Info about Die For The Lich:

Official game description:
DEVELOPMENT HIATUS - APRIL 2026
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WE'LL BE BACK!!
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We've recently made the difficult decision to **pause** development of Die For The Lich. It's painful to see new reviews claiming the game is "abandoned" - but we knew there would be backlash to this announcement, and understand that it feeds into many negative perceptions around Early Access. We have no desire to hide from our fans or ghost anyone who has supported us, and feel it is best to communicate honestly.
Early sales came up short of our projections (likely due to the initial Mixed reception) which forced us to reassess our Early Access runway. The options were (1) push out something half-baked and move on, or (2) put things on a hiatus until a new plan can be made. We chose the latter, which is in our mind the much more customer-friendly version. The delays is frustrating, I know. But I am certain that would be preferred over having paid for something that never gets finished.
However, the financials were not the only consideration, otherwise this could be resolved by further publisher support. Die For The Lich is made by two brother who don't live in the same city, don't get to see each other in person very often, and felt that their relationship had become _only_ game development after 1.5 years of grinding. I empathize with their need to recharge, and feel that these two deserve room to be brothers-first for a little while before returning to this project.
Whatever the next game is under the Monovoid name, it will likely be done either solo or with a new collaborator. This gives the boys a chance to spend quality time together without drowning in development decisions. They can explore their individual creativity and expand their skills, then come back together stronger for Die For The Lich!
We apologize for this detour, and the ways in which it lets our fans down. This is our promise that the game WILL be finished as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
\-Graeme  
(2 Left Thumbs)
About the Game
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**You want to endlessly roll dice and battle folklore monsters? We got you covered.**
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Roll magical dice, collect rare loot, nudge your fate in the right direction, slay folklore creatures and finally face the King of Undead, The Lich!
With Die for the Lich, we set out to recreate the magic of playing a unique deck-builder for the first time.  
We replaced cards with dice that you need to pair with your gear and the game took on a life of its own, a curious blend of strategy, chaos, and pushing your luck!
Will you strike the perfect balance between dice, weapons, abilities and trinkets?  
Do you wish to always roll what you need, then find a Lucky Die.  
Do you need custom made dice, then visit the Dice Fusion table.  
Do you want to re-roll 1s, then grab the Eye Patch ability.  
Do you think you are strong enough for a tougher battle, then seek the Blood Moon.  
The options are endless and there is nothing more exciting than having your own unique journey in a chaotic world.

Release date: Nov 10, 2025

Categories: Roguelike Deckbuilder, Dice-based Gameplay, Roguelike, Deckbuilding, Turn-based Combat, Character Progression, Procedural Generation, Single-player


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The community sentiment is mixed: some reviewers feel the game is not worth its current price, describing it as a demo or not worth the money, while others praise the price point and consider it extremely cheap for the content. This suggests a fair price range that is lower than the full price but not too low, likely around $10-15.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 1.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Game completion is supported by the quote 'completed 3 in a little over 2 hours of play time' (each run ~40 minutes) and 'typically 1 hour to defeat the Act 3 boss', suggesting a full run to the final boss takes about 1 hour. Session length is indicated by 'spent 30min to 1hour of my life' and the 1-hour boss run, pointing to an average session of about 1 hour. No specific evidence for story completion or endgame playtime was found, so those are set to null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game hooks players early with addictive dice-based roguelike gameplay, but later acts introduce tedious mechanics like Abyss Curse and repetitive enemies, causing enjoyment to drop.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Early game
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: No tutorial explaining mechanics; Slow pacing; Early game enemy setup and balance need polish; Unbalanced runs
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Demo; Early game; Act 3; Abyss Curse; Lack of infinity glory; Enemy variety; Character balance
- Player Archetypes:
  - Roguelike Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Exploring build variety and synergies across runs
    - Playstyle: Experimental, tries different configurations and plans around enemy patterns
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: hardcore player
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Early Access Skeptic (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a fair and polished game experience
    - Playstyle: Cautious, waits for updates, may have played but stopped due to frustration
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Abandonment Watchdog (no buy)
    - Motivation: Wanting continued development and support
    - Playstyle: Stopped playing, waiting for updates or a sign of revival
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Newcomer Casual (buy)
    - Motivation: Casual enjoyment and learning a new genre
    - Playstyle: Relaxed, experimental, not competitive
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Game is fun and addictive (weight 0.49): Players consistently describe the game as fun, addictive, and entertaining, with many praising its engaging gameplay and overall enjoyment.
- Unique and innovative mechanics (weight 0.26): The game stands out for its unique mechanics, combining deck-building with dice rolling and offering a fresh take on the genre.
- Excellent deck-building roguelike (weight 0.25): Reviewers highlight the game as a top-tier deck-building roguelike, praising its inventive design and satisfying gameplay loop.
- High build variety and options (weight 0.16): Players appreciate the numerous build options and playstyles, allowing for versatile and unique strategies.
- Great design and aesthetics (weight 0.15): The visual design and art style are frequently praised, contributing to the game's overall appeal.
- Promising potential and quality (weight 0.14): Even in an unfinished state, the game is considered good, with many noting its huge potential and solid foundation.
- Easy to understand and play (weight 0.1): The game is noted for being simple and easy to grasp, making it accessible to a wide range of players.

