Forget city-building games. You're not a builder, you're a DESTROYER. Use taxes and bureaucracy to collapse a flawlessly functioning dystopian industrial system from within. A card-based ideological collapse simulation game.

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Coming Soon To Early Access

The developers of this game intend to release as a work in progress, developing with the feedback of players.

Note: Games in Early Access are not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“Since I'm a one-person team, I want to move towards the full version based on feedback from players.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Approximately 6 months to 1 year.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“I plan to add more cards, maps, and different modes in the full version. ”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“A demo has been released in preparation for early access. Based on the feedback I received from the demo, I'm now in the process of finalizing preparations for early access.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“Prices will be lower during the early access period. We plan to gradually increase the price as we add new content and features.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“I plan to include it via Steam Discussions and Discord.”
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Download The Shadow Architect Demo

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About This Game

PUNISH TALENT - TAX SUCCESS - REWARD MEDIOCRITY

In this card-based simulation, your mission isn't to save the country—it's to stop its motor. Weaponize bureaucracy, break the producers' spirit, and bring the system to a halt.

KEY FEATURES

  • Reverse City-Building: Unlike classic management games, your goal is not to grow, but to strategically leave a living, breathing city without producers.

  • Card-Based Sabotage: Tax hikes, security inspections, and supply chain blockages... Use your deck of action cards to mess with the producers' settings.

  • Producer Psychology System: Face off against unique characters such as Industrialists, Artists, Inventors, and Economists. Each has a “Patience” limit and sensitive points that you must provoke.


  • Grid Mechanics & Chain Reactions: Use your neighborly relationships to your advantage. Isolate a producer whose neighbor has disappeared.

  • Stealth Strategy: Manage your “suspicion” level. If you make moves too aggressively, Parasites and Raiders will detect your presence and come after you.

  • Campaign & Progression: As you conquer more challenging areas, unlock new cards.


YOUR WEAPON: THE STAMP & SIGNATURE

  • Shadow Governance: You don't need a bomb to destroy a factory. Just slap a new customs duty on its raw materials and watch it shut down.

  • Bureaucratic Hell: Want to kill innovation? Set up a committee called ‘Public Interest’ and bury inventors in so much red tape that they can't invent anything while filling out forms.

  • Wear down producers' patience with paperwork and mind-numbing techniques. Do everything secretly.

  • Analyze the positions and roles of producers in the city.

  • Strike at the most critical point.

  • Watch the disappearance.

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

Some of the sound effects in the game were created by artificial intelligence.

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • OS: Windows 10 (64bit)
    • Processor: 2.0 GHz Dual Core Processor
    • Storage: 1 GB available space
    Recommended:
    • OS: Windows 10 (64bit)
    • Processor: 2.0 GHz Dual Core Processor
    • Storage: 1 GB available space
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