The Gate Must Stand
The Gate Must Stand
Game
Game2025
The Royal Writ
Developer Save Sloth Studios
The Royal Writ is a 2025 roguelike deck-building video game developed by Save Sloth Studios and published by Yogscast Games. It was released for Windows on August 7, 2025. A darkly comedic game that combines a cartoon storybook art style with brutal combat, it follows the narcissistic King Mikolt the Second of the fantasy kingdom of Aranfold as he seeks to capture various ne'er-do-wells who threaten his kingdom. The… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
238 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Nov 1, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
85
LovedLoved
161 positive · 28 negative
95% range 79–90%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 161 | 28 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 16 | 1 | 32 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
249 of 285 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
85% recommend · 160 yes, 29 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 189 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (449 of 541 positive).
Many note the game has two acts with very different difficulty and mechanics. [1][2][3] Some reviewers find Act 2 frustratingly hard and unbalanced. [4][3][5]
Liked
Representative posts
- [18]
This is a very difficult game to evaluate for me, and is absolutely one of those titles where I wish Steam allowed for a more nuanced review system than "I recommend" or "I do not recommend." There are a lot of things here to like. The artstyle, for one, slaps, and is absolutely the best strength of the game. The music is very good, and there's a neat little story to accompany/contextualise your runs. It's not …
- [1]
I wish I could give this game's two acts their own separate "recommend"/"not recommend" score, because while they share a majority of the same mechanics, in practice they end up being vastly different games. I think a majority people who are attracted to this subsection of games would agree that one of the main appeals isn't really so much just figuring out how to win, but rather doing so specifically with all sorts …
- [2]
This is REALLY good and needs more visibility so I suppose I'll help with a positive review. This game is Balatro meets Inscryption; a card battling game with weird logic, where figuring out that logic and making game-breaking combinations is necessary to win. Sprinkle in gambling elements and regrettable decisions, and you get something that triggers that "one more run" itch. The art, the lore, the effects, the …
- [6]
Oh man, what a hidden gem! It's a shame that this does not get the coverage it deserves. I am glad I stumbled upon it nonetheless and was immediately intrigued by the fantastic art style which reminds me of picture-books with many small details in the background etc.! It's a joy to observe the original character design and detailed animations! First sceptical, the game mechanics quickly hooked me. The game starts …
- [7]
A Delightfully Adventurous Journey Of His Majesty And His Loyal Subjects I stumbled upon this game at the very last moment before I wrapped up my demo-dive last Steam Nextfest. I was hooked by its charming art style and the interesting gameplay, but at the time I was too exhausted to write a brief review after playing tons of demos. Fast-forward to today. The full game is out, and I play through it with proper …
Summarised from 34 of the 242 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked The Royal Writ talk about beautiful art and music create a charming atmosphere; those who didn't talk about act 2 is much harder and less fun than Act 1. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Cosmin Vasile of Softpedia gave the game the maximum score of 5 stars, saying that he enjoyed the fantasy universe, its characters, and the game's music, while praising the gameplay as unique and calling the presentation impressive. However, he criticized the difficulty spikes during the game's bosses and the lack of voice acting, though he described it as "not a problem" given the game's non-story focus. Robin Valentine of PC Gamer said that he enjoyed the game's "scrappy underdog feel", causing players to never get complacent. However, he called some of the game's random aspects unfair, due to a "lack of clarity" in its explanations, forcing players to use trial and error. Edwin…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 238 · most liked firstComing to XBOX Game Pass: RuneScape: Dragonwilds, SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed, The Royal Writ, and more! news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
neutral · AI labelView post →Now that the Wholesome Game Celebration is out (on Steam from Aug 7th to 14th), it's demo time! On my list so far to try: ✨Pakinpaks ✨A La Card ✨The Royal Writ ✨Clawsome ✨Llamalandia ✨Building Relationships ✨Grimshire Let me know if you have anything you want me to play!
