We’ve built decks to fight monsters, climb towers, play poker, and survive all kinds of horrible deaths over the years. Rogue Waves has something a little more relaxing in mind. Well, sort of.
Developed by Uruguay-based indie studio Pomelo Games, Rogue Waves is an upcoming roguelike deckbuilder that swaps swords and monsters for surfboards and rival wave riders. Its brand-new demo is available now on Steam, giving players their first chance to hit the beaches of Porto Calambre, build a deck of ridiculous tricks, and discover that even catching a wave can become a strategic battle.
Turns out surfing and deckbuilding have more in common than you might think.
Catching the Best Wave Is Half the Battle
Rogue Waves puts you into four-round surfing competitions where everything comes down to who can put the biggest score on the board. Before you can start pulling off tricks, though, you actually need a wave to ride.
You and your opponent compete for the best waves by bidding a limited supply of energy. Throw too much into securing that perfect wave and you might not have enough left to boost your moves once you’re on it. Play things too cautiously and your rival could steal the better opportunity right out from under you.
That creates an interesting little gamble before you’ve even started surfing. Sometimes grabbing the biggest wave will be worth the energy. Other times, letting your opponent have it and saving your resources could leave you in a much better position.
Nobody said surfing etiquette had to apply in a roguelike.
Build a Deck Worthy of the Perfect Wave
Once you’re on the water, your cards take over. Maneuver cards can be combined to create increasingly powerful tricks and scoring synergies, with Rogue Waves ditching traditional card costs and inventory management in favor of letting you concentrate on putting together the best possible combination.
The newly released demo includes a complete Rookie deck with more than 50 cards to experiment with.
Stickers add another element to your build. There are more than 40 available in the demo, earned from a collection of completely legitimate and definitely-not-ridiculous fictional sponsors. These can change the rules of a run and open up new combinations as you work your way through each competition.
Between tournaments, you can also visit different locations to prepare for whatever comes next. Shops offer new maneuvers, the gym provides temporary boosts, sponsored events can earn you more stickers, and the spa is there when your latest attempt at becoming a surfing legend leaves you slightly worse for wear.
Not Every Wave Wants to Be Ridden
Then there are the Rogue Waves themselves. These enormous waves offer some of the biggest opportunities to rack up points, but messing one up comes with equally large consequences. Taking the risk could completely change a competition in your favor, provided you have the deck and resources to actually pull it off.
You’ll also have six rival surfers to contend with in the demo, each bringing their own abilities capable of interfering with your plans. It’s all wrapped up in a colorful take on surf culture that doesn’t take the sport too seriously. Expect impossible tricks, strange characters, questionable sponsors, and plenty of passive-aggressive competition rather than the usual roguelike tradition of trying to murder whatever happens to be standing opposite you.
Surf’s Up on Steam
Rogue Waves is the latest game from Pomelo Games, the indie studio behind Outlanders, and its new Steam demo gives us a much better idea of how surfing and roguelike deckbuilding can work together.
Whether you’re chasing the perfect deck, the perfect wave, or just looking for a roguelike that does something a little different, Rogue Waves might be worth paddling out for. Just remember to save some energy for the actual surfing.