Somewhere along the way, the gods became corrupted, and now it’s up to the heir of the Green Bull Demon to deal with the consequences.
That’s the premise behind Relief, a newly launched deckbuilding roguelike that takes inspiration from Journey to the West and twists it into something far stranger. Rather than retelling the famous tale, the game explores a world that exists after it, one filled with broken deities, powerful spirits, and increasingly absurd card combinations.
Players build decks from a huge pool of more than 1,000 cards while recruiting companions with wildly different playstyles. Some transform status effects into powerful tools. Others summon spirit allies, fuse cards together, or chain elemental reactions into devastating attacks. Each companion pushes runs in a different direction, encouraging experimentation rather than sticking to a single strategy.
As well as the cards themselves, Relief combines additional build systems on top. Twenty-four unique Aid Powers can dramatically alter a run, while card affixes allow players to modify and strengthen individual cards through shrine upgrades. The result is a game that seems determined to give players as many opportunities as possible to create something completely broken.
Of course, every good deckbuilder eventually becomes a search for the most ridiculous combo imaginable. Relief simply happens to conduct that search in a world where corrupted gods, ancient legends, and demon heirs are all part of the plan.