Strategy games have been on my favorite genre ever since the days of Battle Isle. And as you may well know if you’ve been following and of the stories I write, I like card games too because of the way they distill tactical warfare into a neat package. So, when Duelyst was announced about a year ago, I was intrigued by its attempt to blend a game like Hearthstone with the mechanics of Hero Academy. This kind of blend has been attempted quite a few times but hasn’t always worked out. Duelyst, though, seems to have a recipe that works well. The game has hundreds of spells and units that let you build your team as you please. Add to that a tactical board where positioning matters greatly, and you can see why strategy fans like Duelyst.

The developers have made the game quite a competitive affair with a Ranked ladder mode, a Draft Mode (the Gauntlet), and, of course, a casual mode. They also intend to add Tournament Modes along with a Spectator mode and Replay function. In other words, it sounds like its going the esports way (even if it doesn’t end up being an esport). The games only last 5-10 minutes, which is perfect for this type of game. Add to that a very unique and colorful art style, and I think we might have a winner. The game is currently in Beta on the PC, but mobile is on the team’s roadmap, so let’s hope all goes as planned and we get another strong strategy game on our devices.