by theygamesBalatro is a welcome reminder that, as much as I love a good one-and-done story, there’s something special about the way the best roguelike games keep you coming back over and over again. The Binding of Isaac, Slay the Spire, FTL, Hades – the list goes on and on, and newcomer Dice and Fold wants to join that exclusive club following its imminent launch on Steam. Unveiling an extensive roadmap, developer Tinymice already has plenty of updates planned to ensure you won’t be putting it down any time soon.
Dice and Fold is a game that’s simple to pick up and play, but with a hefty heap of content and variety that means it’s eminently replayable. As you might expect, it works a little like fellow roguelike game Dicey Dungeons. Each turn, you roll a set of dice and then must assign your rolls to numbered slots on enemy cards or those of your own character to deal damage or activate skills. It’s a pleasing mix of randomness and strategy that feels like a perfect game to play while you watch something else, which Tinymice says very much suits its intended design goals.
“We don’t want Dice & Fold to be one of those tiny indie games you play once, finish, and leave in the corner of your library,” Tinymice says in its latest blog post ahead of the game’s Steam launch. “Yes, some of my favorite games are like that. But we will continuously have new content to consume in the game, similar to our ‘solitaire approach’ to making this game.”
The team feels confident enough in the launch offer that it’s decided against opting for an early access release, noting, “We really think Dice & Fold gives a full game experience, with every angle covered, and fits the box pretty well with all corners touching.” It wants to keep expanding the offering post-release, however: “Adding the additional consumable content with updates felt most comfortable for each member of the team.”
To kick things off, Tinymice lays out five free post-release content updates that it says are designed to “Increase the replayability of the game, introduce new synergistic items that promote crazy builds, and add new playable content like heroes, bosses, enemies, and game modes.”
That starts with update 1.1, which will bring a new endless run mode, along with at least 20 items, five trinkets, and two new boss fights. It will also focus on responding to immediate feedback from players to the launch version. After that, version 1.2 is the ‘Nemesis update’ and will introduce five new playable heroes, another 20 items, five trinkets, and an additional boss.
Version 1.3 is the ‘Pirates update’ and includes three pirate-themed heroes, a further 20 items, five trinkets, and a new boss. Version 1.4, the ‘Lost Items update,’ is aimed as a hefty upgrade with more than 50 new items, another five trinkets, two new companions, and a boss. Finally, Version 1.5, the ‘Extreme update,’ will introduce a more challenging difficulty mode along with another 20 items and one more boss fight.
Dice and Fold launches Monday June 24 on Steam. With all these updates in the works, it’s safe to say you’ll have plenty of reasons to check back in regularly. If you’re eager to get in on day one, you’ll find it right here.
After something else to challenge your brain? The best puzzle games are a great place to start. We’ve also picked out the best turn-based strategy games to play in 2024 if you’re on the hunt for more potential greats that you might have missed.
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