A new strategy game called Duelyst is coming to PS4, Xbox One, Steam and mobile devices. It will be a free-to-play game following its own launcher, according to Gamespot.
Duelyst’s gameplay mixes Fire Emblem-like tactical strategy with a card game like Hearthstone. You summon units and cast spells by playing cards you draw from a deck. Additionally, the visuals blend pixel art and hand-drawn illustrations, courtesy of Rogue Legacy and Chasm artist Glauber Kotaki. You can check out some of its art in the gallery below.
The game starts out with you picking a faction. After that you play practice matches with either the AI or you can play online with other players, according to gamenguide. There is also tournament mode. Decks are built on the spot and when a player loses three matches, they are eliminated from the tournament. It’s currently still under development. Each player has their own general. You then use cards to summon creatures in which you can strategically move around in order to either attack or engage with the other player, similar to the attack mechanic in Magic: the Gathering. After you win a match you get a randomly acquired chest with three different rarities: Common, Rare or Epic. The better the chest, the more rewards you get from the chest. However you need a certain kind of key in order to open the chests, which have to be bought with actual cash which may turn people away from the game since it is supposed to be free-to-play. Duelyst currently released a 1.68 patch, according to pcgamer. The patch includes foil versions of existing cards with alternate visual effects.
While there may not be an official release date for Duelyst, Counterplay Games has been testing the game on Steam. You can sign up to preview the game on Steam at the following link after filling in a short questionnaire.
You can now play the game for free right now at the Duelyst official website. You can also watch Keith Lee of Counter play Games play Duelyst on the Steam Lobby.