NOMIA

Wonderful artworks for a tactics game with many good ideas. Complete different ways to build decks and some really good ideas in combat. Especially impressive from a solo dev. I really hope more people will give this game a chance, because it didn't dissappointed me in any way.

NOMIA is a true hidden gem that deserves a lot more attention! Beneath its artful presentation and atmosphere is a deep system that offers high replayability. Every run feels fresh, not because of pure randomness, but because of how cleverly the gameplay mechanics work together. Each character has always-available action cards contrasted with gambit cards that are drafted from your deck each turn. This system gives every turn a sense of reliability while still leaving room for tension and improvisation. Even when I get a bad draw, there’s always a meaningful play to make, which keeps these moments from feeling too punishing. The deckbuilding also allows for a fair bit of customization. Cards can be collected, removed, or upgraded during a run, allowing you to try different strategies as your deck changes. There are also "golden" cards that provide the most powerful abilities of all, but often have cooldowns or restrictions on how frequently they can be used to keep them balanced. Then there’s the item and memory systems, which layer extra decision-making on top of the core deckbuilding. Items are single-use and are collected randomly as you progress through a run, but memories offer powerful permanent benefits to your characters that synergize well with the action and gambit card system. What really elevates NOMIA, however, is the worldbuilding. NOMIA doesn’t just hand you lore, it immerses you in a setting that feels ancient, mysterious, and lived-in. The sense of place is so strong that it transforms solid mechanics into something much more impactful—an entire world that pulls you in and won’t let go. Thoughtful design, high replay value, and atmosphere for days makes NOMIA a strong recommend!

I played a couple hours of the demo and an hour so far in early access, and it's such a delight seeing more and more finalized! The gameplay itself is really strong. The combination of tactics and card battling adds a lot of different options and a fun challenge. The cards can be upgraded and removed like most card battles, and your characters can obtain "memories" to give unique perks to your character's in their run. There are also consumable items to aid you and your classic shop visits. It has the important mechanic of being able to put enemies in holes or otherwise send them off the playable area. The gameplay loop and the story go hand and hand in a way that wants you to keep pressing forward and finding out more. And the fact that the cards and memories themselves tie into the character's traits and development? Chef's kiss!! I personally think the gameplay is solid and challenging, HOWEVER in the settings there are options to make the game easier that you can pick and choose, so if you want to take it easier, learn the mechanics with less pressure, or are just struggling (which isn't shameful!!!), you can pick and choose what perks you want to use to help you. I really, really appreciate when games add optional bonuses like this, and the fact that you can just pick and choose them as you need them is perfect. Plus, the game is in early access, so there's room to mention quirks or other concerns as you play, but I'm personally confident in the game's vision and look forward to seeing how it all unfolds. The art is absolutely gorgeous and there's lots of it to admire. The character designs are amazing and there are different looks for them depending on where you are! It's really refreshing to see a cast like this, with a variety of builds and backgrounds without relying on giving everyone bright-coloured eyes or other cliche designs, and yet everyone is still extremely HOT. The environments are really beautiful too. Even the maps themselves flow together with rises to block your vision and extends with your run, giving it all a very fluid feel as it expands as you continue the run. I love how the enemies feel like their own thing while still connecting visually!! As I mentioned earlier, the story is tied really beautifully into the gameplay. You can replay the cutscenes after each dive so you can refresh or memory or dig for more details. I love how much you can see everyone having their own lives outside of where the game starts us, and each dive lets us find out a new scrap that's woven into the story's tapestry. I truly love how each character comes with their own complications, no one is perfect, but they're still endearing and relatable and try to support each other. If you're on the fence, there might still be a demo out to give it a shot. The demo gives you the chance to really see if it's a good fit for you. Otherwise, there's a ton of replayability here, and if you're the type to restart the story every time a new chapter is added, at least this game lets you replay the cut scenes so you can quickly refresh your memory if you don't want to start over fresh! This is a massive accomplishment for a mostly solo dev (it looks like everything is one person aside from the beautiful music!), so I think it's worth the supporting the game in its current state! I am so intrigued by the story, and while I'm really looking forward to the rest of the acts being released, but I am happy to wait for this game to cook as much as it needs to. I'm truly happy to have the opportunity to watch more ingredients get added and watch the soup simmer, but you know I'm gonna be sneaking snacks and devouring it once it's done!! I had to edit this review because I forgot to add in what gameplay mechanics to expect!!!!!!! Whoopsie!!

