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Duelyst II similar games & best alternatives

Duelyst II

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Linux • 2022

Related articles

Quick resume

Choose your faction, construct your deck and put your strategy to the test in the evolution of the ultimate collectible tactics game.

Global score

74/100

Genres

Indie, Strategy, Free To Play, Card & Board Game

Similar games

    Pros

    • Unique blend of tactical board and card game mechanics
    • High skill ceiling and strategic depth
    • Beautiful pixel art and animations
    • Fair free-to-play progression
    • Active and friendly community with developer support

    Cons

    • Small player base causing matchmaking issues
    • Slow content updates and development progress
    • Steep learning curve challenging for new players
    • Some balance issues among factions and cards
    • Monetization model can feel grindy or pay-to-win

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Story, Expression. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story, Fantasy, Fellowship.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have freedom to build decks, choose factions, and make tactical decisions on a grid-based board, indicating high control over actions."

    • Competence
      5

      "The game demands skillful deckbuilding, positioning, and tactical play with a steep learning curve and high skill ceiling."

    • Competition
      4

      "Strong focus on ranked ladder, competitive matches, and skill-based matchmaking with leaderboards and tournaments."

    • Continuation
      2

      "Players invest hundreds of hours, but the small player base and slow content updates may limit long-term habitual play for some."

    • Cooperation
      -3

      "Gameplay is primarily 1v1 competitive; limited evidence of cooperative or team-based modes."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Extensive deckbuilding and strategic positioning allow creative expression in playstyle and tactics."

    • Domination
      -2

      "Competitive but community described as friendly and supportive; no strong evidence of dominance or toxic behavior."

    • Escapism
      3

      "Players use the game as a relaxing and engaging distraction, with some reviews noting stress relief and immersion."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment rather than obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Players explore different decks, factions, and strategies, with ongoing balance changes encouraging experimentation."

    • Exploration
      1

      "Some discovery in deckbuilding and tactical options, but limited exploration of new areas or secrets."

    • Expression
      2

      "Customization mainly through deck choices and some cosmetic options; generals have limited unique abilities."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Strong fantasy elements with factions, lore, pixel art characters, and imaginative tactical combat."

    • Fellowship
      2

      "Active but small community with Discord engagement and social interaction, though gameplay is mostly solo."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players develop skills in strategy, deckbuilding, and tactical play; learning curve is steep but rewarding."

    • Health
      -5

      "No evidence of physical activity or health-related gameplay; typical sedentary gaming."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and strategic thinking; not designed for idle or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -4

      "Social interactions are mostly surface-level competitive matches; limited evidence of close relationships."

    • Leadership
      -3

      "No evidence of leadership roles; players participate individually without managing groups."

    • Progression
      4

      "Strong progression through card collection, deck building, leveling factions, and unlocking content."

    • Relaxation
      3

      "Some players find the game relaxing and enjoyable despite its strategic depth and occasional frustration."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable pixel art, animations, and sound design provide sensory stimulation and emotional engagement."

    • Status
      3

      "Competitive ladder and rankings provide social recognition and status among players."

    • Story
      2

      "Some lore and faction backstory exist, but narrative is not a primary focus of gameplay."

    • Strategy
      5

      "Core gameplay revolves around deep strategic thinking, planning, and tactical problem solving."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Competitive matches create suspense and excitement, though pace is moderate and not overly tense."

    • Value
      2

      "Free-to-play friendly with reasonable progression; some complaints about monetization but generally fair."

    • Violence
      1

      "Combat involves fantasy battles and destruction, but stylized and not graphic; focus on tactical combat."

    • Survival
      3

      "Players must avoid defeat by managing resources and positioning, emphasizing survival of the general."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026