neutral · AI labelView post →This is a very difficult game to evaluate for me, and is absolutely one of those titles where I wish Steam allowed for a more nuanced review system than "I recommend" or "I do not recommend." There are a lot of things here to like. The artstyle, for one, slaps, and is absolutely the best strength of the game. The music is very good, and there's a neat little story to accompany/contextualise your runs. It's not groundbreaking, but it also doesn't need to be. The story is neither obtrusive nor…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Only 3 days left until #SteamNextFest is over. Make sure to check the limited time deck which is built around the beautiful king character from the game @theroyalwrit.bsky.social! This deck will vanish soon. Please wishlist both Replicat and The Royal Writ! #gamedev #indiegame #gaming #videogame
neutral · AI labelView post →Choose a character from The Royal Writ and we'll drop some lore about them... #gaming #indiegames #game
neutral · AI labelView post →The Royal Writ demo is OUT NOW! 🐦⬛👑 The good king needs you to check out this builder of decks, and max out your multipliers to help him get the kingdom back under control! Be one of the first to play the BRAND NEW demo here: store.steampowered.com/app/3333700?... #indiegame #gamedev #yogscast
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm pleased to report I've still got it. The Royal Writ is out now on Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox and Game Pass. Really happy more people now have the opportunity to play this brilliant deckbuilder.
positive · AI labelView post →I really wanted to recommend this game, but unfortunately the second Act significantly hurt the overall experience and enjoyment. TLDR: -The game suffers from a common roguelike/-lite issue: the more you unlock, the harder it becomes to reliably play specific & fun builds. -The balance feels overly random. If you don’t get the right cards, your run can fall apart through no fault of your own. -Many relics feel underwhelming or outright useless. -The death mechanic sounds interesting on paper,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wish I could give this game's two acts their own separate "recommend"/"not recommend" score, because while they share a majority of the same mechanics, in practice they end up being vastly different games. I think a majority people who are attracted to this subsection of games would agree that one of the main appeals isn't really so much just figuring out how to win, but rather doing so specifically with all sorts of unique and crazy combinations of cards/pieces/etc., discovered through a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Act 1 was great, felt like there were many different builds you can go for, and all of them are fun. Act 2 felt like it's trying too hard to be Slay the Spire, with all the difficulty and none of the fun opportunity. Bullet mechanism is horrendous. Poison swamps everywhere. Every single card gets nerfed, with literal zero upside. The entire game turned into a Dark Souls style trudge to get lucky enough to have ONE single scaling card. The poison mechanic is also insane. There's barely…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoyed Act 1. Act 2 is not fun. After 4 and half hours I still don't understand what happens if I'm over my deck limit. Not every keyword is defined. I'm not sure how the game defines "ailed" or "standing". I would love clearer guidance on the odds for many food outcomes. A lot of cards use the food card frame to signify that they are single use, but do not trigger "eat food" abilities. These are usually cards that give equipment. Bullets and morale are at best uninteresting and at worst…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My three kings. The Royal Writ - coming to consoles September 10th. Also on Game Pass.
