‘Heck Deck’ brings SUPERHOT’s slomo mechanic to the bullet hell genre with cards

Indie game developer ‘torcado’ has brought a fresh twist to the bullet hell genre their unique game Heck Deck. What started as an itch.io game is now available on Steam as well as Android and iOS. This game mixes the challenge of bullet hell with the strategic gameplay of card games, all while incorporating the time-slowing mechanics of SUPERHOT – a game I’m hopelessly addicted to.

What the Heck, Deck?

Here’s the gameplay loop – you move around the level as a cute little ghost avoiding cards that you as the player throws into the level from your hand. Then, the cards start flying around the level performing the actions or spells on their faces. The more cards, the more choas!

Here’s the catch – the cards only move when you do (a la SUPERHOT)! This allows you to stop moving to regain your composure or make fine-tuned motions without getting paper cut by the cards and dying, because we all know paper cuts are worse than death!

In Heck Deck, you’ll be faced with five unique levels, each with their own set of enemies, music, and bosses. The abstract and minimalist world is brought to life with a charming hand-drawn art style that adds to the game’s overall appeal.

To succeed, you’ll need to master both precision and strategy. As mentioned, every bullet in the game is a card, and picking up a new one from the shop between levels will cost you a life point. So, choose wisely! As you progress through the game, you’ll collect dozens of these cards, adding to the interesting combinations and wild difficulty spikes you create for yourself. You’ll need to use your cards strategically to defeat enemies and bosses, all while dodging a barrage of bullets.

Easy to play, hard to master

With over 30 different enemies and bosses lurking in the game’s five levels, you’ll be on your toes the whole time. But hey, that’s half the fun, right? Just be prepared to die a few (or a lot of) times before you really get the hang of it.

Oh, and there are also four playable characters that were added post launch – Deckard, Randal, Tau and Phi, additional cards like the Mirror, Wisp, Warp Ring and more, a full card compendium to show what you’ve acquired or collected so far, a full speed mode where the cards don’t slow down (yikes!), the ability to redo a stage, and more.

With its unique blend of card gameplay and time slowing insanity, this game will test your reflexes. If you’re up for the challenge, you can actually pick it for just $3.99 USD on Steam right now or sink a few hours into it on your phone!