Laki Studios, the developer behind the turn-based tactical roguelite Oaken, has revealed Cloudsphere, a new roguelite deckbuilder centered on modular airship construction. Its main idea is unusually literal: the vessel and the combat deck are two parts of the same system. Every cannon, defensive device, cooling unit, or utility block installed on the ship adds a corresponding Captain’s Order card to the deck.
The game is currently in development for PC. Its Steam page lists the release simply as “Coming soon,” while registration for a September playtest is already available through the store page.
Build the Ship, Build the Deck
Each run begins with a modular sky-vessel that can be expanded using scrap, ancient machinery, weapons, armor, and arcane technology discovered during the journey. Modules are placed block by block on a tactical grid, with their location influencing possible synergies between adjacent components.
Installing a new cannon therefore does more than increase the ship’s firepower. It also places another offensive order into the combat deck. Defensive systems introduce protective cards, while utility components provide additional ways to manipulate the battlefield or manage the vessel.
Every physical modification immediately changes the range of actions that can appear in the player’s hand.
Modules can also be upgraded and overclocked, but greater output comes with additional heat. Pushing the machinery too far can leave the vessel in danger of burning itself apart, so cooling systems and heat management appear to be just as important as offensive power.
Crew Management and Tactical Movement
During combat, crew members effectively represent the ship’s available action points. They can move around the deck to operate cannons, repair damaged armor, or vent accumulated heat. These actions work alongside the Captain’s Orders drawn from the dynamically assembled deck, creating combinations between card play, crew positioning, and the modules currently installed on the vessel.
Defense is not limited to generating armor or blocking damage. Enemies telegraph their attacks, giving the captain an opportunity to physically maneuver the ship away from incoming fire. Weather conditions can also become weapons or hazards, potentially damaging enemies and the player’s own vessel.
This should give battles a broader tactical scope than a conventional card battler. Managing cards remains essential, but survival also depends on where crew members are stationed, which systems are active, how much heat has accumulated, and whether the ship can move out of danger before an enemy attack lands.
Exploring the Seven Skies
Runs take place across a cloud-covered world filled with pirates, violent storms, abandoned technology, and enormous sky leviathans. The larger objective involves confronting the creature responsible for destroying the protagonist’s home, with the journey extending across multiple layers of the airborne setting.
Travel follows a branching beacon map. Resources can be spent to reveal additional destinations or reshape the available paths, allowing captains to search for encounters that complement their current build. Shops, upgrades, cargo stops, and dangerous battles all compete for the same limited resources, adding another set of decisions between fights.
Failure does not erase every form of progress. Between expeditions, the crew returns to a Flying Fortress where new ships, modules, abilities, and captains can be unlocked.
Different captains alter the starting approach to a run, while the expanding collection of components creates more ways to construct specialized vessels.
Despite the destruction surrounding its story, Laki Studios is aiming for a relatively lighthearted tone led by a group of misfit robots. Studio founder Andrzej Wysocki has cited Treasure Planet, Atlantis, the work of French artist Moebius, and the airship-filled world of Final Fantasy IX among the project’s artistic inspirations.
Cloudsphere does not yet have a confirmed release date. An earlier developer interview referred to a 2026 PC launch, although the current Steam listing provides no window beyond “Coming soon.” Playtest access can now be requested through the game’s Steam page, which will open on September 18. Below, I share the reveal trailer.
