98% positive on Steam: StarVaders could be your next rogue-like obsession

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The initial game from developer Pengonauts has been drawing a lot of attention on Steam lately. Known as StarVaders,

StarVaders has 98% positive reviews on Steam from well over a thousand players

As a die-hard fan, I’d say that the fundamental concept of StarVaders revolves around safeguarding our precious Earth from an extraterrestrial onslaught. You get to select one out of three mighty mechs initially, with more options becoming available as you progress. The goal is to utilize strategic card plays to move, attack, and generally thwart the relentless alien invasion before they make it to the bottom of the screen. Each mech comes with unique pilots, some of whom you can unlock, bringing distinct abilities into play.

In the game StarVaders, there are a couple of smart strategies to decide who wins. The aim is simple: eradicate all aliens in each confrontation. Unlike most games where losing involves decreasing health, when you’re attacked, an unfavorable card gets added to your deck instead. This card can be as harmless as taking up space and affecting the cards in your hand, or it can lead to more serious problems. Conversely, the aliens emerge victorious if a sufficient number of them make it to the bottom of the screen and trigger Doom. If the Doom counter ever reaches five during your playthrough, it means game over for you.

In your role of protecting Earth, you’ll gain new cards that offer fresh capabilities or improve ones you currently possess. Over time, you can even improve some cards, making the more effective ones stronger or giving less powerful ones a chance to prove their worth. Additionally, you can add artifacts to your collection, which grant special abilities and activate passive bonuses.

Back in the previous year, it was a game called StarVaders that first piqued my interest. I had the opportunity to preview a demo of this intriguing title some time ago, and even then, I could sense its potential to become an unmissable gem upon its release. The mastermind behind last year’s indie sensation, Balatro, goes by the name LocalThunk. Known for his keen eye for spotting promising indie games, he has also championed titles such as Animal Well, Arco, Ballionaire, Mouthwashing, and numerous others. And here I am, eagerly awaiting the official launch of StarVaders, sharing my excitement with fellow enthusiasts.

If you’re fond of games like rogue-likes, rogue-lites, deckbuilders, or tactics, I’d highly recommend giving StarVaders a try. As per recent Steam reviews: “Take the review score at face value, it truly is that impressive… ” and “One of the most enjoyable rogue-like deckbuilders I’ve ever experienced“. It’s also highly praised on the Steam Deck. At present, StarVaders isn’t available on consoles, but with such positive feedback, it may soon arrive. Fingers crossed that it will be compatible with the Switch 2 when it launches in June, as it seems like a fantastic fit for that platform.

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2025-05-17 02:02