Serial World seems like a fun game with turn-based JRPG elements where you’ll have to battle with Anima, little creatures with different elements and strengths. This might sound familiar, but the catch is that it’s not a monster collecting game (even if it’s listed as a tag on the steam page). The core gameplay loop is roguelike dungeon crawling: you’ll fight different monsters to earn loot that becomes useful in the “human” world. The selection of Anima is small since there are only 8 of them and only 3 that can be on the battle ground at the same time. But you’ll be able to customize your playstyle with your deck of cards.

I love the art direction and the gameplay elements. Visually it reminds me of Fantasy Life and Pokémon (of course…), but the gameplay feels like a mix of Hades and Ooblets. Exploring the dungeon will also have an impact on the real world, making battles pivotal to to progressing the story. I like how everything feels like it has a purpose!

Key features

• Roguelike Dungeons Meet JRPG Mechanics – Explore Bricktown to unlock new areas, chat with townsfolk, and collect useful items, then tackle the dungeons with your chosen trio of Anima. Hone your strategy with each consecutive loop as you navigate the ever-changing map system armed with your newest skills and traits!
• Choose Your Anima -There are eight Anima in total for Milo to meet and battle with, and each Anima have different strengths! Vary your team to test out new tactics, whether it’s an all-out attack, a patient defense, or a strategic status effect sabotage.
• Strategic Turn-Based Battles – Put the powers of your Anima to the test and face off against quirky foes in turn-based combat! Each Anima on your team can learn and use a personalized variety of skills – mix-and-match to brainstorm endless battle strategies. As combat intensifies, your Anima’s talisman will fill with power – use it to trigger their evolution, grow even stronger, and expand the depth of battles!
• Friends and Foes Await – Encounter a colorful cast of characters as you venture into the unknown. Befriend cheerful neighbors, battle oddball enemies, and meet merchants, masters, and more! From bouncing dragons to baby donuts, you never know who you’ll meet next.
• Unravel the Mystery Within – When Milo discovers a monstrous door on the outskirts of Bricktown, he’s thrown into a strange new world full of fantastical creatures, zany enemies, and seemingly-endless dungeon mazes. Each time he finds an exit, he suddenly wakes up at home in bed, and the journey begins again. Little by little, things in Bricktown begin to change, and as the days repeat, Milo slowly begins to unravel the truth of these otherworldly experiences.

Screenshots