Loop Hero is a fantastically deep and ridiculously addictive strategy card game that was recently released by developer Four Quarters and publisher Devolver Digital. The part deck builder, part auto battler game, adds a healthy dose of strategy to keep players on their toes. The goal is for players to walk in loops, fighting creatures and placing cards until they come face to face with the Lich that destroyed the world.
Loop Hero's boss mechanic is also a little different from many other RPG games. In the top left of the screen is a small bar that slowly builds up as players travel the loop. When it fills up, the Lich will appear on their camp tile, and players can choose to return to camp rather than fight it, saving all the resources they found, or they can opt to take on the Lich and risk it all in the name of glory.
To give themselves the best possible chance against the Lich, players can do several different things. The Lich will create Palaces all around the camp tile when it appears, so players can place buildings there as they walk the loop, filling in the squares and reducing the number of Palaces the Lich can spawn with. This, in turn, will reduce the Lich's damage and health in battle, making the fight easier. Palaces can also be destroyed with Oblivion cards, so if players plan on taking on the Lich, they should definitely have this card in their deck.
It is also possible to speed up the Lich spawn rate by killing more enemies on the loop, so placing as many enemy-generating cards as possible can be a good tactic. This has pros and cons, as more enemies mean more drops, but it also increases the likelihood of facing the Lich with lower health. Players who wish to do this will need to stack their deck with lots of cards that cause enemies to appear on the loop. Players will also need to consider their build, which will be largely random and based on whatever drops they find on the loop. Focusing on either Evasion or Vampirism is a good idea, as Evasion will help them to dodge incoming damage, while Vampirism will heal them based on the damage they do.
The Herbalist's Hut, and the potions that it provides, are also a must-have for the Lich fight. Players will receive two health potions every time they step onto the camp tile, as long as they have built the Herbalist's Hut, and this includes when they step onto the camp tile for the Lich fight. That small amount of extra healing can go a long way. As an auto battler, defeating the Lich is really about players being able to stack the odds in their favor rather than direct intervention in the fight.
Loop Hero is certainly catching the eyes of players, rapidly earning a top-seller spot on Steam, and is guaranteed to show up on many Best of 2021 lists at the end of the year.
Loop Hero is available on PC.