Konami has announced its dark fantasy roguelike deck-building card game PROJECT ZIRCON for PC via Steam.
Players control a nation’s ruler and build a deck around characters and facilities while preparing for the return of the Calamity Dragon of the Abyss.
Each run spans five in-game years, and players must meet a specific target each year to keep their nation alive. The fifth year of the Normal Route culminates in a confrontation with the Calamity Dragon of the Abyss.
Each year is divided between Strategy and Admin phases. During the Strategy Phase, players expand their territory and acquire Character Cards and Facilities. Commerce, Industry, and Culture Points act as separate resources for developing the nation, requiring players to decide where to direct their available points.
The Admin Phase focuses on deploying the Character Cards collected during preparation. Cards have individual ranks and types, while their interactions with constructed Facilities can increase the resources and other benefits they generate. Decks can also equip up to three Zirpowers for additional effects.
PROJECT ZIRCON is structured around runs lasting roughly one hour and features multiple endings. Events and player decisions can send a run down different story routes, some of which introduce victory conditions beyond accumulating Military Points and defeating the Calamity Dragon.
Progress also carries across attempts through a Player Level system. Raising this level makes additional Facilities and starting decks available for subsequent runs.
