As was written in the stars – or maybe it was an eight ball – the new narrative deckbuilder from developer Nozomu Games has been summoned into reality. This occult card game is out today on Steam, and after playing a bit this afternoon, I can share a brief outline of what it’s all about. Here goes…
What is Burn With Me?
It’s a narrative deckbuilder, but that much I’ve already said. Burn With Me is also a characterful card game about occult rituals. Yet it’s also somewhat cosy and relaxing, at least, for a game about summoning demons.
You, an anthropomorphic teacher with a compulsion to overshare with your students, begin instructing them in the dark arts. Naturally, it’s not long before things get a little… dangerous.
That’s how it starts, at least; this is a narrative-focused game, so there’s a story underpinning the deckbuilding, and the start of the game is certainly kept on a short leash. After that, each new chapter introduces a new gameplay wrinkle for you to overcome, although brace yourself for a change of pace during the narrative segments.
The core mechanic rests on the imps you summon and then deploy during rituals. Where and when you position each imp card on the pentagram then determines its efficacy and whether it activates any special abilities.
Gameplay evolves as new characters and cards are introduced. In fact, it doesn’t take long for each new hand to start feeling like a puzzle as you try to maximise each play. It also didn’t take long for me to start angsting over where each card should be placed to get the most points possible.
Release day details
It’s still early days in my playthrough, but Burn With Me makes a strong first impression thanks to its enigmatic atmosphere and an interesting gameplay hook that, so far, has been well implemented.
The presentation seems to have a few rough edges here and there, and I think it will benefit from another round of polish. However, I really liked the overall aesthetic and the atmosphere that has been captured herein.
If you’re a fan of cosy card games, occult stories, and puzzle-driven deckbuilding, I think it’s probably worth taking a closer look at Burn With Me, which is out now on PC (Lin, Mac, Win).
Finally, thanks to the developer and their PR team for sending me access to the game ahead of launch.
