Games like Iris and the Giant

The Squirrel's verdictChrono Ark keeps the roguelike deckbuilder structure but drops the one-time-use card gimmick for actual deckbuilding across multiple party members, each with distinct builds. The story is a bigger draw here, pieced together through fragments and repeat runs, with 60+ hours median playtime versus Iris's shorter campaign. Suits players who wanted Iris's narrative hook with more mechanical depth.

Not for you if you liked Iris's cards-get-destroyed tension specifically, or want something shorter than a 60-hour investment.

The Squirrel's verdictTainted Grail: Conquest keeps card-based combat with clear enemy intents but adds persistent character creation, classes, RPG exploration, and permanent NPC consequences across runs. Where Iris and the Giant is a short, atmospheric loop with single-use cards, this is a much longer build, around 25 hours median, aimed at players who want deckbuilding wrapped in a bigger world and story stakes that carry over.

Not for you if you want Iris's tighter, shorter runs rather than a long RPG-scale campaign with permanent consequences and questing that reviewers call disorienting.

The Squirrel's verdictPyrene places its single player character on a grid of face-down tiles, attacking enemies and collecting loot as spent tiles refill around her. The campaign is story-driven with a defined protagonist and post-campaign challenge modes for replay. Reviewers note a short campaign, enemies that feel interchangeable, and run outcomes that hinge heavily on landing a few high-power cards rather than broad strategy.

Not for you if you want genuine deckbuilding decisions across a run or deep strategic variety between attempts.

The Squirrel's verdictMeteorfall: Krumit's Tale is a card-puzzle game built around single-screen boards: you spend, potion, and purchase cards to clear enemies without moving through a dungeon. Runs are shorter and more self-contained than Iris's campaign, and character-based gimmicks drive variety between runs rather than narrative progression. Suits players who want card-combat puzzle logic in a lighter, faster format.

Not for you if you want a story-driven atmosphere or the card-destruction tension of Iris's runs.

The Squirrel's verdictDream Quest predates the genre and plays closer to traditional deckbuilding than Iris does: cards stay in your deck instead of burning after use, and you actually build synergies run over run rather than restocking a fresh hand each time. Character classes vary the strategy considerably. Median playtime runs around 29 hours. The art is rough, unapologetically so, and difficulty scales up as your card pool grows.

Not for you if you came to Iris for its narrative framing and atmosphere rather than the card mechanics, or ugly, minimal presentation is a dealbreaker.

The Squirrel's verdictZet Zillions keeps cards in your hand across turns instead of consuming them permanently, so you build actual combos and card fusions run to run, closer to traditional deckbuilding than Iris's single-use system. FTL-style map navigation and boss runs replace Iris's fixed 15-level campaign. Suits players who wanted Iris's card fights but with combo depth and branching routes.

Not for you if you want Iris's narrative focus over combat systems, since fusion mechanics and shop currency get more review complaints than praise.

The Squirrel's verdictKnock on the Coffin Lid keeps every card you play, building a permanent deck across a sprawling overworld map, unlike the burn-on-use system that defines Iris. It's structurally closer to Slay the Spire, but multiple reviewers report the branching paths are illusory—one build dominates every run to the final boss. Median playtime runs 34.7 hours, far longer than Iris's campaign.

Not for you if you want map branches to actually matter—reviewers describe one dominant build path—or you prefer shorter, tighter runs.

The Squirrel's verdictBanners of Ruin offers party-based roguelike deckbuilding where cards persist and accumulate across a run rather than burning on use. Individual heroes carry their own talents and equipment, adding a layer of build management absent from Iris. Suits players who want methodical, synergy-focused card combat with more structural depth, though reviewers consistently flag slow, grindy fights and thin content past the final boss.

Not for you if you want fast combat pacing or substantial content beyond the final boss.