Indomitable Speller (Free Deck-Building Card RPG) Introduction and Review

This is an article introducing "Indomitable Spera," an entry in the 15th WOLF RPG Editor Contest.
This is a deck-building card battle RPG with roguelike elements, featuring charming illustrations.

My completion time was approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes (including clearing the story mode, normal mode, and hard mode).

Game Overview

On the title screen, accompanied by the stirring background music of Wagner's "Under the Double Eagle," you will initially select "Story" mode.

The protagonist is Spera, who is summoned to another world by the goddess Flora in order to defeat the Demon King.
At Flora's request, I agree to help her and the spirits defeat the Demon King.

First, you choose the spirit that will accompany you.
Initially, you'll have a limited selection of spirits, but after clearing Story Mode, you'll unlock Normal and Hard modes, which will increase the number of spirits you can choose from.

The main game system in this title is battles against enemies using cards.
All actions during combat are performed by selecting cards.
The number of cards in a deck is fixed at 20, and when you acquire new cards, you strengthen your deck by replacing existing cards with them.

Card ranks are C < R < SR < SSR, and when you acquire a new card, it will automatically replace a random C card.
Please note that you cannot swap cards with any card you like at first.

During the game, you select the square you want to move to from a map like the one shown in the image above.
The bottommost red square is the one that can be selected.
The next spaces you can move to are the space directly above the space you selected, plus the two spaces adjacent to it.
Think about which square you want to land on next and aim accordingly.

Sword squares indicate battles, hearts indicate HP recovery, green houses are shops, and orange speech bubbles indicate random events.
In sword combat, overlapping markers indicate battles where the character is under a disadvantageous status effect.

The squares with orange speech bubbles indicate where various events will occur.
My impression is that, depending on the choice, nothing particularly bad will happen, so you should actively pursue it.

In the shop, you can purchase any card you want in exchange for your current HP, or strengthen your deck by combining duplicate cards into one to reduce its cost by 1.

Now, let's introduce the combat system, which is the core of this game.
To use a card, you need to pay the cost (MP cost) displayed in the green circle at the top of the card.
At the start of battle, you have 3 MP, but your maximum MP increases by +1 each turn until it reaches its maximum.
Therefore, the basic strategy is to use up as much MP as possible.

The number on the card represents the damage dealt to your opponent, and the indicator next to it is the target.
"Right" and "Left" are easy to understand, but "Low" means the enemy with the lowest HP, and "High" means the enemy with the highest HP.
"?3" means the target will be randomly attacked three times, while "ALL" attacks all enemies.
For other special effects, hover your cursor over the card to see a description.

Only one card is replenished each turn.
As turns progress, the number of cards used usually increases, so it's important to include a certain percentage of high-cost cards and cards that allow for extra draws.

In addition, the lower Spera's HP, the higher the damage multiplier, and there are also status effects that give you an advantage in battle.
When fighting a formidable opponent, it's crucial to utilize these elements effectively.

You can obtain cards by winning battles.
You can only obtain one card, so choose the one you think you need from the cards presented.
It's important to build a deck that is not too unbalanced, taking into account factors such as low cost and high cost, and the balance between attack and healing.

Review (no spoilers)

I managed to clear the game even on hard mode.
I managed to clear Normal mode on my third playthrough, but I was able to clear Story mode and Hard mode on my first try.
I think it's a difficulty level that you can clear without too much trouble once you get the hang of it.

The game is designed so that the player's choices are reflected to some extent through route selection.
The way this part is designed is reminiscent of games like "Alina of the Arena," and I feel there's a cleverness to the way it gently balances randomness and choice to mitigate any sense of unfairness.

The game has a feature where some of your strengthened HP and cards are carried over the more you play through it, so if you keep trying, you will eventually be able to clear it.
As the title "Unyielding Spera" suggests, I believe this is a game that can definitely be cleared if the player continues to challenge themselves with an unyielding spirit.
Let's play this game again and again, while being soothed by Flora's cuteness.

This game, as a card battle RPG with deck-building capabilities, is relatively user-friendly and simple, making it easy for even casual players to pick up and play.
If someone who has never played this genre before wants to play a similar game,Justly Sal」「The Labyrinth of Wishes」「HollowSkyWhy not try playing games like "[game title]"?
Both are challenging free games that I highly recommend.

Strategy Notes

Regarding the hard mode, if you choose Undine as your partner and focus on healing, you should be able to clear it without too much trouble.
By using the Undine card in the later stages of the battle, when HP is low and attack multipliers are high, I was able to defeat even tough enemies in one go.

I think there are various strategies that can be employed depending on the spirit you choose as your partner.
The real fun of deck-building games lies in figuring out combos using various cards.