The indie deckbuilder is a crowded genre, filled with certified classics like Slay The Spire. Even so, there are many games doing interesting things with cards and decks. At first glance, Battle Suit Aces stuns with its anime-inspired visuals, which pull on super robot classics like Gurran Lagann. But its tactical battles, visual-novel storytelling, and Persona-like structure give it serious depth. You can play the demo right now.
The game takes place in an exaggerated sci-fi world, where giant, human-piloted robots battle extra-dimensional monsters. Battle Suit Aces deploys a turn-based structure and some classic card game mechanics. You’ll place mechs on a “battle line” and spend energy, which pools every turn, on attacking enemies. Mechs can have passive abilities which trigger on specific inputs. The game’s all about selecting the right robots and activating their synergies.
During downtime you can explore your flagship, recruit new allies, befriend your current pilots, and strengthen their abilities. You can also upgrade each mech (and your spaceship) with mods that alter its abilities. On your ship, you will decide the path your crew takes through the galaxy. In its structure, Battle Suit Aces pulls on the design of the best JRPGs. Developers Trinket Studios previously made Battle Chef Brigade, a cooking game which also wove crafting, fighting, and storytelling together.
As of writing, Battle Suit Aces does not have a release date or price. You can download the demo on Steam.
If Battle Suit Aces has you craving indie game goodness, you can take a look at our list of the best indie games. If you want to get tactical with some great deckbuilders, check out the best card games.
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