Balatrostands as one of the most successful indie games in recent memory, contending in the saturated world of roguelikes by combining the genre’s usual gameplay formula with deckbuilding themes. By centering this deckbuilding premise around poker,Balatropresents itself as deceptively simple at first glance, with its wide range of modifiers and builds creating a deeply complex gameplay loop that has given way to huge amounts of success.
It only seemed a matter of time before other games tried their hand at similar approaches toBalatro, and the upcomingOccludeappears to be doing just that.Occludeis set to blend horror and strategy elements alongside a twisted version of solitaire. What little is currently known about the game suggests that it is trying to feature the same addictive replayability, player freedom, and hidden mechanics asBalatro. So far, there isn’t much public information aboutOcclude, yet the title is already shaping up to be a fascinating take on the same kind of approach that has madeBalatroso popular.
Occlude Could Replicate a Lot of What Makes Balatro So Intriguing
Occludeis an upcoming game from Tributary Games, a studio that previously found success with 2023’sKing of the Castle, which itself was based around strategy and a deep story.King of the Castlecurrently possessesvery positive overall user reviews on Steam, placing the upcomingOccludein a position to reap the benefits of the many lessons that Tributary Games has learned from the development of its previous project.
At its core,Occludeis billed as an “occult game of solitaire,” putting an ominous twist to the historic card game by combining its premise with branching rituals and supernatural elements. There are seven distinct rituals confirmed so far inOcclude, with players having to unlock these modifiers that bring increasingly complex puzzles and hidden rule-sets to the game. While it has not been confirmed in detail how rituals will exactly work, they appear to offer the same replayability andvaried gameplay opportunities asBalatro’s challenge runsas one of the major game-changing unlocks that players will work towards.
Discovery and experimentation are at the heart ofOcclude; players earn coins as they progress through the game’s core solitaire mechanics, which then guide players through different narrative paths and potential secrets. UnlikeBalatro,Occludeplaces a lot of importance on a narrative which intends to be just as thorough and engaging as the game itself, reportedly being centered around “Lynchian horror about the nature of regret and reality.”
Balatrohas sold over 5 million units and won Game of the Year in 2024, opening up the floodgates for other indie titles to explore similar ambitious premises.
Entities and Rituals Define the Horror That Exists Throughout Occlude
Another major gameplay element ofOccludeis its mysterious entities, which have vaguely been described as otherworldly beings that stalk the player throughout their game. Like the seven rituals, there are seven entities that can be found throughoutOcclude.Players must consult gathered evidence and an Investigation Board to physically manifest these entities tofurther the indie game’s story and gameplay possibilities.
LikeKing of the Castle,Occludeis set to release on Steam, though no solid release window has been revealed yet.Balatroshowcased the massive potential of adding addictive twists to pre-existing games like poker, and the ties thatOccludeshares with its own portrayal of solitaire are clear to see. While not explicitly billed as a roguelike, addictive replayability is still at the heart of whatOccludehas to offer, with there seemingly being numerous pathways of evidence gathering, entity hunting, and ritual enacting that players can explore. WhileOccludemight ultimately place more focus on storytelling than complex core mechanics, the project appears to possess a fascinating blend of strategy and narrative exploration, with its unsettling horror themes adding an extra layer of flair.
