Support us on Patreon to keep GamingOnLinux alive. This ensures all of our main content remains free for everyone. Just good, fresh content! Alternatively, you can donate through PayPal. You can also buy games using our partner links for GOG and Humble Store.
We do often include affiliate links to earn us some pennies. See more here.

What do you get when you cross a twin-stick bullet-hell with a card-game? Heck Deck. It's not a particularly long game but the idea is excellent. It ends up more like a deck-building shooter strategy game, it's thoroughly odd to properly pin it to a genre. Note: key provided by the developer.

Time only moves when you move and you directly control a little sort-of wiggly-thing. Cards are you abilities and enemies fire cards. The thing is though, when you run out of cards you need to crash yourself into the cards the enemies fire to get more. It hurts you, but you get a new card to use (except health cards - they don't hurt of course). It's absolutely genius and I love it.

YouTube Thumbnail
YouTube videos require cookies, you must accept their cookies to view. View cookie preferences.
Accept Cookies & Show   Direct Link

This is a truly unique take on a bullet-hell, as it not only requires reasonably good dexterity to be able to move around and avoid too many hits but also the strategy side of it. You need to try and plan ahead, think about what cards to use or to crash into to collect and then to go on the offensive. This really brings the idea of risk-to-reward ratio to life in such a fun way as you're constantly deciding how and when to hurt yourself to progress.

Adding to the difficulty, you can't just constantly spam cards either. Once you use a card, you get a little cool-down that disappears as you move forcing you to keep moving which is difficult when enemies come along that spit out cards like mad. Only certain cards allow you to actually aim a shot too, there's plenty that need you to position yourself exactly where you're needed leading to more fancy finger work to slip through and around of enemy cards.

Game Features:

  • 5 different levels with their own music
  • A cute hand-drawn art style
  • One unique setting for each level
  • Dozens of attacks and spells for the player
  • Over 30 enemies and bosses
  • A card purchase system via the shop

Available to buy on itch.io and Steam. Buy it, it's great and might even be a new personal favourite.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
3 Likes
About the author -
author picture
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
See more from me
The comments on this article are closed.
1 comment

scaine Jan 13, 2022
View PC info
  • Contributing Editor
  • Mega Supporter
I don't know if it's the extreme polish on show here, or the funky soundtrack, but this really puts me in the mood of a Wii game! Incredible mash-up.
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
The comments on this article are closed.