Developer Crux Games is preparing to launch Combolands, a roguelike city-builder that draws inspiration from both the combo-chaining mechanics of Balatro and the strategic city planning of Cities: Skylines. The game, set to release on August 24 for Windows PC via Steam, presents a unique blend of genres that aims to be deeply engaging.
Unlike traditional city builders that focus on adjacency bonuses for resource or population growth, Combolands makes these bonuses the core of its gameplay loop. Players begin on a procedurally generated island with a limited timeframe of eight weeks to achieve a new population milestone. Each action taken consumes one week, and players have a finite number of actions and rerolls available.
The initial gameplay involves establishing a city's economic foundation by placing buildings like hunter's huts near resource nodes. However, the game quickly introduces complexity. As the player reaches higher population tiers, new building options become available, necessitating strategic shifts. Some buildings offer multipliers to production or reduce the time for effects to trigger, while others, like those benefiting from proximity to "nature" tiles, are more challenging to integrate into the desired combo chains.
These combo chains are central to success, mirroring Balatro's approach to increasing difficulty. Players must carefully plan their city layouts to meet escalating round objectives. What might work for early rounds, such as placing berry-picking stations for immediate points, can become a liability when multipliers like walls, which require enclosed tiles, are introduced. Resource management is also key; overzealous clearing of certain tiles for one building could deplete resources needed for another. The game incorporates a degree of luck, with rerolls and demolition options to mitigate unfavorable turns, and a limited number of extra turns available once per run.
Losing is an expected part of the Combolands experience, but it also serves as a progression mechanic. After an initial failure, players can select guilds, which influence the types of buildings that appear in subsequent runs. The demo features two guilds, with Crux Games promising seven at launch, offering significant replayability through varied combinations. As players progress, an in-game shop, reminiscent of Balatro's system, allows the use of in-game currency to acquire new modifiers between rounds. These modifiers can significantly alter gameplay, with some offering game-changing effects, such as a multiplier for all buildings in the final week of a round.
The demo has shown a strategic depth that is engaging without becoming overwhelming, supported by a brisk pace that prevents it from feeling like a time sink. The combination of strategic placement and escalating combo challenges in Combolands promises a distinct and satisfying roguelike city-building experience.