Games like Slay the Spire
Erumaru and Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire by Mega Crit is the deckbuilding roguelike that set the template for a generation of games in 2019: a branching map with fights, elites, shops, rests and events, relics that change the rules, three acts and a boss at the end of each, then twenty ascension levels for those who want more. Erumaru's run openly follows that template
What they share
- The map: 12 columns of branching nodes per act, fights, elites, a guardian in the middle, a rest before the boss
- Relics for the whole squad that bend the rules of a run, 100 of them, including cursed ones
- Difficulty after victory: Erumaru's Thickening is 20 stacking steps, like ascension
- Three acts and a finale, and a run that fits an evening
Where Erumaru goes its own way
- A squad of heroes on a board instead of a deck. Your decisions are who to buy, where to stand, what to equip and which synergy to chase
- The fight runs on its own. Decisions matter more than reflexes, and you can skip to the result
- Heroes grow like Dota characters, with levels to 100, attributes, ability ranks, items and perks
- Meta progression between runs: the Lantern unlocks heroes, items, perks, relics and lands
Side by side
| Slay the Spire | Erumaru | |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | PvE, single player | PvE, single player |
| One session | a run of about 45 to 90 minutes | a roguelite run of 42 floors, 60 to 90 minutes, saved at any node |
| How units grow | cards and relics | stars from copies, levels up to 100, six items, four perks, Awakening |
| Setting | fantasy spire | post-apocalyptic world, ten peoples, ten lands |
| Price | paid | closed beta free, full price not announced |
| Status | released, many platforms | in development, coming to Steam |
Who should try Erumaru
For Slay the Spire players who want the same run structure with a different core: building a team instead of a deck, and watching it fight
Questions people ask
Is Erumaru a deckbuilder?
No. There are no cards. The build is a squad of up to 10 heroes with items, perks and synergies, and the fights are automatic