Monster Train is a very fun digital roguelike deck-building game.

This is my playthrough and review.

Monster Train is a strategic roguelike deck-building game with a twist. Set on a train to hell, you’ll use tactical decision making to defend multiple vertical battlegrounds.

Monster Train Game Play

In summary, Monster Train is a roguelike deck-building game. You need to survive 9 levels on the path of the train to win. On the way, you need to buy new cards, upgrade existing ones and try and keep the trains Pyre health above 0.

Theme

You’re on a train to hell so not sure why you need to survive.

But hey, it’s doesn’t matter. People are trying to smash your Pyre, stop the train and end your journey. You want to make it there.

Visuals

Very nice. The overall look is really cool and the cards and board game bits look great. On top of that, the video game elements and characters all look mean and intimidating.

There are nice little touches such as the characters having different looks for the amount of space they take up. This gives a better visual for each level on the train level.

UI & Ease of Play

The UI is really good. Legal and illegal moves are clear, costs are visible and damage and other stats are well laid out.

It does a very good job of showing you how much damage will be dealt at the end of the round. When you go to play a new monster or effect, it updates as you drag it around allowing you to make the best choice.

This makes playing any card really easy so even if you don’t understand a card you can drag it around and see what will happen. Of course, it doesn’t predict the future so some effects aren’t visible this way.

Monster Train Summary

Positives

The factions give you plenty of choices for different combinations. You can play as your favourite, or go with those that you don’t like as much and see what happens.

On that, some factions are harder to play so give you more of a challenge and/or alternate playstyle.

Also, which faction to choose as your main gives you a choice of specific Heroes to use as your main character. The sub-faction works as a secondary deck so there are more combinations here.

Each run is good fun with the ability to craft your deck to how you want it an option. Of course, you never know what cards and effects will be available. You really have to make the best of what you can get.

Your train is only so big and balancing getting those characters you need with their size is interesting.

I like the pseudo-tower defence style gameplay.

Negatives

I find the first couple of difficulty levels too easy and the next level up impossible so… I don’t really get much out of a run anymore. I’ve beaten the levels I can with most combinations. Still, I’ve played it for 140+ hours at the time of writing so can’t complain.

Summary

Obvious comparisons here to Slay the Spire are always made as roguelike deck builders although Slay the Spire was released over a year earlier.

I do prefer this game though. It’s smoother and it’s just more satisfying, but also better looking and sounding, the music is great.

Now I’ve won a run with each combination of clans, including those in the expansion. I’m rank 1 with every combination and rank 2 with most. Those I haven’t gotten to rank 2 yet I’m really struggling with.

I’m not sure what else to get out of it. I could pay the daily challenge but I don’t get much out of multiple runs of that.

This is my 4th most played game (combining franchises) I’ve played on Steam so I definitely got my monies worth and so will you.

Jesta ThaRogue