1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this.
HorrorPuzzlePsychological
$19.99 ~22.6 hr median no co-op 96.8% of 147k
The Squirrel's verdictInscryption keeps the card-battler deck-building spine and lore-driven reading, but trades Black Book's Slavic folklore and Vasilisa's story for a horror-tinged ARG structure that shifts genre and perspective across its three acts. Median playtime is 22.6 hours, shorter than Black Book. Fits players who want deckbuilding wrapped in mystery and meta-narrative rather than mythology and dialogue choices.
Not for you if you want a straightforward folklore narrative rather than a shifting meta-narrative with horror elements and perspective changes.
2
Choices MatterDark HumorComic Book
Moral Weight Moral WeightHard choices with real consequences are central here.
$19.99 ~32.3 hr median no co-op 93.6% of 14k
The Squirrel's verdictGriftlands pairs deck-building with a story-driven run structure, like Black Book, but splits combat into two decks (negotiation and combat) across three separate character campaigns rather than one continuous narrative. The writing carries more banter than folklore. Suits players who want replayable runs with dialogue attached, not one long story to read closely.
Not for you if you want the single sustained lore-heavy narrative Black Book offers rather than three separate character runs with repeated story beats.
3
AnimeAdventureFemale Protagonist
$24.99 ~60.3 hr median no co-op 90.6% of 14k
The Squirrel's verdictParty-based builds across multiple characters and a 60-hour median playtime distinguish Chrono Ark from the shorter, single-protagonist card games on this page. Story arrives in fragments uncovered through repeated roguelike runs rather than a linear read-through, so lore comes from replay rather than comprehension. Suits players who want a narrative pieced together run by run with deep build variety.
Not for you if you want a single linear story read closely from start to finish rather than fragments unlocked through repetition.
4
Dark FantasyChoices MatterBase-Building
$19.99 ~25.4 hr median no co-op 89.9% of 8k
The Squirrel's verdictArthurian-tinged world-building with Disco Elysium-level voice acting and an expanding roster of unlockable classes gives Tainted Grail: Conquest a distinct flavor among roguelike deck-builders. Quests and NPC interactions persist across runs — some choices lock content permanently — so exploration carries real weight. Median playtime runs 25.4 hours, priced at $19.99 on PC and Linux.
Not for you if you want a fixed linear story rather than randomized quests and runs where wrong NPC dialogue choices permanently lock content.
5
Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar. Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
DemonsChoices MatterDungeon Crawler
Moral Weight Moral WeightHard choices with real consequences are central here.
$7.49 ~17.8 hr median no co-op 92.9% of 743
The Squirrel's verdictPyrene trades Black Book's Slavic lore and heavy reading for a grid-based card combat system, moving cards on a board to attack and collect gear instead of building a traditional deck. Story exists but reviewers call it simple, more good-vs-evil than folklore deep-dive. Median playtime sits around 18 hours, closer to a tight campaign than an epic.
Not for you if you came for dense lore and text-heavy worldbuilding rather than tactical positioning on a card grid.
6
Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say. Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar.
Trading Card GameFantasyHand-drawn
$19.99 ~14 hr median no co-op 89.6% of 768
The Squirrel's verdictRuff Ghanor draws its setting from a Brazilian fantasy universe built across books and podcasts by creators Jovem Nerd and Azaghal, giving it a distinct cultural identity absent elsewhere on this page. Rogue-lite run variation replaces a linear narrative, and reviewers describe the difficulty as easy to learn but hard to master. Median playtime is 14 hours, priced at $19.99, PC only, no co-op.
Not for you if you want a reading-heavy single-playthrough story grounded in folklore rather than repeated runs in an unfamiliar Brazilian fantasy universe.
7
Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar.
Dungeon CrawlerMysteryChoices Matter
$17.99 ~8.9 hr median no co-op 88.2% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictIris and the Giant keeps the card-based combat and a personal story woven through the fights, but trades Black Book's lore-dense reading and 43-hour campaign for a short roguelite structure: single-use cards, repeated runs through the same 15-level campaign, and a median playtime under 9 hours. Suits players who want the narrative-card combo without the folklore study.
Not for you if you came to Black Book for deep lore reading and long single-playthrough narrative rather than repeated short runs.
8
AdventureHand-drawnPvE
$24.99 ~27.4 hr median no co-op 87.7% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictDeathless draws on the same Slavic mythology aesthetic as Black Book — Papsuev's visual style, Slavic art direction, and thematic material — but delivers it through a Slay the Spire-style roguelike with four starting characters, each with unique decks and boss encounters. Runs are self-contained; there is no fixed narrative to follow. Median playtime is 27.4 hours, priced at $24.99.
Not for you if you want lore-dense reading and a single guided story rather than a roguelike that uses Slavic mythology as aesthetic backdrop.