Deck of Haunts is a strategy indie simulation game that puts players in control of a malevolent haunted house. The title combines deck-building mechanics with mansion management, creating a roguelike experience focused on luring intruders, amplifying their fears, and harvesting their essence for growth.
Gameplay
The core loop divides each cycle into distinct day and night phases. During the day, players arrange rooms throughout the mansion to form defensive layouts and traps. Special rooms offer unique abilities that support the overall haunt, while the central Heart room requires constant protection as the source of power.
At night, explorers enter the property, and players draw from a deck of haunt cards. These cards allow summoning spirits, altering hallways, creating creaks and screams, or directly targeting visitors to raise tension. Cards can be played on individuals or rooms to escalate fear levels gradually.
Once fear peaks, players choose whether to extract essence or allow escape. Essence fuels further expansion, unlocking additional rooms and new cards. The process repeats as infamy grows and stronger opponents appear, including law enforcement and priests. The Stone Masons present a particular late-game threat.
Strategic decisions center on balancing room placement for maximum confusion with efficient card use to maximize essence yield. Each run builds tension through careful timing of scares and kills.
Game Modes
Deck of Haunts centers on a singleplayer campaign structured around progressive days of mansion development. Players advance through a series of nights, refining their deck and layout while facing escalating challenges from different types of human visitors.
The roguelike structure means each attempt involves permanent choices in card unlocks and room expansions that carry forward within a run. Failure resets progress but allows retention of learned strategies for subsequent attempts.
No separate competitive or cooperative modes exist. The experience remains entirely focused on solitary management of the haunted domain against AI-controlled intruders.
Progression and Deck Building
Card collection forms the backbone of long-term advancement. New haunts become available through essence expenditure, expanding options for screams, phantoms, floor shifts, and other effects. Players curate decks to suit preferred scare tactics or defensive priorities.
Room variety adds another layer, with placements that protect the Heart while creating dead ends or fear amplifiers. Special rooms introduce targeted powers that interact with the card system during night phases.
Over time, the mansion grows in complexity, attracting more dangerous targets that yield greater rewards when successfully driven to madness.
Is It Worth Playing?
Deck of Haunts delivers a cohesive blend of deck-building and simulation elements that appeals to fans of strategic roguelikes. The day-night cycle provides clear structure, while card and room management reward thoughtful planning.
Steam user reviews rate the game Very Positive overall, with recent feedback remaining Mostly Positive. The title includes a demo for those wanting to test the mechanics first.
Players who enjoy managing systems, optimizing layouts, and experimenting with card synergies will find substantial depth here. Those seeking multiplayer options or faster-paced action may prefer other genres.