neutral · AI labelView post →Game Pass September 2026 Wave 1: 9.3: - Speedrunners 2: King of Speed 9.4: - Dice a Million 9.8: - Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War 9.10: - The Royal Writ - Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage 9.15: - RuneScape: Dragonwilds news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
neutral · AI labelView post →Act 1 was actually fun, with many viable builds and fun mechanics. Act 2 is just artificial difficulty and a laughable attempt at making a final boss. Every annoying mechanic is multiplied, as if the devs want you to stop enjoying the game and just keep resetting until you get the few cards that might make you do 400k damage in a single level. I'm sad this is only in act 2, as I completed act 1 pretty quickly, but not enough to refund. I'm extremely disappointed that some devs in 2025 still…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →DOn`t. The game has 2 acts. The first act is fun... and the tutorial more or less. The second act ist hitting a brick wall from the get go. And imo its not worth running through that wall.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is REALLY good and needs more visibility so I suppose I'll help with a positive review. This game is Balatro meets Inscryption; a card battling game with weird logic, where figuring out that logic and making game-breaking combinations is necessary to win. Sprinkle in gambling elements and regrettable decisions, and you get something that triggers that "one more run" itch. The art, the lore, the effects, the music... it all blends together so nicely into a cozy, whimsical game with a lot…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly I'm on the fence, I like the art style - its' super fun and creative, and I thought Act 1 was great. Act 2 I felt was such a chore, i couldn't find myself to replay it. There are only 2 acts, and you choose to only replay one of the acts, so the drive to get "prestiges" isn't there as much as say Monster Train or StS that just have the main mode that you can prestige.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hail to the Crow King! Live now with The Royal Writ, a roguelike deckbuilder where we flex as the monarch! twitch.tv/jaybirbgames
neutral · AI labelView post →Fell in love with this game last year but hit a brick wall with the near-impossible Act II boss fight. Roll on to post-1.2.0.2, which made it far more manageable while still keeping it properly challenging. I hope with the recent announcement there will be a Royal Writ 2! Coming back to it reminded me just how much personality the game has. The artwork is beautiful, the soundtrack is sublime, and the whole thing has this weird medieval charm that makes it feel completely different from most…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really liked the game itself. The mechanics are really nice and it the visuals are fun, also the music is fitting. If it would not be the painful Act II. I tried to fight against the boss Prior Im and did not manage after so many tries. Then I tried a custom seed where you get a good card at the start. So I beat the prior with it but the last end boss has 444.444 hp which is so ridiculous. After losing to him I did not want to grind again hoping for good cards or to invest so much time to…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a mostly very good game but leans more into the random than the synergy and with so few actual mechanics, sometimes you just won't have fun. When it works it reaaaally works but act 2 kills the momentum completely. I really hope that further development makes this the game it could be because the core is really quite fun but the ability to reliably synergise is a shame and the bullet mechanic really doesn't add anything for the better.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another game ruined by willing to be challenging above enjoyable. The art is incredible, music splendid, I loved the story, the characters, I swear this game should be the next big Roguelike of the year, but is completely ruined by the fact that every single time you click on anything is pure frustration and suffering. Why all ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ cards are ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ dying all the time, most of cards are absolutely laughable if not synergizing with other 5 very specific cards, that as well sucks on their…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Yogscast Games will be joining us in the Debug #indie game area to showcase the incredible title, The Royal Writ. Get your hands on it first and talk to the team including Matt Plumb - BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE - NottsVGE25.eventbrite.co.uk #yogscast #yogscastgames #indiegamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →went from a game i loved in the first act to a game that felt completely different in the second and not what i signed up for. a shame
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Oh man, what a hidden gem! It's a shame that this does not get the coverage it deserves. I am glad I stumbled upon it nonetheless and was immediately intrigued by the fantastic art style which reminds me of picture-books with many small details in the background etc.! It's a joy to observe the original character design and detailed animations! First sceptical, the game mechanics quickly hooked me. The game starts with a tutorial which gives a general overview for the most important mechanics…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I do not enjoy the game as much as I thought. I would like to note that all the below-mentioned is my personal opinion, as I come from playing Slay the Spire. A lot of the card ailments, details are not explained properly. Most of the time you guess what a card does and pray that it is not bad. You have wonderful card upgrades cards, which, if you pull out of your deck and then try to return it, most of the time you 'misclick' and put an upgrade or an ailment on a card where it is not needed,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Don't understand what the negative reviews are complaining about. These game mechanics are clear for anyone who is familiar with the genre; even though I agree the explanations of the systems could be better and colors/symbols could be used more. Still, nothing that a normal player wouldn't understand after playing a run or two. Game is fun in Act 1. & Act 2., there are multiple styles to play and many cards have positively surprised to be way more useful than expected. My tip would be to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I desperately want to be able to easily play this with a controller. Desperately.