A turn-based card RPG from Image & Form with an adorable art style. Building decks for three heroes offers real tactics without ever feeling intimidating. Charming, clever and a perfect entry into the genre.
Your verdict
Category
Card Battle1 player7+
Description
Three would-be heroes cross a realm of steam and magic to thwart an ancient threat, deck in hand. Published by Image & Form, released worldwide in 2019. Battles chaining cards into combos, over a hundred abilities, card crafting and a witty steampunk robot world.
Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Marrying turn-based combat with deck-building yields a tactical loop where each reward sharpens your strategy: you earn a card, rethink your combo, and itch for the next fight to try it. Progress through a steampunk world keeps adding heroes and synergies to discover. Testing one fresh combination is enough to start another session. The pacing stays measured, free of artificial traps, though fans of pure roguelikes will find the structure more linear and thus less unpredictable.
A card-driven turn-based RPG, this title makes every boss a puzzle where deck composition decides everything. Chaining three identical cards triggers devastating bonuses, inviting you to plan several turns ahead. Knightly fantasy humor and a clean system make these clashes strategic challenges as accessible as they are deep.
Is Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech still worth playing in 2026?
SteamWorld Quest is a lovely surprise for anyone who thinks card games are dry. It weds a light narrative RPG to a battle system where you chain cards to build clever combos, without intrusive randomness. Deck-building stays readable, the hundred-odd abilities encourage experimentation, and the humour-filled steampunk world of robots carries it all with charm. The pacing stretches a little mid-adventure and the challenge stays measured. But as a gateway into deck-building, or as a well-made pocket RPG, it has weathered time very nicely and still feels fresh for newcomers to the genre.
