Why Early Access?

“Abjure is built on Big 2, a card game I've loved since childhood. The roguelike progression on top of it is complete and genuinely fun: draft your pile, fight through rounds, buy relics in the shop, and beat bosses while you jam to the soundtrack.
I'm launching in Early Access because roguelike balance needs more player perspectives. I want players to find synergies I missed, flag relics that feel weak, commentate on game balance, and suggest more improvements before 1.0. Before full release, I'm planning to expand replayability via a cumulative prestige system and starting deck variety, add more relics, and overall better the presentation. I'm committed to seeing this through and will review player feedback, primarily through Discord and the Steam forums.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“I estimate around 6 to 12 months. I'm a solo developer, and this is my first game, so I want to be realistic. The timeline will depend on how development progresses and what feedback surfaces, but I plan to ship regular updates throughout.”

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

“The full version plans to expand on the Early Access foundation in several areas. I plan to listen to player feedback to address relic and gameplay balance and will likely add more relics across all rarity tiers. I also plan to continue refining balance and improving overall presentation. The goal is a game that visually looks good and where you can play dozens of runs and still find new things to try.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“There is the base Big 2 game, and there is the roguelike mode too. The game has a fully playable roguelike loop: build your deck, fight opponents in Big 2 card battles, fight the level boss, earn gold, visit the shop to buy cards and relics, and see how far you can get. The relic system currently has over 30 relics across four rarity tiers (common, rare, epic, and legendary) each with distinct strategic effects. The shop includes card purchases, deck removal, card reveal, and rerolling. There's a save system so runs can be continued. You will love the soundtrack and jam to it; that is a promise.”

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

“I plan to offer the game at a lower price during Early Access to reflect that it's still actively being developed. When the game leaves Early Access, I intend to raise the price to reflect the full, expanded experience. Buying in Early Access locks in the price you paid.”

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

“I plan to actively watch the Steam Discussion forums and a Discord server I set up for the game. Balance feedback, bug reports, and suggestions will directly influence what I work on. If a relic feels useless or a strategy that should be fun turns out to be frustrating, I want to know. I'll also be open to community ideas for new relics. I'll post update notes explaining what changed and why, so the community can see how feedback is being acted on.”