StarVaders Review: Roguelite Deckbuilding Meets Space Invaders | The Gamerheads Podcast

Platform reviewed: PC (Steam)

Price: $24.99

At the crossroads of Space Invaders, roguelite deckbuilders, chess, and anime sits StarVaders—a well-crafted strategy game that blends all these influences into something special. I first played it at PAX a few years back, and now that I’ve gotten my hands on the full version, I can’t put it down. The game feels fresh every time I play, even after running through the same levels multiple times (thanks to dying... a lot). But there’s more to StarVaders than meets the eye—and that’s why it’s currently sitting near the top of my GOTY list.

StarVaders is a beautiful game. With its bright colors and anime-inspired characters, it feels right at home in an arcade. And that’s fitting—it clearly draws influence from Space Invaders.

At the start, I could only choose one character: a Gunner piloting a mech, whose deck focuses on bullets and bombs. But more classes unlock as I progress—like the Stinger and the Keeper—and each one plays completely differently.

Gunners tend to stay closer to the home base, placing bombs, firing bullets, and managing a heat meter. Each card costs a certain amount of heat to play. I can use up to three heat in a turn, but I can also overheat. Playing cards beyond the limit burns them, turning them into junk cards that clog my deck.

The Stinger class plays more like a nimble mech, and unlike the Gunners, it thrives on constant movement across the board. Instead of heat, I manage energy—up to three per turn—but I also have a battery reserve I can tap into when needed. Stinger’s unique twist is its ability to shock enemies, which can also be used to recharge my batteries, adding a smart layer of strategy to its playstyle.

Finally, there’s the Keeper class—the one I found the most challenging to play. Instead of managing heat or energy, the Keeper uses mana to conjure monsters. I can summon as many as I have the mana for, but here’s the catch: I can only directly control one at a time. That limitation adds a layer of complexity that makes the Keeper feel completely different.

And that’s what I love about StarVaders—each class feels completely distinct, and within each class, there are three unique characters to choose from. Every character starts with a different set of cards, so I can tailor my experience to match my preferred playstyle. It’s a deep system—far deeper than I ever expected—and it’s that depth that keeps me coming back for more.

The game board itself plays a critical role in StarVaders. It’s laid out like a grid, with the bottom three rows designated as my home base. If enemies breach this zone and I don’t eliminate them during my turn, I earn Doom Points—and if I ever hit five, my run ends. What makes this especially tense is that Doom Points carry over from board to board, adding a real sense of pressure.

If it wasn’t obvious, StarVaders is turn-based, and I need to clear all enemies within a set number of turns. The setup makes it feel more like a tactical board game than most deckbuilders I’ve played—and that’s a big part of why I love it.

Each level is made up of several different boards, culminating in a boss battle—and every boss feels unique. The first boss, for example, is a Mothership that splits into three separate parts, each one launching enemies onto the board. Another is a massive blob that, when attacked, splits into smaller blobs. What’s impressive is how each level’s design ties directly into its boss, with enemy types and patterns that reinforce the overall theme. The variety keeps things feeling fresh.

Before each board, I can choose my path—tougher boards with more enemies reward me with rare cards, while others let me upgrade the cards I already have. I often found myself gravitating toward the boards that removed a Doom Point. There’s also a workshop that appears right before each boss fight, where I can spend resources to buy new cards or pick up artifacts—special items that enhance certain card types and open up new strategies.

There is a story woven into StarVaders, but to be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to it. I was so wrapped up in the gameplay that I found myself skipping ahead just to dive into my next run. That’s not a knock on the narrative—it just speaks to how compelling the core mechanics are.

Final Grade: A

StarVaders is the epitome of a well-crafted deckbuilder—full of customization, packed with replay value, and infused with the spirit of a tactical board game. The art is fantastic, and the variety in classes and characters kept me up late, run after run, discovering new strategies and refining my playstyle. Every session felt fresh. If you’re a fan of board games, deckbuilders, or just smart, satisfying design, StarVaders absolutely deserves a spot in your collection.

Review code provided by JF Games PR