It is undeniable that CRPGs and tabletop RPGs are very distinct experiences, each with its own strengths and focus. Computer card games, on the other hand, mostly play like direct ports of their tabletop counterparts – an easier alternative to actually meeting other players and buying hundreds of cards.

That might be why 1997's Magic: The Gathering PC game, commonly called Shandalar, remains such a cult classic. It kept the rules and complexity of MtG but, instead of just dueling other players and buying booster packs, you could explore an isometric fantasy world, visit towns to buy cards, do quests, solve riddles and explore dungeons to battle foes with special rules.

Dream Quest understands that appeal, making full use of the fact that it's a single-player computer card game. It doesn't need to be balanced for PvP, or put its cards in booster packs for you to grind & collect. You simply choose a class then explore a dungeon, fighting increasingly stronger enemies to earn XP and gold. Each enemy offers unique challenges, such as ghouls that are immune to damage but rot away after a few turns, or liches that requires a specific card to defeat.

Yes, that's heavily one-sided, often frustratingly so. But that's where the fun of its roguelike aspect comes in: the game is based precisely around trying to build your deck as you play and survive the wicked tricks enemies throw at you. You never know which cards you'll get, or who you'll face. Fail and you'll restart from zero. Since the game is short,that's usually just a few minutes, leading to an addictive replay loop.

Each run starts simple, with a deck of 6 to 10 cards that you draw from and reshuffle each turn. It then introduces card upgrades, status effects, mana and several unique mechanics. It's deep, but still perfectly suited for playing on the phone during commute, with several unlockables to keep players coming back.