Gordian Quest is a deckbuilding RPG inspired by the genre classics

Card-based deckbuilding RPG Gordian Quest has just recently left Early Access, reaching a version 1.0 after a few years of development that saw it journey from a just-ok card RPG to one that floats near the top of the pack. Not just my opinion, either, since Gordian Quest sits at 92% positive Steam reviews on a total of 3,461 as I write this.

Building a party from 10 different characters, with their own personality and class, Gordian Quest sends you out on a deckbuilding RPG adventure with a really great broad-based equipment and skills system. It's a fusion of the energy of older D&D energy of RPGs like Neverwinter Nights or Ultima with the more modern popularity of roguelike deckbuilders, featuring a more classic four-act campaign alongside alternate modes.

The upshot for many is that it's not a single setting game. A variety of difficulties are available to you, from a casual mode where deaths are a setback to brutally hardcore. That's just campaign mode, there's also a mode called Realm Mode, which is built from the ground up as a roguelite experience. Both modes use include a meta-game progression system that gives you benefits which carry over into future playthroughs.

You can find Gordian Quest on Steam for $20, or 25% off until July 7th for the summer sale.

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.