Game: Dice & Fold
Genre: Strategy, Roguelike, Card Battler
System: Steam (Windows, macOS & Linux)
Developer|Publisher: Tinymice Entertainment | Rogue Duck Interactive
Controller Support: Yes
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $ 12.99 | UK £ 10.99 | EU € 12,99
Release Date: June 24th, 2023
A review code was provided, and many thanks to Burak Tokak.
Dice & Fold: Welcome to Your Next Gaming Addiction
Dice & Fold is a turn-based dungeon crawler where the solution to all your problems is a roll of the dice. This is another roguelike game, and before some of you automatically switch off at the thought of another roguelike, I’m here to tell you Dice & Fold is probably the most addictive game I have played all year. Though not much to look at graphically, Dice & Fold more than makes up for it with engaging gameplay that’s extremely hard to put down after just a few playthroughs. Want to know more? Then read on.
Turn-Based Battles
Dice & Fold’s gameplay involves turn-based battles, where the goal of each round is to defeat all the enemy cards on the screen. These enemies are fantasy-based creatures such as evil wizards, demons, and various other nasties. How do you defeat them? Well, you roll some dice!
Once you roll the dice, you simply drag and drop the numbered die to the enemy. Some enemies require an exact die number, while others have a set number where you can add any die, slowly decreasing the set number until it hits zero. Some enemies have one of these slots to complete, but many will have multiple. Once all slots are complete, the monster folds, dropping some silver coins. Fold all the monster cards, and the round is over, ready for the next one.
Hero Abilities
The dice rolls are used not just on the enemies but also on your chosen hero. When you begin the game, you start with a Jack, but after one round, win or lose, you unlock King and Queen. Each character has a special ability that can be activated during battle, provided you use the correct die. These abilities include adding an extra die, healing your character, weakening enemy attacks, and many more. As the game progresses, you gain a special companion who also has a unique ability.
I particularly liked that you can charge a hero or companion’s ability and use it when needed, so you can have the ability charged ready for another round if the strategy favours it.
Strategic Dept
If that wasn’t enough strategy, here is more. On the right side of the screen is a row of six dice, 1-6. Place dice into this, and you unlock a gold coin. Gold coins are gained not only by doing this but by collecting 10 silver coins, defeating bosses, and using special abilities. These gold coins can then be traded at vendors to unlock new abilities or stat buffs to hopefully make your trip through the dungeon more manageable.
Dice Types
Dice don’t just come in standard white form. With the luck of the roll, you may roll multiple coloured dice. Red dice can be used to heal your party; blue will activate hero or companion abilities, grey will add armour, and orange will reduce enemies’ attack strength. These dice can actually be used for any purpose other than a special ability, so if you desperately need to fold an enemy and only a coloured one has the right number it may be worth using.
Finally, when you begin Dice & Fold, you can store up to three dice to use for other turns. One may think you can lock enemies into a loop of dice rolls till you roll the correct number or spam abilities. But the developers have thought of this. Spend too many rounds in a battle, and an undefeatable enemy will appear, increasing the remaining enemies’ attack power and forcing you to move on with the game. For a simple premise, there is a lot of strategic depth that’s easy to pick up for all players. Taking chances and adapting to new challenges and enemies is extremely fun. Even in failure, I was quick to hop on another run.
Graphics and Soundtrack
Graphics are probably the weakest aspect of Dice & Fold. Cards are just crude doodles of fantasy creatures on a mundane dungeon background. It gets the job done, but it’s nothing particularly unique. The soundtrack is pretty decent. It is a nice, relaxing fantasy score that feels soothing on the brain as you plan your strategy. The game has no story to speak of, which is fine in my book. Once you begin a game, you really just dive into it. However, I guess you could come up with a story in your head for each hero, like I did at times.
Accessibility and Future Updates
Dice & Fold is quite accessible for all players. The tutorial clearly displays the game mechanics in a short and sweet introduction segment. The game features multiple difficulty settings and many heroes to unlock and try out. One small niggle is that to unlock new heroes, you need to complete the game with prior characters, which seems a bit harsh when a hero may not click with your play style.
Dice & Fold also has a roadmap planned for free updates, including new game modes and more characters, something I’ll certainly return to in the future to try out.
Conclusion: Fun is a Dice Roll Away
Dice & Fold is extremely addictive. I mostly played the game on Steam Deck, where I could use the touch screen to drag and drop dice. I picked this game up expecting a run-of-the-mill roguelike, but before I knew it, 10 hours had passed, and my hair was more grey. The graphics may be a bit bland, but Dice & Fold absolutely nails its gameplay. Easily one of the best roguelikes I’ve played this year. Highly recommended.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up
Do you like our content? Support LadiesGamers on Patreon!
Check out our Tiers and Benefits and join us.