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The creators of the fan-made (and very popular) Downfall expansion for Slay The Spire, which changes the scenario and allows you to protect the spire from annoying heroes, are preparing a full-fledged game. Table 9 has announced Tales & Tactics, a mix of “strategy roguelike with squad-based auto-combat” due out later this year, and it looks like the developers are drawing on lessons learned from Downfall.
Tales & Tactics is set on a hexagonal board and you have to assemble a roster of characters (which naturally take the form of cards), each with a “unique combination of traits and archetypes”. You’ll want to build a deck of characters whose skills stack well together to take down your enemies or, if you’re like me, just throw everything on the board with more damage and hope for the best.
It looks like Table 9 is aiming for the same depth and complexity of mechanics that it achieved in Downfall, but it looks like you’ll be able to get into it at a pace that suits you. “The mechanics will only get harder if you want it to,” says the game’s description, which boasts a “difficulty at your own pace” unlock system.
These layers of difficulty seem to be what makes the game really interesting. “Unlike many roguelikes, the new features unlocked in Tales & Tactics rarely directly increase strength,” says Table 9, “but rather add new features, mechanics, and options that increase the difficulty of the game,” but not necessarily your strength. For example, the studio explains that “instead of an unlock giving ‘your units take more damage’, you can unlock ‘a diabolical deal may be offered'”.
The description stubbornly refuses to tell us what a “devil’s deal” is, but as the name suggests, it’s something that gives a bonus to one item at the expense of another, or something similar.
Table 9’s Downfall Mod for Slay The Spire has been much loved by players and currently has “Overwhelmingly Positive” reviews on Steam. Naturally, the players reacted positively to the news about the release of a full-fledged game from the studio. “It’s going to be an instant buy for me because Downfall is so impressive,” said Reddit user callender55, while Interlinked said, “As soon as I saw this game on Steam, I knew I would buy it. Downfall is amazing, even if she made me quit playing more than Elden Ring.” Table 9 has set a great standard for itself with its mod, so expectations are high for its first full game.
