By Aimee Rogers 
A new roguelite deckbuilder from solo developer Rafael Diniz is coming to Steam, staking its claim on a crowded genre by tying card synergy directly to character progression that persists across runs. Put simply, your character grows even when your deck doesn’t survive the run.
Chosen Anyway: Card Game follows Ryn, an apprentice chosen by destiny instead of the tradition-bound war academy, as he travels across regions to prove the Light made no mistake. The game’s hook lies in how it marries run-to-run deck construction with permanent RPG stat scaling.
Cards themselves vanish when a run ends, but character-level upgrades stay put. Players build decks mid-run after each victory, enhance cards on the fly, and face boss encounters that test both deck composition and moment-to-moment tactical choices in turn-based combat.
Between runs, the growth continues. Ryn can unlock new permanent talents, craft and enhance equipment, and forge rare items to strengthen core attributes. That meta-layer means every decision outside combat ripples into the next attempt, sidestepping the trap many deckbuilders fall into where character power feels disconnected from moment-to-moment deck choices.
The latest update also included a round of early fixes aimed at smoothing out the first playable builds. Players noted improvements to UI responsiveness, clearer card interactions, and adjustments to early‑game pacing. These are small but meaningful tweaks that suggest the developer is paying attention to friction points before they calcify into long‑term problems.
Steven Andrew