Voice of Belldona: Voice of Belldona is a promising indie project that successfully blends tactical combat, creative deckbuilding, and engaging storytelling. While it still has room to grow, it already offers enough charm and depth to make it worth watching. – NikolaOtasevic
You know that feeling when you try a game and immediately realize it has a soul, even though it's not fully finished yet? That's exactly how I felt about Voice of Belldona.
Honestly, I was expecting another standard roguelike deckbuilder trying to follow in the footsteps of games like Slay the Spire. Instead, I found something far more interesting—a blend of dark sci-fantasy, anime-inspired visuals, tactical combat, and a story that's both serious and surprisingly heartwarming.
Story and Atmosphere of Voice of Belldona
Voice of Belldona takes place in a world on the brink of collapse. Humanity created a white-haired, godlike girl named Cheryl to help them win a devastating war, but there's one unexpected problem—she suffers from severe social anxiety.
Rather than saving the world in the way everyone expected, Cheryl reshapes it into something entirely new, filled with mythical creatures and strange wonders. You step into the role of her “voice” or one of her companions as she awakens from a long slumber.
The story unfolds through visual novel sequences, conversations, and events between runs. It's not simply about fighting enemies and collecting cards. The game takes time to build its characters and world, and the combination of anime charm and cosmic horror gives it a unique personality.
Gameplay – The Heart of the Experience
At its core, Voice of Belldona is a roguelite deckbuilder with turn-based combat where you build a battle formation, summon allies, and carefully manage positioning.
The playable characters, such as Griza Duelist and Rinsana, offer completely different playstyles. One rewards an aggressive approach, while the other focuses more on strategy, patience, and supporting the rest of the team.
The biggest strength of the game, however, lies in its deckbuilding and character builds. Each character has a large collection of unique cards, and during a run you'll recruit allies, collect buffs, and unlock powerful effects that can completely change your strategy.
One of my favorite moments came when I was convinced an entire run was lost. My deck wasn't working, and I had very few options left. Then, almost by accident, I created a combination of cards that completely turned the battle around. From that point on, I stopped thinking only about the strongest cards and started looking for creative synergies between characters and abilities. Those moments of discovery are easily one of Voice of Belldona's greatest strengths.
What I Enjoyed the Most
One of the biggest highlights for me is the two playable main characters currently available. They feel distinct enough that each run offers a fresh experience and encourages you to experiment with different strategies and playstyles rather than sticking to a single approach.
The visual style is another major strength. The blend of anime aesthetics and dark sci-fi fantasy creates a memorable atmosphere and gives the game its own identity. Some players might even call parts of the character design a bit fan service, but it fits the overall art direction surprisingly well and never feels out of place.
Combat offers more tactical depth than I expected. Positioning, risk management, and carefully planning your turns often matter more than simply playing your strongest cards. I also enjoyed Cheryl and the supporting cast, whose interactions add personality to the world and provide a welcome break between battles. Random events and branching choices help ensure that no two runs feel exactly the same.
What I Didn't Like
Of course, the Early Access status is still noticeable, which is perfectly understandable at this stage of development.
There are a few bugs and balance issues, something other players have pointed out as well. The amount of content currently available isn't huge, and after ten to twenty runs I started to notice some repetition. Certain mechanics could also use better explanations, especially for players unfamiliar with this particular mix of deckbuilding and tactical combat. The current Early Access price of around €8–12 might feel a little steep for the amount of content on offer, although future updates could easily make it feel like a worthwhile investment.
Is Voice of Belldona Worth Playing?
I think the most important thing is to approach Voice of Belldona with the right expectations. This isn't a finished game yet, and there's clearly room for more content, balance improvements, and quality-of-life updates. However, what's already here shows that StoryCrop has built a very strong foundation. Even in its current Early Access state, the game offers enough content and charm to keep players engaged, and fans of anime-inspired games can jump in without hesitation. If you enjoy titles like Slay the Spire and Darkest Dungeon but want something with a stronger anime influence and an engaging story, Voice of Belldona is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
I'm genuinely excited to see what the developers add over the coming months. Voice of Belldona hasn't reached its full potential yet, but it already has enough heart, style, and clever ideas to keep me coming back after every major update. If you're looking for something a little different in the roguelite deckbuilder genre, this is absolutely a game that deserves a spot on your wishlist.
Game Information
Developer: StoryCrop
Publisher: StoryCrop
Genre: Roguelite Deckbuilder / Tactical RPG
Platforms: PC (Steam)
Status: Early Access
Full Release: Planned for a future update, with additional content being developed throughout the Early Access period.
