Norwegian Indie studio Filiokus has released a free demo for upcoming roguelite deckbuilder, Talystro. Talystro requires players to use their math skills (and dice rolls) to defeat literal number monsters — a clever way to get kids to practice their mathematics!
Playing as the heroic Math Mouse, players must battle against the forces of the evil Necrodicer and her twisted magic, transforming math itself into her own personal army of minions.
Instead of the usual hit points, players can only defeat a number monster by matching its exact value.
Each of a player’s cards features part of an equation and calculation, with room for the player’s dice rolls. By slotting in the dice and figuring out the result, players can use the card ability to defeat the monster of the same value.
As a roguelite deckbuilder, players will begin with a basic deck, then acquire more cards as they progress, fine-tuning their abilities and unlocking various combos.
The free demo includes the first act of the game, the Wildlands, which includes seven levels and a boss fight. A full run takes about 45 minutes (if successful). Once players beat it on Normal, they can try it on Expert mode.
The edutainment part is quaint, but what really sells me on this game is the art style. Talystro features beautiful, hand-drawn monsters in a colorful, animated style. Even the dice have a satisfying pop to them.
“Talystro is built on our belief that mathematics is fundamentally creative,” said Martin Lothe Sæterdal, developer, Filiokus. “With this demo, we’re inviting players to experiment, adapt, and discover the beauty of problem-solving through play. The best feedback we’ve received so far? ‘This is the most fun I have ever had doing math.’”
The Talystro demo is currently available to download on Steam. The full game is currently in development, with a planned release later this year.