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can't say I haven't enjoyed some aspects of this game but overall it is exceptionally frustrating and the game is in sore need of a better tutorial. You can take care to build a well rounded deck and it can all come undone in an instant through no fault of your own which is never a great in game design. I applaud the developer for trying something different but I think the game could be better balanced to give the player a chance to get out of a bad situation rather than punishing the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really loved this game, and I wanted to share my thoughts and feedback with both potential players and the developers. First of all, I didn't have any high expectations of the game, but the art style caught my attention and it is truly good Story The story follows the Crow King, an anthropomorphic bird(?) ruling a kingdom and expanding his lands further and further. That's actually the whole story. It's quite simple, but it's still interesting to follow, and the game actively keeps you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoyed the demo, but after I bought the game, I was tired of it within the first hour. I can already tell I'm not going to want to play it anymore. Maybe this just isn't my type of game. Knowing that the second act is so much harder than the first does not make me want to continue.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is brutally punishing in the second act. Even in act one builds can fall apart on you with no input of your own, making a win feel like luck. The mechanic of cards dying by walking into buildings creates a downward spiral when it starts to happen. The stand out "awful" mechanic for me is stunned cards becoming corpses when theyre stepped on, so they don't count as "dying". This means you can lose your decks one decent gimmick without tedious levels of focus and scrutiny. This game…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is nuts, the demo works great on deck, no modding needed, then you buy the full version and only half the touchscreen works, even on applying different proton compatibility versions don't fix the invisible boarder that won't register touches. In such, I can't begin a new game. Makes me want to request a refund, and just download the demo again, I feel like because of this it really shouldn't even be $14.99, but $4.99 regularly. Until this does get fixed users need to go options and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A Delightfully Adventurous Journey Of His Majesty And His Loyal Subjects I stumbled upon this game at the very last moment before I wrapped up my demo-dive last Steam Nextfest. I was hooked by its charming art style and the interesting gameplay, but at the time I was too exhausted to write a brief review after playing tons of demos. Fast-forward to today. The full game is out, and I play through it with proper energy and anticipation this time. It is as charming as it is fun to play. The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Royal Writ (saveslothstudio) "The Royal Writ is a tactical card-game and an excellent showcase on how to be a good king." Free - Windows, Linux, Browser: warpdoor.com/2025/07/06/t...
neutral · AI labelView post →This is a beautiful, charming, deckbuilding roguelite. Have you played Cobalt Core? If so, I think you'll like this too. It does something few deckbuilding roguelites do. It has a bit of a story. Like Cobalt Core, the story is revealed in short vignettes, which never drag or include any padded out dialogue. They are short, quirky and colourful. These play out in your first playthrough, but once you have successfully completed Act I and Act II, they do not repeat, so repeat plays are not…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Royal Writ 👑 Developer: Save Sloth Studio Publisher: Yogscast Games The Royal Writ had its full release in August and the player feedback has been incredible. If you pick up the collection, make sure you try this one out!
neutral · AI labelView post →I completed the game in under 60 minutes and I didn't try, it was just random throwing things out. Not very strategical and I did not have to think one single time.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New Public Beta! 🐦⬛👑 Want to be among the first to try out new features for The Royal Writ? We've added a new public beta branch! To access it, right click the game on Steam, go to Properties > Betas, and select "public_experimental" from the dropdown menu! #gaming #indiegame #beta
neutral · AI labelView post →The Royal Writ, published by Yogscast Games, is a medieval roguelike deckbuilder with cute animal soldiers to command! thinkygames.com/game... 2/9
