Duelists of Eden for Windows

Deckbuilding-based fighting game

Duelists of Eden is a premium action experience from Thomas Moon Kang, putting an unusual spin on the 2D fighting subgenre. Instead of traditional formats where players mash buttons to connect attacks, this game relies on a deck-building mechanic on a grid-based fighting stage. Position your player, deliver attacks based on available cards, and knock the other player out.

The visual treatment and the mix of strategy and reflex make Duelists of Eden largely similar to the system in Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection. Its steep learning curve aside, it’s enjoyable and offers a fresh take on the genre.

Fight and take control of Eden

Duelists of Eden takes place after another deck-builder, One Step From Eden, but acts more like a spinoff rather than a direct sequel. As such, expect the same characters and overall premise from its predecessor. There are over 14 unique characters, each allowing players to leverage a unique mix of strengths and weaknesses and preferences for certain attack patterns. This lends flexibility to how players learn the game.

As mentioned, it’s far from the standard fighting game. You build your deck and draw cards to determine attacks. You can also string different actions to create a combo, with certain combinations dealing attack bonuses. The goal here is also to deplete the enemy’s hit points first. What makes this challenging is the real-time treatment: you move and plan your attacks while moving and trying to dodge enemy attacks.

The steep learning curve stems from the fun mix of strategizing with the need to move continuously. Once you get past this, this is an infinitely replayable game as you explore the combinations of characters and cards that are possible. The only challenge in this game at this point is its minor server issues that affect gameplay stability and matchmaking. This is even understandable considering the Eden games being one-man projects.

A refreshing take on the fighting genre

Overall, Duelists of Eden makes a good case as the fighting-focused spinoff of One Step From Eden. It demands both strategy and reflex from the players and rewards them with a lot of gameplay content—mostly stemming from the unique combination between its roster of characters and the cards available. The only hitch in the game is its minor server optimization issues. A definite must-try.