Deck of Haunts

“Deck of Haunts is a quick and fun deck-building roguelike. Building out the haunted house is the most fun part. Just know that this is also one of those games where you will be at the mercy of the RNG, where failing to get a specific card you need to save your run may lead to your demise.”

“A roguelike deckbuilder where you're not the victim—you're the trap. Deck of Haunts takes genre expectations, rips them up, and uses them to wallpaper your haunted murder maze. It’s strategic, unsettling, and deeply replayable. But it’s also unapologetically difficult, occasionally unbalanced, and sometimes a bit too opaque for its own good. That said, if you’ve ever wanted to build the perfect haunted house and ruin some lives, this one’s for you.”

“Deck of Haunts is fun for its mechanics and the reversal of perspective, but it lacks a real narrative bite and a crescendo of tension: it is interesting from a conceptual point of view, but it lacks that extra spark that makes the difference.”

“Deck of Haunts is a unique take on the card-based roguelite genre that started spawning after Slay the Spire‘s commercial success. It’s a very addictive game – I found myself losing hours as I played through multiple runs, trying to count down to Day 28. Players who do not like card-based mechanics in their games should stay away, as this game has cards (a lot of them), and a lot of spooky ones at that.”

“If you have a taste for horror, you'll be right at home with Deck of Haunts. This deckbuilder may be light on story, but how many other games can you say cast you as a haunted house? Its core game loop of dispatching hapless intruders will have you grinning.”

“Deck of Haunts gameplay loop, with the building phase during the day and the combat phase during the night, will keep you coming back for more as your mansion grows bigger and stronger. There’s a real power trip to be had, but just like giants can be taken down by many smaller enemies attacking at once, it’s tricky to not get overwhelmed by all these people wanting to figure out your secrets. But finding out your own strategy is a ton of fun, whether you go in for the kill or choose to cause madness galore.”

“Deck of Haunts has “good bones,” but it needs renovating with more content, better balance, and some polishing. It’s a clever combination of deck-building and house-construction strategy that is undoubtedly fresh and fun at first, but lacks the challenge to stay that way for long. The potential is there, and I commend Mantis for developing something creative in a genre containing far too many copycats.”

“Deck of Haunts has fun and fast gameplay that allows players to explore their darker side, even with the few glitches.”

“Deck of Haunts has a solid foundation, but I feel as though it fails to fully deliver on its own promises. The deckbuilding gameplay is solid, if repetitive, and the game doesn’t do much to capitalize on its unique identity as a haunted house simulator, leaving this reviewer severely disappointed.”

“For anyone who are board game fans, Deck of Haunts feels like it takes some of the best mechanics of house building from Betrayal at House on the Hill. For those who are horror fans who always thought they could build a better house, this is absolutely for you. While you may not have marathon hours in this game, you will find yourself wanting to go back and revisit this game over and over to do it better.”

“A haunted deck that's as likely to throw you a royal flush as it is sell you down the river, Deck of Haunts satisfies in its creative cards, wickedly evil fantasy power trip and a delightfully vile concept. Its best demonic forces are kept at bay thanks to a lack of real campaign or structure and some underdeveloped room expansion. Even so, if this were a haunted house at Universal Studios, you'd be disappointed to miss it, even if it's not the main attraction.”