The BEST Deck Building Indie Games Coming in 2025

The BEST Deck Building Indie Games Coming in 2025

With games like Balatro being in the conversation for game of the year, deck-building is a genre that won’t be going away anytime soon.

Deck-building as a genre is basically in its infancy, meaning that there are many different ways that developers can incorporate these mechanics into their games with a multitude of possibilities. It’s also a genre that can range from mobile first titles like Marvel Snap and Hearthstone, to indie games like Inscryption and Slay the Spire, but even AAA studios have tried to infuse deck-building mechanics like Marvel’s Midnight Suns. We have just begun to see how it can be incorporated into multiple genres and there are plenty games on this list that are doing this that haven’t been done before.

Games like Balatro and Inscryption were each developed by one person, and Slay the Spire was created by two. These are massive successes that prove that anyone can make a smash it. It only takes one person and one great idea. With a relatively low cost and high potential, we should expect to see a lot more deck-builders in the future, so here are the ten indie deck-builders that we are keeping an eye on in 2025.

The TOP TEN indie deck-builders you NEED to watch in 2025

Slay The Spire 2

Rather than reveal this as the last game on the list, where it would be expected, so instead, let’s just get Slay The Spire 2 out of the way, because without a doubt, it should be on everyones list.

Slay The Spire is widely considered to be one of, if not the best deck-building game. Mega Crit is back with what appears to be a lot more of the same, which is a good thing when the base formula is as excellent and additive as it was. There will be plenty of new to make the sequel feel fresh. There will be new heroes that will accompany returning ones along with new cards, relics and potions. This will make each climb of the spire feel unique as you encounter new enemies, events and treasures. 

There isn’t much else to say. If you enjoyed Slay The Spire, getting a lot more of it should be a great time. There is also mention of new ways to play but that has yet to be revealed. Mega Crit have also said the lore will be more on the forefront rather than in the background. Mega Crit will once again be embracing the early access model in 2025.

Drop Duchy

Trying to add a fresh perspective to the geometric puzzle genre is a rare occurrence. That is exactly what Sleepy Mill, small indie studio founded in 2023 by former Ubisoft Paris Lead Gameplay Designer have done. Their debut title takes the familiar Tetris gameplay and combines it with deck building, rogue-lite and medieval tactics. Maybe it could even be called a Tetris-like?

Instead of trying to clear lines of different shapes and colors, you are trying to build your kingdom, featuring tiles with lakes, rivers, glades, villages, guilds and more. Each time you play will feel different due to the procedural nature of the game and its combination of three different factions to play as. Line up tiles right and you should be able to successfully defend your kingdom from enemy troops. At the very least, Drop Duchy looks extremely unique with its blending of genres and minimalist art style.

Shroom and Gloom

Shroom and Gloom is a first person, rogue-like, dungeon crawling game that features deck-building as you use cards to explore, pillage and attack. Shroom and Gloom was created at a Game Jam in 2021 and the prototype is available on itch.io right now.

The small team hoping that they can get enough interest and funding to make Shroom and Gloom into a full experience. It’s tough to find information, but the team have said that they are currently working on the Steam page, which means that the early access version should be the next step on the list. As a huge fan of deck-builders, rogue-likes and dungeon crawlers, Shroom and Gloom is a game we will be keeping a close eye on.

What makes Shroom and Gloom captivating is a combination of the art style that feels reminiscent of Inscryption and the unique first person perspective. The only downside is that there is a very good chance that it won’t release into early access in 2025.

Starvaders

Starvaders is a fast paced deck-building, grid based tactics fusion. Similar to Into The Breach, you will take control of a unique pilot with unique abilities in a giant mech as you protect the future of humanity. There are currently 240 unique cards, 120 game changing artifacts, three mechs, ten pilots, multiple game modes and different difficulty levels which results in a deck-building roguelike that doesn’t feel like anything.

The premise is fairly simple. Alien invaders start at the top of the tetris-like grid and then like space invaders move towards the bottom and when they reach the bottom three rows, they start channeling doom.  When you accumulate five doom, the game is over. During each turn you play five cards to move and attack and then draw five more cards next turn.

Starvaders also doesn’t look like any other deck-builder out there as the game board feels reminiscent of Tetris and the art style is oozing with confidence and originality.

