My latest obsession is this "slot-driven, Wordle-style roguelike battler" with Balatro vibes, and its new demo might just eat up all of my free time

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"Roll, guess, survive!"

Randel's Quest
(Image credit: LCB Game Studio)

As if the likes of Balatro, one of the best roguelikes around, and Wordle, the daily guessing game I can't seem to quit, don't already take up enough of my time, Randel's Quest is now playable via a free demo – and play I certainly shall.

If you haven't heard of Randel's Quest yet, this is your sign to go and check out developer LCB Game Studio's Steam page and itch.io profile. It's the team behind one of my personal favorite choose-your-own-adventure type games, Mothmen 1966 – and they're back now with another banger in Randel's Quest, a unique roguelike featuring LCB Game Studio's stunning pixel art incorporating a word-guessing element much like Wordle's own.

In a new post unveiling the Halloween demo for Randel's Quest, the dev describes the game as a "slot-driven, Wordle-style roguelike battler" – and I'm not sure what I love more between its Balatro-esque charm and its word puzzle mechanics. Attached is a clip of gameplay from Randel's Quest, showing the brave player take on two skeletons in a battle to uncover the coveted five-letter word, all while rolling the slot machine (hopefully) for buffs.

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As LCB Game Studio exclaims, "Roll, guess, survive!" It looks like one of those indie gems the web will go absolutely wild for, honestly – and I'm not the only one who seems to think so, either. The comments under the dev's demo announcement show a good few excited fans, with one writing, "I smell a Steam hit." Elsewhere in the replies, somebody states: "Finally a twist on word games, can't wait to try!"

I can't wait myself, and if you're just as eager as I am to roll for your luck in Randel's Quest, you can snag the free demo now via the game's official itch.io page. LCB Game Studio is actively updating things behind the scenes, too, explaining to players that the devs will "keep updating the valid_words list, so any additions are welcome." Here's hoping it's both just as challenging and as fun as Balatro and Wordle – although I'm sure it will be.

Searching for new games to play after trying Randel's Quest for yourself? Be sure to browse our roundup for more.

Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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