Ancient Enemy is an RPG card battler set in a crumbling world where the forces of evil have already won. Blast distorted enemies with a satisfying range of spells and abilities. Journey into a scarred wilderness and draw power and hope from the landscape to defeat the deadliest foe of all!
The core gameplay revolves around clearing card layouts by playing cards of one value higher or lower than the face-up card. You must carefully manage your physical, magical, and defensive abilities, represented by yellow, orange, and blue cards respectively, to defeat a variety of twisted enemies. This solitaire-inspired card system forms the backbone of the turn-based combat encounters.
Between battles, you can customize your deck of cards, skills, and items to better suit the challenges ahead. This deckbuilding aspect allows you to balance offense, defense, and utility, as you choose from a variety of spells, abilities, and consumable items to experiment with different approaches.
The key to success in combat is building long chains or "combos" of card plays. As you create bigger combos, you charge up your physical and magical attacks, enabling you to deal greater damage to enemies. Carefully timing the use of these charged attacks alongside defensive plays is crucial to surviving the increasingly challenging battles.
Beyond just playing cards, the game introduces additional mechanics to create a more dynamic battlefield. This includes locked cards that must be unlocked, knotted cards that require multiple plays to clear, and "wild" cards that provide flexible options. You can also gain skills that let you manipulate the card layout, such as removing specific cards or shuffling the deck, adding an extra strategic layer.
While the core solitaire-style gameplay is easy to pick up, the game provides a well-balanced challenge. You can choose from three difficulty settings, allowing you to experience a more relaxed adventure or a true test of your skills. The combat presents tough decisions, but the ability to heal and recharge between battles prevents any single defeat from being overly punishing.