Common complaints:
- Developers abandoned the game (weight 0.32): Multiple reviews state the developers officially abandoned the project shortly after early access release, with no further development planned. This is the most frequently cited issue, appearing in several clusters.
- Game is unfinished (weight 0.19): Reviews describe the game as raw, unfinished, and in a very early stage, with some saying it is not ready for early access. This overlaps with content and polish complaints.
- Serious balance issues (weight 0.19): Players report poor character and dice balance, with some combinations too strong and others broken. This is a recurring theme across multiple clusters.
- Game lacks content (weight 0.18): Reviews consistently mention the game has very little content, especially for early access, with some noting it feels incomplete. This is a common complaint across multiple clusters.
- Poor enemy variety (weight 0.14): Players report severe lack of enemy diversity, making the game boring due to repetitive encounters. This is a specific and frequently mentioned issue.
- Difficulty is too high (weight 0.14): Reviews indicate the game is very difficult, especially at the beginning, with some saying the early access launch version is unreasonably hard. This is a common complaint.
- Abyss dice mechanic bad (weight 0.1): The Abyssal dice mechanic in Chapter 3 shifts focus to luck over build, is frustrating with certain loadouts, and makes the game harder to finish. This is a specific late-game complaint.
- Lucky Dice malfunction (weight 0.05): Lucky Dice do not work as described, ignoring mechanics like Bewitched dice, cursed weapon debuff, and boss lock. This is a specific bug-related complaint.
- Bugs and rough edges (weight 0.05): Reviews mention the game has quite a few bugs and rough edges that need to be worked through. This is a general polish issue.

Gameplay feedback:
- Dice-based roguelike deckbuilder (weight 0.75): The game is consistently described as a dice-based roguelike deckbuilder, combining dice rolling with deck-building mechanics. It features different types of dice, trinkets, and weapons, and is often compared to Slay the Spire but with dice.
- Heavy RNG and gambling elements (weight 0.2): Players note the game's heavy reliance on RNG and gambling aspects, with dice rolls determining outcomes. This adds a luck-based element that can be both engaging and frustrating.
- Multiple playable characters (weight 0.14): The game offers three playable characters, each with a unique starting skill and deck. This provides variety and replayability.
- Daily challenge and run modes (weight 0.1): The game includes daily missions and a daily run mode, providing one-chance challenges for players. These modes add replayability and a competitive element.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.13): Multiple clusters report the game crashing at startup, randomly, and during specific gameplay moments. This is a high-frequency issue with specific details, indicating a significant stability problem.
- Performance varies by system (weight 0.03): One cluster notes that the game runs well on the reviewer's computer, contrasting with other reports of crashes and glitches. This suggests performance is hardware-dependent.

Recommendations:
- Mixed recommendations overall (weight 0.45): Reviewers are split between recommending and not recommending the game. Positive recommendations often mention enjoyment and value, while negative ones cite lack of content or development issues.
- Not worth buying now (weight 0.28): Several reviewers state the game is not worth buying in its current state, citing lack of content or development stagnation. They recommend waiting or avoiding purchase altogether.
- Wait for more content (weight 0.22): A significant number of reviewers advise waiting for the full release or future updates, as the current version has very little content and feels incomplete. They suggest waiting for a more balanced and complete experience.
- Worth it at price (weight 0.19): Several reviewers find the game worth its current price, especially on sale. They mention it provides many hours of enjoyment for a modest cost.
- Recommended for deckbuilding fans (weight 0.16): Multiple reviewers specifically recommend the game to fans of deck-building mechanics, roguelike deckbuilders, and similar games like Slay the Spire. This suggests the core gameplay appeals to genre enthusiasts.
- Try demo first (weight 0.14): Reviewers recommend trying the free demo before purchasing, especially if unsure about the game. This helps players decide if the game suits their preferences.
- Buy on sale (weight 0.11): Several reviewers recommend purchasing the game on sale, as it provides good value at a discounted price. They suggest waiting for a discount if not in a hurry.