Knight in Tight Spaces

Fights in Tight Spaces was a unique take on the deck-builder by blending traditional elements with a turn based tactical approach and then infusing those elements into a unique, isometric art style and a concept reminiscent of John Wick. Ground Shatter is back, but this time with a medieval aesthetic and a few new ideas. The biggest change is the addition of a party, which when utilized properly allows you to discover combo abilities.

Just like the first game, positioning is a large part of success. You will need to understand the battlefield and your deck to become victorious. Knights will still feature the ability to build your deck after each mission and enhance your moves, which should help as you encounter a variety of missions. Balance will be the key.

Pairs and Perils

Unless you have already established yourself like Slay The Spire, to rise above the noise in the crowded deck-building genre, you need to have a unique angle. As the title says, the unique feature is matching pairs. If you match a pair of cards, you do the damage or action on the card, if you miss the enemy moves closer. That’s the basic premise to wrap your head around, but from there, the draw pile contains traps, which damage you and skip your turn.

Similar to Slay The Spire, on your journey, you will encounter merchants that will be selling goods including relics and consumables. Relics give your player passive effects, but there aren’t always completely beneficial as some will offer risk/reward scenarios.

Pairs & Perils is attempting something unique, there is currently a demo out now and this game is supposed to release in January

None Shall Intrude

What if instead of trying to climb the spire, get to the end of the dungeon or defeat the boss, you were the boss? None Shall Intrude places you in the shoes of a raid boss, as you conquer all of those who challenge you. You will explore and conquer all of the lands ranging from majestic mountains, dense woodlands, vast deserts and more. Battle will take place on a tile based area that have unique elemental interactions that you need to learn. Rain down showers of magma, blow fire and scorch the lands as the heroes try to prevail.

Along the way you will level up, unlock cards, discover relics, accumulate talent points and invest in your talent tree. Like any decent raid boss, you will have three phases. During your journey will be able to attain 24 unique powers and combine up to four different ones to create the raid boss of your dreams.

Sleight of Hand

Sleight of Hand is a third-person stealth action deck-builder. Out of all of the elements, the deck-building seems like the least but even though it doesn’t fit the traditional mold, Sleight of Hand is indie and still uses deck-building. The description of the game says “over time, grow more powerful, find new strategies and discover unexpected interactions” Although Sleight of Hand doesn’t mention building your deck, it’s safe to assume that growing more powerful and finding new strategies will involve either finding new cards, upgrading your existing ones or both.

Sleight of Hand is inspired by noir and tactical espionage action about a witch who must infiltrate her old coven using a cursed deck of cards in a world that is separated by those with magical powers and those without.

In the words of the game director, it’s as if you took Metal Gear Solid and replaced all the guns with cards. Sleight of Hand combines level design and tension of the stealth genre with the strategy and mechanics of card games. The studio said that Sleight of Hand is a love letter to their favourite games: Metal Gear Solid, Dishonored, and Max Payne 2.

As We Descend

As we descend looks like Frostpunk, but instead of ice your city is digging to the center of the earth and everything is card based. What is most appealing about As We Descend, is that it looks like an RPG and strategy game first with deck-building mechanic.

There was a demo during one of Steam’s Next Fests in late 2024, but I only attempted it on my Steam Deck and unfortunately, it wouldn’t boot up. Hopefully, it will be Steam Deck playable by launch as deck-builders are right at home on portable handhelds.

Seal of Solitomb

If there is a game on this list that seems like it might surprise people, similar to Balatro in 2024 or has a chance to be the next Balatro, it’s Seal of Solitomb. If you distilled Balatro, it was a game that people could wrap their heads around fairly easily. Most people know playing cards or poker, it had a pixel art style that people loved, a very catchy song and overall it had a lot of familiarity while being extremely unique.

Seal of Solitomb is a PICO-8 solitaire roguelike, which means that in just this sentence, it has checked a lot of the elements from Balatro. It’s not traditional solitaire and a lot of poker skills transfer over to Solitomb. The game is currently free in browser, but in 2025, the game will be brought to Steam with 4x the content. This means there should be double digit classes, 60 monsters, and hundreds of abilities with plenty of new card types and game modes.

There will be a campaign mode with different locations and its own set of themed monsters, quests and challenges. However, if you love the original, the classic roguelike mode will be returning. The other major changes coming to Solitomb include a graphical, music and UI overhaul that build on the style and mood of the original.