If you missed out on the fantastic Monster Train when it originally launched on PC in 2020, now is the perfect time to catch up on one of the best roguelike deck-builders. The indie highlight is now available on PlayStation 5 and it’s as inventive as ever. On paper, Monster Train may sound like any other card battler following in the wake of Slay the Spire. You will choose a path through various stages, engage in turn-based combat, and build your deck until you either fail or reach the end (usually the former). Where Monster Train diverts from others in the space is how battles are structured. I admit that I wasn’t sold on the game by its description due to how overwhelming and complex deck-builders can get. Just like Marvel’s Midnight Suns, however, you shouldn’t let your aversion to cards turn you off from an amazing and addictive title. And if you already love card games, this is one train you need to catch.
All aboard the Monster Train. In Monster Train, players control several demon forces attempting to bring the last embers of hell via train across a frozen tundra while angelic forces attempt to snuff it out for good. It’s a serviceable story to get the action going, though narrative isn’t the draw here. Ingenious gameplay, on the other hand, is where Monster Train burns brightest. Players select a primary and secondary clan which dictate their main champion card, as well as what other secondary monsters and spells they get access to in battle. These fights aren’t structured like any other deck-builder. The train is four stories high with a precious pyre at the top. Each encounter sees enemies enter from the bottom and attempt to reach the top to attack and eventually destroy the pyre. If its HP hits zero before the train gets to its destination, it’s game over. It’s deck-building combined with a tower defense game. Between turns, players can place monsters on various floors with health and attack values — plus additional special conditions and traits — to fight invading angels. After playing cards during a turn, the two sides clash and combat resolves. If one or more enemy survives the encounter on the first floor, they will slide up to the next up until they get a chance to attack the pyre.
Between battles, players choose one of two tracks the train can go with various rewards, upgrades, and items to improve their run. That’s a more boilerplate aspect of the game, but I appreciate being able to see what benefits I will get and pass up at every branch rather than it all feeling like a roll of the dice. What I admire most about Monster Train is how it focuses more on depth than breadth. So many deck-builders or roguelikes feel overbearing with their sheer amount of cards and items. I enjoyed The Binding of Isaac in its first few iterations, but once it got to Afterbirth and beyond, the item pool was so deep I felt like I was drowning in it. Monster Train does have a good number of cards, but not so many that I need a wiki while playing. Instead, it emphasizes synergies and branching paths. The PS5 version includes a DLC that brings the total number of clans to pick to six, but that’s only scratching the surface. Players pick one of two champions for their main clan, plus a secondary clan that adds more cards to the deck. Mixing these clans, switching champions, and trying new builds force players to think creatively about their deck and card placement. I almost never feel cheated by not getting a good item or upgrade since so much of the difficulty comes from my understanding and strategy.
Monster Train feels like a beautiful mix of Magic the Gathering, tower defense, and roguelike. It respects players’ time by not flooding them with hundreds of cards to unlock and learn, and instead asks them to push deeper into the more contained and well-designed systems. As with any roguelike, there is an initial learning curve to get over. Anyone who can get past that and start to see the potential in their cards will find themselves coming back run after run. Monster Train is available now on PS5.