Other player notes:
- Game is in early access (weight 0.26): Multiple reviewers note the game is in Early Access, with some mentioning it is about 3/5 complete and that mechanics may still be tuned. The developers are described as upfront about this status.
- Compared to Slay the Spire (weight 0.22): The game is frequently compared to Slay the Spire, with reviewers noting it scratches a similar itch but has a unique dice-based combat system. Some mention it is distinct enough to avoid feeling like a clone.
- Compared to Darkest Dungeon (weight 0.14): The game is compared to Darkest Dungeon in terms of art style, difficulty, and overall vibe, with some calling it a lighter alternative. Others compare its difficulty to Dark Souls.
- Demo available on Newgrounds (weight 0.12): A playable demo is available on Newgrounds or Itch.io, and some reviewers played the game there before the Steam demo released. The game transitioned from demo to Early Access.
- Developers may return (weight 0.1): Some reviewers mention the developers hope to return to finish the game in the future, while others note the project was benched for an undetermined amount of time. This creates uncertainty about the game's future.
- Patches improved the game (weight 0.05): A big patch improved the game, and a new patch improved the game's balance. These updates were positively received by reviewers.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Players are frustrated by the game's heavy reliance on RNG, which undermines strategic play and makes even fair fights feel unwinnable. The game suffers from severe balance issues, with enemies scaling too fast and mechanics like negative dice and curses clogging the tray. Additionally, the developers' abandonment of the project, lack of transparency, and numerous bugs, including crashes and progress-blocking glitches, compound the frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.17): Players enjoy the game's unique blend of deckbuilding and dice mechanics, which creates engaging puzzle-like turns and offers a variety of viable builds. The fun, addictive gameplay, combined with appealing art and folklore themes, provides a satisfying experience. The game's challenge is seen as part of its charm, and the ability to compete with friends in daily runs adds to the enjoyment.
- Disappointment (weight 0.15): Players are disappointed by the game's abandonment, with developers halting production and leaving the game in an unfinished state. The early access version has less content than the demo, and the full game suffers from balance issues, technical bugs, and a lack of variety. The music and lack of translations also detract from the experience, making the game feel less polished than expected.
- Excitement (weight 0.09): Players are excited about the game's unique dice mechanic and its potential for growth through early access. The combination of roguelike elements and the rush of risk-reward decisions creates an addictive and dynamic experience. The anticipation of future updates, new content, and the full release fuels excitement, with many seeing it as a potential successor to Slay the Spire.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Players feel satisfied with the game's strategic depth, which offers good RNG mitigation and unique mechanics that keep them on their toes. The game scratches the Slay the Spire itch while being distinct enough to feel fresh, and the art direction and gameplay are praised. Recent patches have improved difficulty and balance, and the payoff of building a powerful combo is rewarding.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciate the game's beautiful art, diverse build variety, and the developers' active support and communication. The game is considered worth its price even in early access, with a minimalist style that hides deep strategy. The developers' responsiveness to feedback and rapid bug fixes are particularly valued.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the game's innovative deckbuilding mechanics with dice instead of cards, which scratch a specific itch. The game is described as super fun and played daily, with fantastic aesthetics that evoke Darkest Dungeon. The concept and balance are praised, and players look forward to more content.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Players hope the game will continue to develop in the right direction, becoming a staple roguelike with more content and depth. The cool base system is seen as having great potential for future iterations, and the developers' active engagement with the community gives hope for improvement. There is optimism that the game will grow into something great.
- Anticipation (weight 0.03): Players are looking forward to the game's future development, including new weapons, enemies, upgrade cards, and die types. The anticipation for the full release and additional content is high, with players eager to see what the developers will add. The game's potential for expansion keeps players engaged and excited.
- Disappointed (weight 0.02): Players are disappointed that the game will not be finished, as it has been abandoned and its potential unfulfilled. The early access version is unbalanced and lacks the polish of the demo, which flowed better. The game's unfinished state and lack of future support are major letdowns.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Players admire the game's beauty, calling it the best dicebuilder and an absolute gem. The monster design, environments, UI, cards, and items are all praised for their quality. The game is seen as excellent, creative, and well thought out.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Players feel sadness because the developers abandoned the game, leaving it without support. The character Charon is described as depressed, reflecting the game's melancholic tone. The lack of future updates and the game's unfinished state contribute to the sadness.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Players get bored with the full game quickly due to a lack of variety and the absence of an infinity glory opportunity. Act 3 enemies are recolors, and fights become long-winded and boring. The game's repetitive nature leads to a decline in interest.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Players are interested in the game's large amount of content and mechanics, finding it very interesting. The premise and aesthetics are appealing, and players look forward to future additions. The game's depth and potential keep them engaged.
- Fun (weight 0.01): Players find the game fun, describing it as a multi-turn dynamic risk-mitigation optimization puzzle. The game hooked them and is quite fun to play. The engaging gameplay and strategic elements contribute to the fun experience.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): Players are addicted to the game, unable to stop rolling dice and playing. The game is described as quite addictive, completely addictive, and painfully addictive. The gameplay loop is so engaging that players cannot stop.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Players are confused by the game's mechanics, particularly how to attack and use weapons. The flow of selecting items, dice, and then attacking or defending is unclear. This lack of clarity leads to confusion during gameplay.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Players are grateful that Abyss Dice were removed, improving the game experience. The dev team also helped a player run the game on an outdated PC, showing good support. These actions are appreciated by the community.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Players are annoyed by Lucky Dice not working as described with certain mechanics, and by Act 3 fights featuring Abyss Curse, Imp Siblings' critical nullifier, and bad Abyss Dice selection. These issues disrupt gameplay and cause frustration.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game, calling it one of their favorite games and highly recommending it. The game is described as triple the demo, indicating significant content and improvement. This enthusiasm is driven by the game's quality and value.}