Hey everyone! I've got some exciting news for you deckbuilding fans. Yogscast Games just announced that The Royal Writ, a festive card-based roguelite, is launching on August 7th. Honestly, it looks pretty special, and I'm kicking myself for not covering it sooner!

I'll admit, I've been a bit overwhelmed with all the Balatro-like games lately. It's hard to keep up! However, after trying out the Steam demo, I can say that The Royal Writ really stands out. Its jovial, animated storybook visuals are super charming, and the card sacrifice mechanics add an interesting twist.

The Royal Writ might look like a Disney movie at first glance, but it's actually quite dark. Each battle is like a slaughterhouse line. You place your unit cards, and they advance towards the enemy, dealing damage as they go. The closer they are to the enemy, the stronger they get – at least in the early battles.

Here's the catch: if your cards reach the enemy fortifications, they're instantly destroyed and gone forever! So, you need to strategize and build a multiplier to defeat your opponent before your troops get wiped out. But sometimes, letting your units die can be beneficial. For example, the Widow card earns you a lot of cash as she advances, and you only get that cash if she dies.

I really appreciate the pervasive evilness of The Royal Writ. For instance, you can trade a soldier's teeth for upgrades – how twisted is that? If you're curious, you can find the demo on Steam. The game is developed by Save Sloth Studios, who are also working on Sixth Sun, an action game set in an alternate 1500s Mexico. Both games have stunning visuals.