Vietnamese studio IndieLab has opened the Steam playtest for Just A Shadow Game, its new dark fantasy roguelike centered around deckbuilding and strategic ritual mechanics. Published by Soft Source Publishing, the playtest began on May 13 and will remain available until May 25, giving players early access to a substantial portion of the project’s core experience.

Already gaining attention across the indie scene for its unusual premise, the title combines monster summoning, spell casting, and ritual creation with a meta narrative focused on the horrors of game development. Throughout the experience, players are constantly tormented by the sinister entity known as Shadow, which directly shapes both the atmosphere and unfolding events.

The playtest grants access to the game’s main systems, including narrative progression, new gameplay mechanics, and a selection of fresh cards to experiment with. Among the highlights is the protagonist’s room and computer interface, a central hub where players can navigate chapters, choose clans, inspect unlocked cards, and uncover deeper layers of the game’s lore.

Another major feature is the meta progression system. After each run, players earn Inspiration Points, a resource used by the in game developer character to unlock new cards and expand strategic possibilities. The test version also introduces multiple clans, featuring the first clan planned for launch alongside a second faction with new buildings, troops, relics, and exclusive cards.

New spell cards available during the playtest include Scaphism, Cadew, which duplicates every field in a ritual, Incubation, focused on reducing mana costs when fields are destroyed, Sunny Side Up, capable of generating mana for exhausted cards, and Dreamfall, which transforms temporary pagans into permanent ones.

The new buildings further expand the game’s tactical depth. The Well absorbs every troop on the battlefield before attacking enemies in the same lane, Pain Altar fires two projectiles at the cost of reduced damage, while Mechrow Assembly summons a Mechcrow capable of dealing double damage when sacrificed. The playtest also adds roguelite systems, including relics and a dedicated relic shop room, increasing build variety and replayability.