If you like roguelike-driven card games inspired by trees and Celtic mythology, then you’ll more than likely enjoy Oaken.
Oaken, the tactical roguelike card game from Laki Studios and publisher Goblinz Publishing, hits early access on Steam and GOG on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. You should play it if you like indie video games, nature, strategy, or fantasy fiction.
The game is set in the mythical kingdom of Oaken, a place filled with magic and set inside the branches of a Great Oaktree. Populated by wisps, seedlings, and wanderers all guided by the spirits of the Great Oak in keeping the peace, this paradise gets disrupted when the Oak’s voice suddenly goes silent and a series of cursed events threaten to destroy everything.
The world of Oaken was inspired by Celtic mythology and even features a folkloric-inspired soundtrack. The player’s adventure begins with an adventure to save the Great Oaktree.
It starts by picking one of the guides, mighty spirits with distinct abilities to aid the hero in battle. There is Aya and her spiky seeds that can inflict damage at the end of every turn and Enju and their miracle cure that strengthens allies each time they heal. There is much to discover and each experience is unique, as a randomly generated world map ensures no run is ever repeated. The hexagonal battlegrounds also provide freedom to move, rotate, and coordinate attacks. Battles feature unique spells, strategic placement, and line of sight management, all to protect the hero at all costs.
Victories advance the game with new branching paths forward. There are also unlockable cards with every battle, where you can, under different circumstances, upgrade units and spells. Excess cards can also be destroyed to create Lumi Dust and improve unit stats, allowing for increased performance on the battlefield.
“We are extremely excited to help bring Oaken to peoples’ computers, as it captures a lot of what Goblinz represents,” said Johann Verbroucht, founder and manager at Goblinz Publishing. “It has magic, tactical battles, deck management, tons of strategy, and it is a lot of fun. We hope players of all ages can enjoy this adventure as much as we do!”
Oaken lands on PC Early Access via Steam and GOG on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. It supports English, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Spanish (Europe and Latin America), Japanese, Korean, Russian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and Polish languages.
Definitely check it out or visit the Oaken Discord to learn more.
