Trulon: The Shadow Engine

Trulon: The Shadow Engine is a retro turn-based RPG with a card deck system, based on a fantasy universe by Johan Lillbacka. You will control a party of up to four characters, united in trying to find the cause of a strange illness. The game world is divided into two larger countries: the Kingdom of Tripudia, a country very close to nature where you are from, and Maelon, a industrialized country with "debitors" instead of citizens.

The game's RPG and fight mechanics are based on cards which may be found after fights or in chests. Each character has three slots to equip "mechanism" cards like additional health or special moves during offensive attacks. "Tactics" cards are used during fights; each character can equip as many of them as desired (though some of them are character specific). When a fight begins each character will start with up to five slots with randomly chosen cards from your deck; during the fight one card will be stocked up at the beginning of the character's round until the character's deck is out of cards. Additionally you will always have a basic attack card and one random joker card, restocked at the next character's move if used. The cards can be special attack cards (e.g. for attacking all enemies or for additionally boosting your damage), spells (e.g. magic attacks, stat modifications or healing), movement cards (e.g. for an additional turn in the current round or defense boosts) and deception cards (only usable by the spy).

Some of the cards cost "Gaudium" or "Dolorum", which are the magical energies of the world. While health is restored after each fight, Gaudium and Dolorum is not and has to be refilled by collecting respective orbs. For successful fights you will gain experience, on level ups the character stats will automatically be improved. If you loose a fight you will be reset to the situation directly before the fight.

The game features a mix of three-dimensional environments with 2D sprite characters. Conversations, exploration and fights will all take place in the same view, however for fights the game will switch into a turn-based mode where you cannot change your card deck any more. The statically placed enemies can be seen and avoided if desired. In addition to the exploration areas there is a world map for traveling; quest locations like villages are highlighted and can be entered here. Random events on the world map may present you some enemies for grinding or chests with additional cards, however like in the exploration areas you are free to ignore the enemies (or the complete event).