by theygamesWhen I think of card games now, my brain springs to roguelike deckbuilders such as Balatro and Slay the Spire, or perhaps to CCGs like Hearthstone. But in my youth, ‘PC card games’ meant the digital renditions of Solitaire, Bridge, and FreeCell that came with your Windows install. Combining the two, stylish new strategy game Stray Path appeals to both my young and old self at once, and it’s out now on Steam with a special discount for launch.
Each battle in Stray Path sets your chosen hero against a board of five card piles. These work much like FreeCell Solitaire – you must target the cards atop the pile to uncover those beneath, but if you manage to clear out a full stack you can drag a troublesome card there to get it out of the way until you can deal with it. Monsters must be fought, exchanging blows with your hero as you target them, while equipment and items can be gathered or recycled for some additional coins.
You’ll find chests that, in true roguelike fashion, contain a choice between three valuable relics that can each buff your build. A spiked shield will damage monsters that hurt you, for example, while a greatsword allows your damage to cleave other enemies on the board. Altars allow you the choice to boost your core stats of health, attack, defense, and luck. If an item or consumable feels like it might be useful later, you can store it temporarily in one of two slots to hold onto it for that perfect moment.
Get deeper into the run and you’ll face increasingly challenging foes, with some featuring particularly troublesome modifiers that force you to prioritize dealing with them first, or mandate that you leave them until later. It’s always refreshing to see a card game that puts its own twist on the roguelike deckbuilding format, and Stray Path does just that. Its pixel art portraits are punchy and personable, and with more than 100 relics to find you’ll be discovering new strategies on every attempt.
Stray Path is out now on Steam, with a 10% discount available until Thursday February 20 meaning you’ll pay just $13.49 / £11.51. Get it here.
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