Ancient Chinese Roguelike Deck-Builder Coming 2026; Demo This Month

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Ancient Chinese Roguelike Deck-Builder Coming 2026; Demo This Month

Perth, Australia - September 4, 2025 | Perth-based Mystic Road has announced their upcoming roguelike deckbuilder Zodiac Mountain for PC (via Steam), with launch slated for 2026.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2996 ... _Mountain/

Zodiac Mountain is a roguelike deckbuilder following the journey of a Panda as they adventure to become a Chinese Zodiac. Utilise dual hands of Yin & Yang, encounter mythical characters, outskill your enemies, and climb Zodiac Mountain.

Embark on an adventure in the mystical landscapes of ancient China. Join a determined Panda on a journey to prove their worth to the revered Chinese Zodiacs in this roguelike deck-building game. Zodiac Mountain seamlessly blends strategic gameplay with captivating storytelling, inspired by rich Asian cultural narratives.



Players won't need to wait long to play Zodiac Mountain, with a Steam demo launching on September 29. Zodiac Mountain will also be participating in the October Steam Next Fest to build momentum before launch.

"As my first indie game, I wanted to draw from my Chinese roots." Shared lead developer Kevin Jiang. "I’ve always wondered how the Zodiacs were chosen — and growing up, people often asked me why the Panda wasn’t among them. That simple question became the spark for Zodiac Mountain. As a long-time fan of the roguelike deckbuilder genre, I wanted to bring something fresh by weaving in Chinese mythology and philosophy. The core mechanic draws from the concept of balance—players hold a ‘Yin’ hand and a ‘Yang’ hand, and moving cards between them changes their effects when played. We believe this system offers both flexibility and strategic depth, while also celebrating cultural stories and ideas that inspired it.”

Zodiac Mountain is launching on PC (via Steam) in 2026, with a demo launch slated for September 29. To keep up to date, be sure to follow Mystic Road on Instagram and TikTok, and chat with the developers by joining their Discord.

About Zodiac Mountain

Zodiac Mountain is a roguelike deckbuilder that has you embark on a fantastical adventure set in the mystical landscapes of Ancient China. Join a determined Panda on a journey to prove their worth to the revered Chinese Zodiacs.

Packed full of lore and folktales that date back millennia, Zodiac Mountain seamlessly blends strategic gameplay with captivating storytelling, inspired by rich Asian cultural narratives.

Master Yin & Yang

In order to prove themself, Panda practices the Dual Hands System, allowing them to utilise two card hands at once to create powerful synergies, unlocking a wide array of abilities and strategic decision-making. By mastering the art of managing Yin & Yang hands, Panda can combine cards to improve synergy, enhancing their abilities and strategic combat against diverse Chinese-themed enemies and mythical creatures.

Zodiac Mountain features strategic turn-based combat, allowing Panda to plan out their moves and balance offence and defence to defeat a variety of foes. By taking advantage of Zodiac Mountain’s Dynamic Turn Queue, Panda can plan out their moves in advance, outsmarting their enemies and growing stronger.

Explore an Evolving Mystical Ancient China

In Zodiac Mountain, you’ll get to explore rich tapestries of Ancient China. Enjoy stunning visuals inspired by traditional Chinese ink paintings and watercolor art.

The game is filled with intricately designed character depictions from Chinese mythology in procedurally generated mountains and ever-changing environments that provide unique playthroughs.

About Mystic Road

Mystic Road is an independent game studio based in Australia, creating thoughtful and visually distinctive games that blend strategy, storytelling, and cultural themes.

About The IndiEXP

The IndiEXP is a small marketing and PR agency based in Adelaide, Australia looking to market and promote hidden gems made by talented independent game developers.