neutral · AI labelView post →fun deckbuilder with tons of replayability. anyone who gives it a bad review just because they aren't immediately good at it is a weiner.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun game but I finished it the acts after 5 hours. There is decent amount of content after finishing the acts though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun game, the way cards interact with each other and the variety of card effects guarantee that no run works the same way. It works differently from most other card games since every cards is disposable/can be removed from your deck in each fight and your entire deck and playstyle can change after each battle. Be aware the second act is much harder than the first with new bullet mechanics. Overall it's great value for money and deserves much more awareness that it's getting.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Royal Writ, developed by Save Sloth Studios and published by Yogscast Games, is a roguelike deckbuilding game that sets itself apart by transforming cards into active participants on a battlefield rather than static actions. Instead of simply playing cards for immediate effects, each card represents a unit that physically advances across lanes toward an enemy objective. This design creates a blend of deckbuilding and positional strategy, where success depends not only on the strength of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Command cards with cute animal soldiers that each have special abilities in the roguelike deckbuilder The Royal Writ thinkygames.com/game... 9/9
neutral · AI labelView post →🚨LIVE🚨 I have so many demos I don't even know how many Steam Next Fests back they all go. Starting with what else? but a deck builder: The Royal Writ (because I know it's been here for at least a year lol) www.twitch.tv/ralphypusVT
neutral · AI labelView post →The Royal Writ: A roguelike deck-builder with the main twist being that cards you play move along a lane to the enemy. The big thing that turned me away from this game was the nebulous mechanics. Cards have Strength OR Power, and you'll need to have and scale both. Many cards and bosses have unique mechanics that are not described well enough to intuit how they interact with other cards/mechanics. Spells/Gear/Food can be cast on other cards in your hand or on cards that are already played...…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Unique and masterfully executed deckbuilder game that reminds me of Wildfrost. Its art is incredible, probably my favorite in games ever. In terms of mechanics, the cards in this game are a lot more temporary than typical deckbuilders: their base stats can be easily modified and a lot of utility cards are one battle only. And there are also plenty ways to kill cards (and even transfer stats), so pivoting mid run is quite easy and often encouraged. The valuable board upgrades from the tactician…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We have an OFFICIAL Discord for The Royal Writ! 🫅 AND loyal Discord members will receive EARLY ACCESS to The Royal Writ’s VERY FIRST DEMO! No time to waste! Join us here and get playing: discord.gg/85GRydA5mt
neutral · AI labelView post →Nintendo Switch Video: The Royal Writ - A card-based strategy game with its own distinctive feel, but that takes some getting used to #IndieGames youtu.be/3-olR8qGkEQ
neutral · AI labelView post →Quirky and challenging, with a lot of subtle and clever interactions to figure out. I had a blast with this game, and every frustration changed into a satisfying victory once I understood all the systems. Love it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Scratches the same glorious itch as Slay the Spire while adding it's own mechanics and fun, cute style.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →incredible art music and general vibe. great variety of options for runs (which are quick and great to get going). There IS a lot of bloat imo, i dont like any of the letter cards and only use the feathers buff for my cards, anything else feels unnecesary. but it's not to the detriment of the game to have some bloat, and its a great game to keep installed to boot up whenever i want to play something non-commital and relaxing. every run i seem to get broken in a new way, which is great for a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A nice spin on the deckbuilder genre that I've found fun and addictive. Of the deck builders I've played my closest comparison would be Monster Train, but it's a different beast in a lot of ways. Lots of positives: quick runs, especially once you understand all the mechanics (most runs became under 30 mins) lots of card variety and varied mechanics the two acts offer some pretty large distinctions in mechanics and cards lots to strive for with all the challenges and hardships great value for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →awesome game! i love the animations and the game design - its satisfying to get a good combo.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wonderful roguelite, wonderfully addictive and wonderful, innovative gameplay ideas. And the artwork and wit of the (royal) writ...priceless
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I like the art, sound and music. I don't like the gameplay of constantly replacing dead or injured partymembers. This game is not so much a deckbuilder as it is a deckrepairer. It is pretty frustrating to see the score requirments go up, while seeing your deck strength going down.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A quick-based cardgame where you'll be brutally punished for your mistakes. It's charming and witty, yet challenging. This game will throw twists and curveballs at you until the very end.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Chill card game with great presentation. Art style/music are wonderful and cards have great flavour/story (ant cards come to mind) to themselves. Gameplay is pretty simple, but thinking of chain reactions of effects beforehand is a puzzle in its own. First act is very chill compared to the stress or deckbuilding required for some challenges or the second act. While the game can feel extra mean with rng during some runs that is kinda part of games like these so I don't mind. Card balance was…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →VOD for #JingleJam2025 Day Nine, afternoon stream, is now on #Youtube. I tried The Royal Writ from the game collection and strained my maths brain. #vtuber youtu.be/L4OBj40DIag
neutral · AI labelView post →
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