Hadean Tactics is a roguelike deckbuilding game fused with autobattler elements to create a unique strategy experience. Use your cards to influence the actions of your units and help your Hero defeat the Six Wings of Hell!
The game casts players in the role of a "Hero" who leads a party of units through procedurally generated maps to defeat the Six Wings of Hell. The core gameplay loop blends deckbuilding, unit recruitment and management, and real-time tactical combat.
At the start of each run, players choose from several Hero characters, each with their own unique deck of cards. As they progress, players can acquire new cards to add to their deck, creating synergies and combos. The game also features a Custom Hero mode, allowing players to fully customize their own Hero by mixing and matching skills, alliances, and abilities from the available pool.
In addition to the player's Hero, the party consists of two additional units that can be recruited and upgraded. Each unit has its own stats, abilities, and faction alignments that can be enhanced through level-up paths. Carefully building a cohesive team is crucial, as units work together to automatically battle enemies in real-time.
During combat, the action unfolds on an 8x8 grid battlefield. Players can pause the battle at any time to play cards from their hand, which allow them to buff allies, debuff enemies, reposition units, and more. This pause-and-play system gives players a high degree of tactical control over the otherwise automated combat.
The game features a roguelike structure, with each run progressing through a series of randomly generated map nodes and encounters. Successful runs unlock new Heroes, cards, units, and other upgrades that carry over to future playthroughs. An "Ascension" system adds increasing difficulty levels (Corruption) with new challenges and modifiers.
Players praise the game's unique blend of genres, which delivers a fresh and engaging strategy experience. The deckbuilding and customization options, along with the real-time tactical combat, are highlights that allow for a high degree of player agency and emergent gameplay. The roguelike structure and progression systems contribute to the game's substantial replayability.