Grim Diary is a roguelite deckbuilder RPG developed by the Filipino indie studio Lepus. The game blends anime-inspired visuals with methodical, survival-focused gameplay.
Players step into an alternate world where the protagonist, Emi, embarks on a quest to restore her sister, Eli, who has been transformed into a living marionette due to a terminal illness, back to her human form. The journey is shared with Yujin, a mentor figure who guides Emi through the challenges of a fractured world, combining visual novel storytelling with stage-by-stage, turn-based combat.
Grim Diary features an in-game tutorial that introduces deckbuilding and roguelike mechanics to newcomers while allowing experienced players to skip and dive directly into gameplay. The system revolves around building and refining a deck of over 39 unique cards, supported by 17+ different items to enhance survival and combat strategies.
Each stage introduces new survival-focused twists while the game’s combat is structured around team-based strategy.
Currently, Grim Diary’s Early Access build includes three playable characters, Emi, Eli, and Yujin, and three story chapters that frame the game’s emotional journey. An Arcade Mode supplements the main campaign, challenging players to survive up to 30 stages with unique mechanics and increasingly difficult enemy waves.
The game’s development roadmap outlines plans for additional characters, expanded story chapters, and refined gameplay systems over an estimated two-year Early Access period. The developer actively encourages community participation via Discord and social media channels, incorporating feedback to refine systems and content before the game’s full release.
Visually, Grim Diary leans into its anime aesthetic to deliver expressive character art and clean interface design, while its soundscape complements the atmosphere of a world teetering between hope and despair. Grim Diary Early Access is available on Steam.
