Even as someone who would never consider deckbuilders as one of my favorite genres, I can admit that something is alluring about the gameplay loop of collecting cards to unlock new abilities or features. Every playthrough is different depending on your choices, and the wrong choice can potentially have catastrophic consequences. 

I’ve played a ton of deckbuilders in my time, and there comes a point where many of them tend to blend into one long blur of decks and features. However, every so often, a deckbuilder comes along that stands out for one reason or another. Whether it’s art style, the inclusion of a mechanic that usually wouldn’t feature in a game of the genre, or a story that hooks you in. 

Here are six indie deckbuilders that stand out, and why they do. 

Dark Cards of Candlewood

Dark Cards of Candlewood is a deckbuilder that somehow manages to embody the spirit of an RPG. The art style is gorgeous, the mechanics are smooth and easy to understand, even to my uninitiated mind, and the story is deeply compelling. 

The story is the standout feature of Dark Cards of Candlewood. As you progress and meet the various characters, you learn about your character and his friends, gradually unlocking them to be part of your party during combat. And all of this begins with a shipwreck that leaves you alone, confused, and stranded. 

Dark Cards of Candlewood is currently in development by a small indie team Lunoland. It’s only available through Itch.io, and there’s a demo available to try that plays in your browser. 

Becoming Captain

Becoming Captain is a sci-fi deckbuilder, so it stands out immediately among the swathes of medieval-themed games available. In Becoming Captain, you’re among the last pirates to exist within the universe and have the option to try and gain control of the Calamity. 

Using your cards, you’ll face off against powerful enemies and learn how to use the world around you to your advantage. There’s always something new to experience on every run, and the life of a pirate is never a boring one.  

Becoming Captain is currently under development by Le Havre Creation and does not have a fixed release date just yet. If you want to keep up with development, head on over to Steam to wishlist and follow the game. 

Deck of Haunts

My favorite ride at any theme park or carnival has always been the haunted house, so when I saw Deck of Haunts and realized it was set entirely within one, I knew this would be a deckbuilder I could get on board with. 

In Deck of Haunts, you design a maze-like mansion around your ‘heart room’ to trap humans inside, and then use your collected cards to slowly drive them insane. When you’ve pushed them towards madness, you can then use their ‘essense’ to strengthen the mansion, making you more powerful at every turn.  

Deck of Haunts was developed by Mantis and released in full on May 7, 2025, so you can go and enjoy the full gameplay experience right now. Alternatively, if you want to give it a try before you commit to the purchase, there’s a demo available to try as well. 

Ashes of Morgravia

Ashes of Morgravia, developed by Background Blur, is a deckbuilder that also includes hexatile combat and splits your decks into two: one for fighting and one for moving. Every card is beautifully animated, and you’ll need to use them carefully if you want to get a leg up in battle. 

I have a small soft spot for hexatile combat games, although I don’t get to play them nearly enough. Ashes of Morgravia not only gives me the chance to enjoy the gameplay style, but also features lots of horror imagery and creepy creatures that need to be battled. 

If you think you’re up for the challenge of taking on the Necrotic horrors in Ashes of Morgravia, you can go and try the demo right now. The full game does not have a release date just yet, but keep an eye on the indie release schedule for updates. 

Hungry Horrors

Hungry Horrors takes the cooking aspect of cozy gaming and throws it into a world of deckbuilders and roguelikes. It shouldn’t work, it seems too bizarre, but somehow the combination of features ends up becoming something so utterly enjoyable and yet difficult to explain. 

In Hungry Horrors, you don’t attack your enemies with weapons. Instead, you feed them with dishes that you cook before each run, using ingredients that you have in your possession to create cards that make up your available deck. What you can cook depends on what ingredients you’ve purchased or grown, so every run is different. 

Hungry Horrors is currently in development by Clumsy Bear Studio and doesn’t have a fixed release date just yet. There’s a demo, though, and I highly recommend it even if you aren’t regularly a fan of deckbuilders. 

The Drawstring Dungeon

The Drawstring Dungeon is a deckbuilder that has all of the normal features you’d expect from any game of the genre, but it throws in one particularly inspired addition. Rather than fighting fixed bosses, you get to choose the perks or buffs that your eventual boss will possess, meaning you can tailor the boss to your fighting style and currently available deck. 

You also unlock charms after each encounter, which can then be added to cards to strengthen them in the long run. There are 300+ cards available to collect, use, and upgrade along the way, but you’ll never see all of them in a single playthrough, so there’s a lot of room for replays as well. 

The Drawstring Dungeon was developed by Sleeper Build Studio and released in full on July 1, 2025. If you want to give it a try before you make the purchase, there’s a demo available as well.