A Roguelite Deckbuilder Where I’m An Exorcist Detective Fighting Demons? Yes, Please

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After their initial game Stray Gods: A Roleplaying Musical by Summerfall Studios, Malys comes as an unexpected sequel. Instead of creating another exceptional choice-driven visual novel with a strong music and Greek myth focus, Summerfall’s next project veers into a different direction – a turn-based roguelite deckbuilder set in a city filled with demons. The atmosphere seems significantly darker, and the gameplay appears to be more complex this time around. Similar to their first game, Malys promises visual aesthetics that are simply captivating and characters I’m eager to learn more about.

David Gaider, Summerfall creative director, shared with me during an exclusive Malys gameplay preview that there was an initial consideration: should we approach this project more like a visual novel, similar to Stray Gods? The reason being, Stray Gods had minimal gameplay. Instead, they wanted to experiment with a concept that offers a more engaging gameplay experience, while maintaining the narrative-driven aspect and emphasizing a strong gameplay loop at its core.

As Noah, a once-devoted priest turned exorcist, I find myself navigating through a sprawling city, my ultimate goal being to confront a formidable demon lurking on the other side. However, my path is fraught with lesser demons that challenge my resolve. Each encounter has the potential to erode my willpower, and if it’s completely drained, I’m left unconscious, back at the beginning of my journey as if time itself has reset. These temporal loops offer me a chance to refine my strategies for future attempts and earn the trust of the city’s residents. Yet, there are three entities who remain unaffected by these time rewinds: a celestial with unknown intentions, a potent occultist, and a seemingly benign masked demon.

I deeply yearn for an opportunity to snatch the controller from Gaider during the hour-long preview and give the game Malys a try myself. From what I’ve seen, it appears quite enjoyable, particularly since it adheres to the roguelite deckbuilding formula that I’ve grown fond of in games such as Slay the Spire and Inscryption. The gameplay seems rather user-friendly. Your goal is to safeguard Noah’s will (effectively his health) while gradually depleting the health bar of the demon confronting you, with a selection of cards being dealt at random each turn, providing various options.

Gaider expressed that he has always found the concept of a card game as a means to construct a narrative appealing. He likens the exorcism in the game to a self-contained tale. When players use salt cards to harm the demon and compel cards to weaken it, they are essentially painting a mental picture of the exorcism’s events. The addition of Voiceover (VO) makes the experience even more immersive, as when the demon acts or the host cries out for help, Noah’s card can cause background sounds like chanting, ‘I summon the Lord’s minions.’ In this way, Gaider sees the game as a story with two layers: the narrative being told and the card game serving as another layer of that story.

Adding more challenges makes the gameplay excitingly tactical. Each card requires a specific expenditure before it can be used, and acquiring resources to play cards involves discarding cards from your hand. Every round forces a decision between which cards to discard and which to keep, as resources are accumulated for future use. You may opt to discard numerous cards in one turn without utilizing the rest of your hand, saving resources for later. Additionally, each demon aims not just to defeat Noah but also resorts to underhanded tactics, often targeting the human host they possess. If any humans perish during Noah’s watch, his night resets.

As you progress deeper into the city, an increasing number of factors come into play, enabling you to access additional cards and artifacts. The artifacts, in particular, grant Noah passive abilities during battle, similar to a character class system. However, certain demons camouflage their true selves, necessitating that you reveal their identities before attacking them. This discovery process is facilitated by the time loop aspect of the storyline. As a player, you will gradually learn where specific demons reside and what vulnerabilities they possess, which can make future encounters less challenging and help guide your path through the city. Lastly, the influence of the three patrons becomes significant, as these supernatural entities can assist Noah on his journey in exchange for faith (the currency). Among them are an unnamed Angel, Lydia the Witch, and Gideon, a masked demon known as The Collector.

Gaider explained, “Each of them has their own motive for using faith as a means of exchange. They trade your faith for items or upgrades. For instance, The Collector provides access to unique cards that aren’t available elsewhere and can improve your cards. The Witch offers curios, which function similarly to Slay the Spire’s relics, providing lasting modifications during your gameplay. When you need healing, you turn to the Angel. Additionally, she is the only one who can offer certain holy-based cards. Although you may find yourself needing to interact with all three of them, they are enemies rather than allies and will discourage you from aligning with other characters. However, there may come a time when you have no other choice but to work out your own path, considering that choosing the wrong one could leave you short on healing if you don’t meet the Angel.

In the design for all three characters, including Noah, the quality is just as impressive as the revamped deities in Stray Gods. Given that art director Benjamin Ee is back for Malys, this isn’t surprising. What’s more unexpected is the appearance of the demons, which are hideous creatures unlike anything from Stray Gods. If, as Gaider stated, Malys is the team’s effort to demonstrate they won’t be pigeonholed as a visual-novel studio, I am convinced. While parts of Malys share similarities with Stray Gods in terms of human designs and focus on choices, much of it starkly contrasts Summerfall’s initial project. The gameplay has me hooked; let’s hope the narrative elements are also strong!

Malys is set to launch for PC in 2025.

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2025-05-20 18:39