Cooler Game Studios is frankly kind of evil for hiding the launch date of their new cosmic deckbuilder, Night Machine, behind an ’80s-inspired employee training video.
But I guess evil pales in comparison to the fact that the new game turns the inside of the moon into a giant doomsday machine.
On December 2, Night Machine players pilot a ship deep into the Moon’s interior, playing every card in real time. Your hand only holds so many cards, and only for so long. Your reactor cycle supplies the energy, and you decide whether to charge weapons, stack bonuses or boost shields. Between runs, you build your deck, upgrade your ship, and experiment with combos as you push toward the core, all wrapped in a retro 80s floppy-disk look and a catchy electro-funk soundtrack.
Key details include:
- Master Real time Deckbuilding: Everything happens in real-time. Your reactor cycle provides you with energy for playing cards, and you need to choose between charging weapons, applying bonuses or boosting shields. Some cards change based on how long they’ve been in your hand. You can only hold a limited number of cards in your hand, and old cards are discarded when new ones are dealt. Become a master of prioritization and thinking fast!
- Build your Strategy: As you progress through a run, you’ll have to expand your deck wisely with new cards between encounters. Focus on damage-dealing, or make yourself into an unkillable tank, it’s up to you. The powerful Patch cards hack other cards, turning everything on its head: they can multiply effects, boost your boosters or drive your reactor into a frenzy.
- Go Deeper and Deeper: Repair, buy equipment and get bonuses in scrap piles and alien workshops, or loot your opponents’ wrecks for gear and choose the perfect armament for your strategy.
- Unlocks and Gear: Each run gives you credits that you can use to unlock new ships and ship mods that help shape and tailor your strategy even more effectively. Increase your health, start with extra credits or have your weapons be fully charged at the start of each fight.
- A banging soundtrack and setting: Night Machine’s irresistible retro 80s floppy disc aesthetic, humor and electronic funk soundtrack will keep you smiling while tearing at your hair to master your cards in real time.
If you can’t wait to take off, there is a demo and wishlist option out on Steam.
