Zoeti

The strategy roguelite card-based game Zoeti is currently free, 100% to keep, for Windows and Mac — 100% free in a limited-time Epic Store’s giveaway! Take advantage of it, as Zoeti normally costs US$19.99!

Zoeti is an indie, turn-based strategy game with deckbuilding mechanics and roguelike elements, set in a medieval fantasy world with an anime-inspired art style. It was developed by Dusklight and originally released on April 20, 2023.

Each run is composed of small, self-contained maps that last around ten minutes and include battles—where playing cards are central—along with events, rest sites, shops, and bosses. Progression is fast and structured, maintaining the core loop typical of roguelikes and deckbuilders. The game also places emphasis on narrative, featuring dialogues, cutscenes, pre-boss conversations, and characters with distinct personalities.

Published by Akupara Games and available on Windows, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and Mac, Zoeti received average reviews from critics. On PC storefronts, however, it currently holds very positive user ratings, at least so far.

You can get the game here!

Trailer

Gameplay

Zoeti is a turn-based strategy game with deckbuilding and roguelike progression, where you control one of the Star-Soul heroes, each with their own combat style, unlockable abilities, individual upgrades, progression track (XP), and artifacts to unlock. Every character begins with several empty skill slots. In the early battles, you acquire abilities to fill those slots; once all slots are occupied, new variations and upgraded versions start to appear.

Combat revolves around a deck of playing cards: combinations such as pairs, two pairs, full houses, or straight flushes activate offensive, defensive, or utility skills, with more complex hands producing stronger effects. Each ability requires a specific type of poker hand (e.g., a “three-of-a-kind” skill demands three cards of the same value). Players can trigger as many combinations per turn as they wish, limited only by maximum hand size or the number of cards drawn each round.

Each run is structured around small, branching maps containing battles, narrative events, rest sites, shops, and bosses. As the player advances, they can acquire new abilities, upgrade existing ones, or unlock modifiers that shift the overall build strategy. Risk-reward decisions are frequent: tougher enemies offer greater rewards, while safer routes provide more stable progression. Every victory grants crystals, which can be used to upgrade skills — up to four levels — at campfires.

Enemies have varying defenses and attack patterns, requiring strategic card combinations both to break their guard and to mitigate incoming damage. Random encounters may grant temporary buffs, items, new card effects, or NPC interactions that influence the course of a run. Health does not fully recover between maps, and while the tavern heals more than a campfire, neither restores the player to full health.

Zoeti’s economy revolves around relics, consumables, and abilities, split between two types of shops. The shop beside the tavern sells consumables and temporary relics, which break after a limited number of activations. In-map shops, on the other hand, offer permanent relics—more expensive but far more impactful for a build. Consumables can be stockpiled freely, though there may be usage limits early in the game, and some relics automatically generate consumables after each encounter. There is no explicit limit to how many permanent relics the player can hold, allowing for a wide range of passive effects to accumulate over the course of a run.

Although the focus remains on tactical mechanics, the game includes narrative segments between battles, with dialogues, cutscenes, and unique interactions with major characters and bosses that complement the roguelike structure. After completing the story mode once, the player unlocks Adventure Mode, a more traditional roguelike experience with large, extended maps.

About the game

Zoeti is a turn-based roguelite that features a deck of playing cards used to create card combos and activate skills in the heat of battle. Bolster your arsenal of skills through battles, discoverable upgrades, or aid from the locals which enhance your plays to overcome the evil plaguing your land.

A once peaceful land, now overrun by monsters. You, a Star-Soul hero, are among a select few blessed to raze the land of evil.

In Zoeti, you are equipped with a deck of playing cards, with which you play card combinations (pair, full house, royal flush, etc.) to activate skills that will attack or defend against enemies. Further bolster your arsenal of skills and upgrades through battles and discovery. The blood of a dead god congeals into monsters roaming the countryside, threatening devout townsfolk and the simple lives they lead. Will you, a Star-Soul hero, protect them from the ravages of evil?

You’ll need to crack open the enemy’s defenses, bolster your grit and resolve, all while outsmarting the underhanded foes you face. Use your deck of playing cards to activate skills, attack foes, and defend yourself with card combinations, such as two pair, a full house, or straight flush. Through battle, discovery, and clever decision-making, you’ll upgrade and enhance your build to complete the toughest challenges Zoeti has to offer.

FEATURES LIST

A Royal Flush – Every ability is associated with a poker hand; the more complex the hand, the more impactful the ability!
Create a Powerful Arsenal – Upgrade, purchase, or quest for new skills for your runs. Discover new synergies to overcome your opposition and create mechanically rich strategies.
Your Choices Have Consequences – Risk everything on a tough fight with an exceptional reward or take the easy path to guarantee victory.
Meet Fuzzy Friends – From Winfred the cheerful innkeeper with a powerful secret to Rabelle, the devious scoundrel just as likely to trick you as to help you.
Endless Possibilities – Three different game modes playable with three different characters at five different difficulties featuring dozens of different builds and hundreds of different enemies… Every run is unique!

CHARACTERS

Valentina – An honorable knight dedicated to protecting the weak and standing as a bulwark against evil, Valentina blocks incoming attacks with her stalwart shield and puts the might of raw muscle behind every sword swing. Play Valentina if you like outlasting opponents, meeting them head on with pulverizing power.
Alves – An elusive trickster, Alves knows how to hamstring his enemies’ quickest attacks, evade their most devastating blows, and make them bleed for every swing they take. Play Alves if you like outsmarting opponents with clever ploys and deadly combos.
Nicora – An ingenius mage, Nicora combines the raw power of elemental fire, ice and lightning to burn, freeze and shock her opponents into submission. Play Nicora if harnessing the primal power of terrifying magic seems the best way to defeat the trial of the gods.