If you love roguelike deckbuilders but wish more of them were built for friends, Hellcard is worth a look right now. The game is free to play on Steam for a limited time, giving curious players a chance to jump in and see why it’s been getting attention for its cooperative focus and distinctive style. The free trial runs until February 2.
Hellcard drops you into dark, dungeon-like runs set in a world warped by an archdemon. What immediately sets it apart is its presentation: everything looks like it’s been lifted from a stylized pop-up book. The art leans into a paper-craft aesthetic, with origami-like enemies, clean fantasy designs, and a minimalist atmosphere that still feels wonderfully moody and immersive.
The core structure will feel familiar to anyone who enjoys the best roguelike deckbuilder games. Dungeons are procedurally generated, rewards are randomized, and your build evolves based on what you find. If you go down, you start over. Where Hellcard really changes the formula is that it doesn’t treat the journey as a strictly solo challenge. Instead, it’s designed from the ground up to support co-op play for up to three players, turning each run into a shared tactical puzzle.
Combat also has a clever twist that makes teamwork matter. Battles take place on a circular battlefield divided into “slices.” Where enemies appear on the ring affects whether they’re considered near or far, and that positioning interacts with your cards’ range and effects. It’s not just about building a powerful deck—it’s about building the right deck for your role and coordinating with your teammates so your strategies complement each other. Each player develops their own deck, but the outcomes depend on how well the party works together, especially when enemy waves start stacking pressure.
Feedback has been largely positive. One review outlet highlighted the game’s fresh battlefield design and strong replay value, calling out co-op as the standout feature because it adds a new layer of strategy beyond the typical deckbuilder loop. Criticisms have included a user interface that can feel cluttered and a learning curve that may be tough for newcomers, particularly if you’re not already comfortable with roguelike deckbuilding systems. Even so, the overall impression remains strong, and Steam user reception has been encouraging as well, with a solid majority of reviews landing in the positive range.
Hellcard was created by Polish developer Thing Trunk with publishing support from Skystone Games, and it originally launched in February 2024. It typically sells for about $25 on Steam, but the current free-to-play window makes it an easy recommendation if you’ve been craving a cooperative deckbuilder with more tactical depth than the usual solo runs. It’s also Steam Deck Verified, meaning it should run smoothly on Valve’s handheld for portable dungeon crawling. No additional discount has been announced yet, so the limited-time free trial is the main opportunity to try it at no cost before February 2.
