Necromancy has ancient origins, with the term deriving from the Greek word “nekyomanteía,” meaning “divination by the dead.” This practice of communicating with the dead to gain an advantage has evolved through various forms and meanings from ancient Greece to the Renaissance. However, in folklore—and especially in video games—this figure is well-defined and almost always associated with the antagonist, with few exceptions where players can assume the role of a sorcerer capable of raising the dead and commanding them.
In Necroking, a unique and surprising roguelite deckbuilder developed by KORO.GAMES and published by Alawar, you’ll take on the role of just such a necromancer. At first glance, this game didn’t seem like it would be my kind of experience, but after a few hours, I was completely hooked by its engaging and highly strategic combat system. You’ll find yourself placing your units across four different spaces, each behaving differently depending on their type. But let’s dive in step by step.
A Resurrected King and a World to Plunder
As the name suggests, in Necroking, you play as a Necromancer with the power to command various types of skeletons and other monsters. Your goal is to attack and destroy villages, towns, and castles to gain more power and recruit increasingly powerful units. As is often the case in this subgenre, the story is somewhat secondary, and Necroking is no exception. However, the gameplay is where it truly shines.
Explore the World at Your Leisure
In the first game world, you’ll find yourself navigating through forests and swamps with the goal of reaching a fortified castle to defeat the evil king (wait, aren’t we the evil ones? Details, details…). Exploration takes place on a grid-based map that you can freely explore, a common feature in roguelites.
Scattered throughout the map are small settlements, villages, points of interest where you can upgrade your units, vendors offering permanent upgrades, and wandering bosses who might chase you down if they spot you, among other surprises.
Every move on the map consumes bones—not food, but bones—which you must manage carefully. These bones can be replenished by raiding villages and towns or by searching certain areas of the map. During these raids, you’ll find new units, money, and other items to add to your deck.
The money you collect can be spent at merchant caravans to recruit new units or upgrade your necromancer by increasing mana and the starting deck of revealed cards. Then there are rare and valuable items, mostly tied to boss battles, that allow you to unlock permanent upgrades between runs when you reach specific points of interest on the procedurally generated maps. These upgrades might include new units or various bonuses.
Four Spaces, Endless Fun
Let’s talk about the combat system. In Necroking, your necromancer stands on the left side of the screen, while waves of enemies and occasional bosses appear on the right. In the middle are four spaces in which you can summon and place your units. When units from opposing sides meet, they clash, and the stronger one wins. The primary mission objective is usually to protect your necromancer until all enemy waves are defeated or, in some cases, to defeat the boss on the far right within a certain number of turns.
The gameplay is technically straightforward: after you hit the play button, each unit in the four spaces takes its turn from left to right. For example, a basic melee unit, like a skeleton, might move forward until it encounters an enemy unit, while more defensive units will stay in their positions unless you use specific skills or cards to move them.
You’ll have access to a wide variety of units, including melee, ranged, support, and mana-producing units. Yes, summoning units requires both mana and souls. Mana is generated in small amounts at the end of each turn—when all four spaces have completed their actions—or by sacrificing specific units, using ability cards, or with support units that boost production. Souls act as a cap on how many units you can summon and are collected by defeating enemies or through certain sacrificial actions.
While the game can technically be played in real-time by clicking the play button, as battles become more complex, you’ll find yourself advancing one space at a time, effectively turning the combat system into a turn-based experience.
If not approached strategically, battles can lead to defeat fairly quickly—especially after the first few encounters, which serve as a gentle introduction. Upgrading your units with the right mix of easily summonable weak troops and elite support units is crucial.
Boss fights are particularly challenging, requiring you to reach the boss on the far right within a set number of turns, adding an additional layer of strategy. There’s also a fun escape option that, if used, will cause some of your deck’s units to be enslaved, though you can try to recover them by chasing down the caravan headed to the castle.
Pixel Art and Charming Animations
The pixel art style, which I wouldn’t call “simple,” features well-crafted character animations and inspired maps that blend perfectly with the overall atmosphere. The soundtrack is reminiscent of classic titles, never becoming annoying or repetitive.
Necroking is one of those games that, once tried, will keep you playing for hours. With a vast array of unlockable units, enemies to face, and upgrades to discover, its original combat system keeps you coming back for just one more run. This roguelite will be available in the next few hours on Steam, and I highly recommend it—not only to fans of deckbuilders but even to those who usually avoid them.
