I agree with you that Slay the Spire is probably the one you should start with, it was probably my first experience of the genre and it takes a few goes but then you start to find synergies and combos that work, then start to make progress, unlock new stuff and start to 'get it' so to speak. I would attempt a run or two most mornings to get the brain ticking over - it's a good game for that as it's not about reactions or reflexes so good for me while I'm still waking up with a cup of tea!

I also picked up Dicey Dungeons for a couple of quid in a sale and played that last year, it's pretty simple but again I also enjoyed my time with it. All of the characters play differently so just attempting to clear all of the modes with each probably took around 25-30 hours so good value for money.

A few that I'd recommend that you haven't mentioned are Inscryption, Marvels Midnight Suns and Monster Train. The first two I loved when I stumbled upon them. They are both very different from say the basic form of StS but are deckbuilders at heart - maybe check reviews to see if they are the type of thing for you. Monster Train is probably the closest to a 'proper' deck builder, I've been playing for the last month or so and again, took me a few runs to get my head around but then it was great. Think I'm coming up to as much as I'm able to do with it but it's been fun while it lasted.

Monster Train 2 and Fights in Tight Spaces are two that I've currently got on my wishlist that I'll probably maybe get to at some point in the future. Good luck with your adventures and don't let the RNG get you down!

[Edited Thu 13th Aug 2026 by sorteddan]

I didn't really get on with Slay the Spire as I could never work out what I needed to do in order to progress. I always seem to get wiped out after the second level. I never did complete a run and wasn't keen on the Rogue like elements.

Inscryption I did complete and can highly recommend. It is not a traditional deck builder I don't think. And you are better off knowing as little about the game, as it was a joy to experience the surprises it throws at you.

The only other one I can think of that I played is Rogue Book. Again I've not completed it, but this is more to do with me seeing as more of a PS Portal game then me not liking it. For some reason I seem to understand what it required more than something like Slay the Spire, and there is bit more to the exploration (and therefore more of a strategy) which I enjoy.

[Edited Thu 13th Aug 2026 by JohnnyShoulder]

Life is more fun when you help people succeed, instead of wishing them to fail.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

PSN: JohnnyShoulder

Slay the Spire is the only deckbuilder that I've tried and while I did think it was a good game with really well designed mechanics, great art/design, fluid too, I was just awful at it. I did try a couple of revisits too and decided to reserve my rogue elements for platformers and 2D side-scrollers. I'll probably try it again someday, it's definitely in my Steam library and possibly PSN too. I saw recently a game called Monster Train it looked similar but only one person mentioned it and that was the Weekend Thread. Rogue Book that Johnny mentioned I saw that too and got curious but didn't try it yet. Inscryption too, that I'll eventually get to. I would say you can't go wrong with Slay the Spire, but it can be a little tough and I suppose like anything the more time you spend with it the more things level out.

That was definitely my experience with Gwent in The Witcher 3, at first I struggled and didn't enjoy it at all, but then it landed on PS5 and sure enough my second round with it went much better. I'm sure part of it is RNG too and my non/video-game of choice is chess, there's no real RNG there, I see all of my pieces in real time and can play/strategize, the same for my Opponent. With Slay the Spire there was a lot of 'what does this do? what did I just get hit by? am I dead now?', and yet each time I see it mentioned I do ponder playing it again. Either way it's fun trying new genres, so I'm sure you will land on your feet. I don't know if it's me or it's an attitude thing but when I do try new genres I rarely ever say 'well that was a bad game, there are always some redeeming qualities, that said Slay the Spire is by no means a bad game.

It's in my PSN library too, I found screenshots of me playing badly. Next time I take the banana, I wanted the box, it looked comfy but it was cursed.

[Edited Thu 13th Aug 2026 by GirlVersusGame]

These violent delights have violent ends & in their triumph die, like fire & powder Which, as they kiss, consume.

Bluesky: justkoshechka.bsky.social

Life is more fun when you help people succeed, instead of wishing them to fail.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

PSN: JohnnyShoulder

Life is more fun when you help people succeed, instead of wishing them to fail.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

PSN: JohnnyShoulder

Deckbuilder games are so easy to sink hours into! The satisfaction of building a completely broken synergy and watching a deck combo off is tough to beat. When I'm taking a break from roguelike card builders and looking to explore different chance-based mechanics or read up on modern slot reviews, checking out hubs like https://slotsjudge.com/pl/wyplacalne/ is a fun way to dive into different gaming formats and features. What deckbuilder are you currently trying to beat?

[Edited Thu, 4:15pm by jenkinserik7]