Recommendations and alternative games for Duelyst players.

[♪]

Scrapping this game out of existence is such a shame. I got into Duelyst a few months ago and man it's good.

Let's share some recommendations/alternatives.

On the bright side, turn-based, tactics-style games and deckbuilders seem to be on rise, popularity wise. On the not-so-bright side, Duelyst's fusion of tactics/deckbuilding/chess-board-like gameplay is pretty one-of-a-kind at present, not to mention the huge amount of cards and content. And while I see a lot of new tactical deckbuilders being released or slated for release -- the majority of them get pretty crappy reviews, have small player bases, a lame art-style, or some combination thereof.

So -- what are your recommendations? If you've found other games that compete with Duelyst and the unique itch that it scratches, please share them! I personally do not currently know of a game that really competes with Duelyst because Duelyst is so unique. But here are my thoughts on a few vaguely similar-ish games that I've tried:

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MINION MASTERS (free-to-play, on Steam):

This is an excellent, highly addictive deckbuilding PvP game with a highly active player base, active development, and superb art/production. I'm getting a bit bored with it, but it took quite a while for me to start to feel that way. I do still play semi-regularly, and if you haven't tried it before, I definitely recommend giving it a shot. The breadth of cards isn't nearly as big as Duelyst's, but there's more than enough to make it addictive, and it takes a while to discover the various layers of tactics inherent in its gameplay. The only thing I don't like about the game are the obnoxious chatroom, and the devs doing too much needless (and sometimes misguided) "rebalancing" lately. Overall, however, a great game, one of the few I'd put on about the same level as Duelyst.

STORMBOUND (free-to-play, on Steam):

This has the chessboard-like element that Duelyst does, though it's only 4x5 (I think?) and the gameplay isn't as flexible. It's more a straight-on advance/penetrate the enemy tower type of thing. However, it's based on custom-building your own decks from various factions, has a great art style, and last I checked, a very active player base. The # of cards to collect is far more limited and it isn't quite as deep, but the tactics of it are definitely interesting and fun. This is another I've been playing for quite a while, so I'm a little burnt out on it, but if you haven't played it before, I recommend it highly.

SHARDBOUND (free-to-play, on Steam):

Totally different than Stormbound, I always get them confused in my library -- but also a tactical, turn-based game. I tried this one a couple months back. It was ok. Seemed very early in development. It didn't really grab me, but was interesting enough that I may revisit it post-Duelyst.

WAKFU (free-to-play):

The third-party account manager/launcher was A) a huge pain, and B) installed a virus. It looked cute, but I bailed.

A few I've d/led but haven't tried yet:

KROSMAGA
ETERNAL
Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links
STAR CRUSADE CCG

Share your recommendations and opinions. Thanks

[Gubernaut]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/293260/?snr=1_5_9__205

[Suave]

I think shadowverse would be a good alternative as well.

[Oberic]

Faeria is the closest I've found to Duelyst.

It didn't hook me at the time (I had to resist, but it easily could have trapped me for years), but it's a hex-based tactics/strategy deck game. Very interesting, standard magical fantasy setting, but each game takes more time than I can commit these days.

The gimmick is that you build the lands of the battlefield as you go.

Originally posted by Suave:

I think shadowverse would be a good alternative as well.

That's a pure hearthstone-clone card game.
But as long as we're on hearthstone-like card games, Legends of Runeterra (the League of Legends hearthstone-like game) seems amazing.
It has some quirky ideas, and it works really well for what little I've played of it.

Originally posted by b78:

SHARDBOUND (free-to-play, on Steam):

Totally different than Stormbound, I always get them confused in my library -- but also a tactical, turn-based game. I tried this one a couple months back. It was ok. Seemed very early in development. It didn't really grab me, but was interesting enough that I may revisit it post-Duelyst.

I backed Shardbound on Kickstarter. They released like one or two updates then ran out of money and.. it's stagnated ever since. Last time I got on and tried to play, I waited 15 minutes and got no match.

I also never got my kickstarter bonuses >.>
I do hope they revive it someday, because what I played of it when it first hit Steam seemed very good. Positioning matters, units have active abilities. But, yeah. It's dead.

[_]

try krosmaga

[Randomex]

There's a board game called Mage Wars that might be worth looking into.

[♪]

tried out Faeria ... it seems pretty cool. but somehow not as addictive or fun as Duelyst. maybe it'll grow on me.

[Foomy44]

https://speculativesimulations.itch.io/essenceborn

1 dev indie game so don't expect anything huge and still in very early stages. Very similar to Pox Nora, and everything is unlocked from the start so no P2W.

[REMADE]

Faeria is the closest thing as far as similar strategy goes that compares to Duelyst.

[GAIN CITY]

Waven is in beta atm and is probably the closest thing to it. its on available on steam but heres a link to it (its in french and is getting translated all the time going towards release)
https://www.waven-game.com/en/

open alpha atm if you want to give it a shot.

[Voidmonger]

Don't play stormbound, terrible p2w business model.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/981430/Gordian_Quest/

[Esquymo]

Hi guys, i played to Waven in the first alpha. It's really really cool and you have to try it when they will re-open it ! :D

[♪]

Originally posted by GAIN CITY:

Waven is in beta atm and is probably the closest thing to it. its on available on steam but heres a link to it (its in french and is getting translated all the time going towards release)
https://www.waven-game.com/en/

open alpha atm if you want to give it a shot.

Was kind of interested. Won't let me create an account. Just gives me an error. Also wary of a third party installer. I hate those. Maybe I'll revisit at a later time.

[Friends with Benedicts]

Oh man, I don't know if you ever knew about this one, but Pox Nora was a real gem. I think it still is alive, but you know, as dead as duelyst. Pox nora had an amazing idea, I loved it.

It's sad that games like these never really get the necessary success for them to sustain themselves. People prefer playing copycats of copycats without trying anything outside the mainstream pattern.

[𓅃 スノ 𓅃]

i was just interested in the pixel art now i cannot even watch it since bandai login

[RPGpro]

Originally posted by Friends with Benedicts:

Oh man, I don't know if you ever knew about this one, but Pox Nora was a real gem. I think it still is alive, but you know, as dead as duelyst. Pox nora had an amazing idea, I loved it.

It's sad that games like these never really get the necessary success for them to sustain themselves. People prefer playing copycats of copycats without trying anything outside the mainstream pattern.

Pox Nora got released on PS4 about 2 years ago, fully cross-platform but it never revived the game.

Krosmaga is on steam (and mobile) and kinda similar style to duelyst.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/609940/KROSMAGA/