Over the last few years, gamers have seen the evolution of the roguelike deckbuilder genre, from the RPG vibe ofSlay the SpiretoBalatro’s familiar poker format with a quirky twist. Thesedeckbuilding games may look simpleon the surface, but they require a lot of thought and strategy to craft strong decks against powerful enemies, often with the least moves possible.
A new roguelike deckbuilder that’s caught the attention of players isDog Witch, which has combat similar toSlay the Spireand cuteAnimal Crossing-like characters. Developed by Heckmouse and published by Mystic Forge, this whimsical game will have players memorizing over 150 magical items and their combos to help the titular Dog Witch in their adventure.
Dog Witch Takes Players on a Magical Adventure
The premise ofDog Witchis that the protagonist was transformed into a bipedal canine, and now, they have to gather magical items and sidekicks to find and overthrow their former master, the Mad Master Wizard. The journey is not easy; hordes of enemies, ranging from vengeful cat ladies to gun-wielding matryoshka dolls, will attempt to stop the Dog Witch along the way. It’s described as having asimilar strategic structure asSlay the Spire, as players have to carefully choose the cards they’ll play per turn to defeat their enemies. It also has a die roll mechanic, making each round unpredictable to encourage players to be smart about their next moves.
Just likeSlay the Spireand other roguelike deckbuilders,Dog Witchhas over 150 cards with various functions, allowing players to equip magical artifacts and their corrupted counterparts, summon allies, and more. Each dice roll can help power up Dog Witch’s spells and trigger item effects. Rounds are generally fast-paced, but players will have enough time to discover hundreds of combos and synergies that can help them out throughout their adventure.
Gearing Up the Dog Witch Avatar For Battle
Another key feature inDog Witchis character customization. Players can choose the fur, bark sound, hat style, and even the “chonk level” of their avatar before embarking on their adventure. This is definitely where theAnimal Crossingaspect comes in, as players can customize their human villagers. At the same time, many of Dog Witch’s characters could pass asAnimal Crossing’s animal villagersbecause of their cute and quirky designs.
As players complete runs, they’ll be able to unlock Dog Witch hats with different effects and challenges attached to them. Each hat is said to introduce its own unique twists, which will require clever strategies to overcome. It’s a similar mechanic toCult of the Lamb’s Fleeces, which buffs Lamb’s skills but also gives side effects, like getting double damage when hit.
Dog Witch’s Replay Value is a Flex
Although it’s been advertised as a fast-paced game with short and snappy rounds,Dog Witchseems to have high replay value too, which gives players time to master magic combos and synergies, and also unlock upgrades that can help in their journey. It’s common forroguelike games to have high replay valuebecause many of them give players the chance to level up and also get a bit of lore while resting at the base. With strategic games likeDog Witch, it’s definitely about experimenting with clever builds and honing one’s ability to adapt on the fly.
Dog Witchis just one of many games that roguelike deckbuilding fans can look forward to in 2025 or 2026. Its cute aesthetic makes it worth a try, especially if it comes out beforeSlay the Spire 2launches in early accessthis year.
