiener mechanics.”
story
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
61%
10%
The game's story offers a unique twist on classic fairy tales, featuring colorful landscapes and quirky characters that enhance the overall experience. Players engage in a gnome rebellion, navigating missions filled with random events and choices that impact gameplay, while the writing adds depth to the campaign. Although some mechanics could be better introduced, the combination of engaging quests and a satisfying progression system makes the story enjoyable and worth exploring.
- “The story has an interesting spin, taking the well-known fairy tale characters and putting them in a completely new context.”
- “From the moment you jump into this world, you're surrounded by colorful landscapes, hilarious characters, and missions that range from 'mildly ridiculous' to 'outrageously epic.' Every gnome has their own quirky vibe — some are brave, some are lazy, and some are just there for the snacks.”
- “And I haven't even gone into the plot yet; you might say, until the developers have finished it.”
- “The story woven through the union of gnomes is a bit of a 'twisted fairy tale' - as you are part of the gnome rebellion, fighting to free your gnome brethren.”
- “Also, although it says it’s roguelike, I find it more story-driven at this point.”
humor
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, featuring a mix of quirky characters and absurd missions that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the colorful art style and the game's ability to blend tactical gameplay with amusing, tongue-in-cheek writing, making it both entertaining and engaging. Overall, the humor adds a refreshing and enjoyable layer to the rogue-like deck builder genre.
- “From the moment you jump into this world, you're surrounded by colorful landscapes, hilarious characters, and missions that range from 'mildly ridiculous' to 'outrageously epic.' Every gnome has their own quirky vibe — some are brave, some are lazy, and some are just there for the snacks.”
- “Touting plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, this rogue-like deck builder brings a lot of amusement to the table with plenty of meme-y references, and a very signature art style that is sure to please.”
- “Great art, fun mechanics, and genuinely funny writing.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and unique art style, which is described as fun, dynamic, and cartoonish, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. While some users noted minor graphical hiccups, the vibrant visuals and engaging design elements contribute positively to the game's humor and appeal. Overall, the art style is a standout feature that resonates well with players, making it a key aspect of the game's enjoyment.
- “I simply adore the art style, it's fun and dynamic; each card is truly unique, and you can easily tell if it's an attack card or a master card without having to double-check the description.”
- “Plus, the art style is so charming it’s basically impossible to be in a bad mood while playing.”
- “Simplicity and clarity are at the forefront of the design, with a cute cartoony aesthetic that is well done and a joy to use.”
- “I don't mind the art style, although it certainly isn't without its issues.”
- “I’ve had minor graphic hiccups, 2 lag moments that lasted about 5 seconds and no crashes, with 4 and a half hours of game time at the time of this review.”
- “I love the graphics and some of the quests are really cute.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and uninspired, particularly in comparison to the vibrant art style. While it serves its purpose, the soundtrack is often described as feeling dated and reminiscent of generic, copyright-free tracks, leading to a sense of missed potential for a more engaging musical experience. Overall, while the music is functional, it lacks the variety and creativity that players hoped for.
- “I’d love more music variety, but it’s just a small gripe. For an early-access roguelite, there’s a lot here already.”
- “With such a bold and bright art style, I really wanted some music to match.”
- “The music is a bit boring, especially compared to the art.”
- “Music in the main camp consists of some looping, dated 'war time-y' music that, while it works, feels dated and uninspired.”
- “Overwhelmingly, while it all works, it feels more like copyright-free music, and I feel like this was a bit of a missed opportunity.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express significant frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, describing it as excessive and tedious, particularly in battles against certain enemies that prolong gameplay unnecessarily. Many feel that recent updates have exacerbated the issue, making encounters more frustrating rather than enjoyable, leading to concerns about the game's balance and overall fun factor.
- “I really like the concept - it's a puzzle-style roguelike - but the amount of grinding is absurd!”
- “The battles take so much time it's really too much to the point it just feels tedious and unfun.”
- “Really a headscratcher why they would purposely make the tedious enemies even more tedious when literally 30% of the reviews of the game are complaining about the infinite birds summoning other birds.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The game is praised for its high replayability, featuring solid mechanics, great progression, and a variety of content that keeps players engaged. However, some users express a desire for additional modes, such as a classic mode or a true roguelike option, to further enhance replay value. Overall, while the game offers substantial replayability, there is room for improvement in this area.
- “Highly replayable and refreshingly original.”
- “Solid mechanics, great progression, and more replayability than I expected.”
- “In short, the replayability is in place, the content seems to have been delivered with dignity, the progression is long, the maps open regularly, and there are three heroes.”
- “I'd like to ask the devs to consider adding a classic mode (just the way STS and PA do it) where we just go on the map and climb up to a boss that isn't tied to any specific quests; that could bring the replayability way up.”
- “No true roguelike mode for endless replayability.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly on the Steam Deck without any need for additional adjustments.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck out of the box.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a surprising emotional connection to the game, particularly highlighting a wholesome obsession with its quirky elements, such as sausages. The Shroom side quest, in particular, resonates deeply, evoking strong feelings and enhancing the overall emotional experience.
- “The Shroom side quest made me feel things.”
- “I did not expect to be as obsessed with sausages as I am when playing it (in a wholesome way).”