the rare genuine hidden gem, i was blown away to see how few reviews this game has despite having one of the most rewarding tactics systems ive ever played. Similar smth like tactical breach wizards it emphasizes planning out turns over pure damage. My one issue is the pure number of status effects with similar names that are introduced very quickly, making it hard to follow, but once you overcome the temporary confusion of the early game its damn rewarding

Really enjoying game but for the love of all that is holy, I can see the debuffs/buffs if squint but the eye icon is impossible to see. ;-; 9/10 looking forward to where game goes, but even if isn't updated again, would recommend it, it is a solid game

This game is pretty fun! The mechanics are pretty satisfying and I can see a lot of potential for combos whilst battling. I would recommend to folks looking for a rogue-like that can scratch the itch you might have from Slay the Spire with the aesthetics akin to Bastion or Transistor.

Top tier. THe art and gameplay ties so well into the story line. Its not very often deckbuilders fall together as a complete package but this one nails it. Leaving a review because it deserves attention.

An exceptional entry into the genre of roguelike deckbuilders. It may not be the game for everyone, but it sure as hell is the game for me. If you like the nebulous worldbuilding of Cultist Simulator, the depth in character relationships of Hades, and the visual richness of Gris or Transistor, folded into a tactically complex gameplay loop and a shockingly well written and thoughtful story, you're in the right place. It runs well, it looks fantastic, it sounds great, and it plays well. Most importantly, it's fun and it stays fun. It's easy with these games to blow past story and character, but I cannot argue hard enough for anyone playing this game to take the time to read the lore and get to know the story and world. There's no real exposition (which I love), and you are very much dropped into a story as it's taking place, asked to piece together exactly what is happening and why. Going on runs (the characters set off in pairs) isn't just for metaprogression and new cards, it advances each characters individual story, as well as the story of that specific pair, and each permutation of characters you'll play with have their own unique relationship, all working in harmony to additionally shape the story of the campaign as a whole. I'll say this of the gameplay, it can get DENSE. There is a litany of statuses, archetypes, and decision points that keep runs feeling like you're carefully operating an engine, meticulously pulling levers to keep your characters alive. Your characters also take their turns simultaneously, rather than one at a time, meaning that not only are you balancing each character's deck, items, and action economy, but balancing them in stride with a second character's. At the same time. You are moving Character A to give Character B line of sight to apply a debuff that Character A will multiply stacks of so that Character B can land a powerful attack, while leaving enough action points for Character A to then apply a defensive buff to Character B as the enemy threat assessment reorients... As I said, perhaps not for everyone, but if you appreciate a tactics game that asks for tweezerlike precision, you're in the right place. The critiques I do have about this game come down to available content, very much to be expected of a 1-2 dev team, and honestly wouldn't even be worth noting if not for the fact that the game is so exceptionally made that I can smell the potential still left on the table. There are limited characters to choose from, so you'll hit a point in the story where you've already explored all party permutations and mechanical archetypes. Certain cards are absolutely run-defining, and the archetypes are fun to put together, but there aren't so many cards that it ever feels like an extant challenge to get your decks humming together. That said, the game is brand new as of me writing this, so it's my genuine hope that the devs recognize the quality and potential of this project and continue to add to it. One thing that's sorely lacking is diversity in randomized events. I would love minibosses that ambush you, changing terrain, additional ways to modify existing cards, even a harder gamemode that lets you bring a third party member into the fray. The game systems are just so well put together it seems a shame not to continue populating them and exploring the design spaces Magnesium Ninja have built. If you like roguelikes, support this game. If you like deckbuilders, support this game. If you like tactics, support his game. If you like pretty things, support this game. If you like well written stories and characters, support this game. If you like well written pretty tactical roguelike deckbuilders... this one might just be a hall of famer.

A really gorgeous game with some of my favorite character designs. NOMIA has some really nice tactics RPG combat and boss designs. Was really happy to pick this one up.

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ https://youtu.be/L-nGEi_alcI