About This Game

Relief is a deckbuilding roguelike set in a post–Journey to the West world. As the awakened heir of the Green Bull Demon (Azure Ox), you'll fight alongside five unique spirits, collect cards and artifacts, and craft powerful builds to carve out your own legend.

Each features its own cards and brings a distinct combat style to the fight.

• Lu Wei: Transforms troublesome status cards into cards with random special modifiers.

• Cui Beibei: Summons all manner of lovely feline spirits with a variety of abilities to aid in battle.

• Chechi Rocket Team: Seamlessly switch between the tiger, deer, and goat captains to adapt your strategy mid-battle.

• A.Lian: Features a unique Tribute card fusion mechanic. Cards with Blessing gain additional effects when placed at the far left or right of your hand.

• Mrs.Luo: Wields three elemental forces that combine into devastating chain reactions and intricate builds.

The Roc presents a choice midway through each of the first three acts, each powerful enough to alter your strategy and deck direction. Play it safe with reliable boosts, or go all-in on high-risk, high-reward effects to create game-breaking builds with the potential to steamroll everything in your path.

Roc's Aid Powers (24 total):

• Rebuild: Remove every card from your deck. Gain that many choices.

• Glass Cannon: You have only 10% Max HP and gain only 10% of any Max HP increases, but deal 250% damage.

• Less is More: Card removal costs 50 less gold. +1 card removal at the Black Market.

• ... ...

Complete quests from the Roc to earn Incense, then offer it at shrines to grant your cards random powerful affixes (12 total). The right affix can turn even the most unremarkable card into a force to be reckoned with, while strong cards can become downright broken, unlocking wild new build paths.

Blessings (14 total):

• Combo: Play all copies of this card in your hand and draw pile.

• Overdraw: Play this card for free. At the start of the next X turns, lose 1 Energy (X = its cost).

• ... ...

• Over 1,000 cards and 300 artifacts: Character-specific cards, general cards, and Black Market options combine with a massive pool of artifacts to create near-endless build variety! No two runs ever feel the same.

• Unique 14-day cycle: The game unfolds across five acts, built around a repeating 14-day cycle. While in town, strengthen your build at the Shop, Hot Springs, and Shrine, then venture beyond its gates to explore the unknown. Plan your days wisely and work your way toward the final boss.

• Curious encounters: Over 50 random events steeped in Chinese folklore and urban legends await. Will you accept an offering in a dim, shadowy corner, or awaken something... unknown? Every choice shapes what comes next.

If you enjoy roguelike deckbuilders, deep strategy, and game-breaking synergistic combos, or if you love any of the following titles:

Slay the Spire | Monster Train | Griftlands | Inscryption | Chrono Ark

...then you will definitely love Relief! Step into a post-Journey to the West urban legend world, and experience the same highly addictive card battles, insane card modifiers, and limitless deckbuilding possibilities!

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

This game contains mature content, including sexual innuendo, stylized nudity, and adult themes that may involve BDSM elements and descriptions of sexual content.