
Kaamos: Puzzle Roguelike
Developer Pepperbox Studios
Kaamos is a bite-sized turn-based puzzle roguelike where battles are fought by matching tiles on a grid with looping rows and columns. Build your character and deck of tiles by looting equipment from your foes. Traverse a dark medieval world where the Sun went down and never rose again. From the Steam store page
92 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Sep 26, 2026 · last updated Oct 7, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
59 positive · 14 negative
95% range 70–88%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 59 | 14 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
19 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
What people are saying
A unique puzzle roguelike praised for depth but criticized for repetition.
Many players found Kaamos surprisingly deep and addictive, with clever tile-matching mechanics and a fitting atmosphere. Some praised its short runs and unique gameplay loop. [1][3][8][15]
However, several players found the game too slow-paced and repetitive, with limited content and little variety after the first few hours. Critics noted that defensive stats can drag out battles and that the game lacks depth. [10][31][33][34]
Summary drafted by an AI model from the 36 reactions it cites ([n] links open each post), then checked by code: every paragraph cites real posts and every quote is verbatim. Written Oct 7, 2026. Method
Reactions
60 of 92 · most liked firstI had high hopes for this game since I've been looking for a Match-3 mixed with tactical RPG. But there are a lot of problems I have with this game. I found the game to be bare, with only 5 characters and 3 short areas, each having the same exact boss per checkpoint. Next, the combat mechanics basically boil down to 2 styles: single-attack and multi-attack playstyle. There is a significant upside to the multi-attack playstyle. You always attack first, so the optimal strategy is to pump as…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've completed this game. I have seen everything it contains. I saw everything this game contained by hour 5, maybe 7. From there, it was mindless grinding for completion because i'm dumb. I did not enjoy this game past hour 5. This game does not have much content, none of the items do anything interesting. All of the items change the number of tiles in your deck, weapons might change the number of attacks you can make. I kept playing this game looking for the sauce, there is a lot of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kaamos: Puzzle Roguelike completely surprised me. At first glance, it looks simple, but once you dive in, you realize how much depth there is under the surface. Every run feels unique, and the puzzle mechanics are super clever — it's like a mix between chess tactics and dungeon crawling. The art style is minimalistic but really atmospheric, and the soundtrack is surprisingly good at keeping you focused without being distracting. There's a great balance between planning your moves and adapting…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Here's how we made the combat system in our game Kaamos. Wishlist now on Steam! #indiedev #gamedev
unlabelledView post →One Year of Darkness | Kaamos: Puzzle Roguelike Exactly one year ago we released our first game: Kaamos: Puzzle Roguelike with @join_indie_io. What a journey it has been and we can't wait to see what future holds! ✨ Thank you 🤍 Pepperbox Studios #gamedev #indiegame youtu.be/EEyDBYeOhPQ?...
unlabelledView post →Roguelikes are not exactly my cup of tea, I like some of them but I feel like a lot of them get pretty boring quickly and are kinda similar. But with this at first I was a bit lost and I just aimlessly matched the tiles and died a few times pretty early but then I realized what I was supposed to do I actually really enjoyed my time. I like the graphics too, I have really sensitive eyes so overly bright games with everything happening at once really hurts sometimes. One thing I would like is to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Last week we attended our first IGDA gathering as a team to show Kaamos in the demo corner. It was awesome to meet some new faces and get feedback for the game. Stay tuned, we have some great stuff coming in 2025! #indiegame #gamedev #indiedev
unlabelledView post →We are live! #SteamNextFest is happening right now. If you're a fan of #pixelart #roguelike, check out our game Kaamos store.steampowered.com/app/3317660/... #indiegame #indiedev
unlabelledView post →The public demo of Kaamos is now available to download on Steam! We are super hyped about getting the demo of our game to your hands, please tell us what you think about it! Join us on Discord for feedback, link in bio. #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
unlabelledView post →Played demo version on Steam Deck on a flight. Great time waster +1!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I also live in an area where I don't see the sun much because of winter and working inside. The premise of this game reminds me of a greek/roman epic, with a nordic tone. I really enjoyed my first playthrough. Combines roguelike with "match 3+" puzzles, with some RPG elements. Stylistically is very old-school, which works wonderfully with this game. However, I beat it on my first try, so the game may be need to be more difficult, or I got very lucky.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kaamos has a release date! Releasing on April 28th, check our new trailer and wishlist the game on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3317660/... #roguelike #indiegame #pixelart #8bit #indiedev
unlabelledView post →TL; DR tile-matching roguelike set in the apocalypse, runs are short enough that losing progress is annoying rather than frustrating, and since it is paired with fun mechanics it makes for a fun game. Note do not play this with a mouse that cannot right-click and hold properly or you will feel some frustration. Story & Presentation In Kaamos the sun ceased to rise, the world was thrown into darkness and her people descended into madness. You have kept your faculties in check, whether…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wanted to like this game, I really did. But as it currently sits, it feels unrewarding and bland. You can get stuck in long drawn out battles if you build defensive, so just go full damage. The game has very little variance, the bosses are always the same, most fights are always the same, even the gear is almost always the same. The art style and music are good, but otherwise I cant recommend it. I've played better games on itch.io recently for free, so its a hard sell for $10.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Interesting premise and play at first. But, the game turns out to become extremely slow paced because of the existence of multiple defensive stats you have to break through to actually do damage. Defense, Armor and Dodge. I have more interesting games to play.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The TL;DR version: If this looks like your thing, you will enjoy it. It has a simple set of mechanics and only really one system, everything is on display, and you can run the numbers on paper they're that simple. the long version: It doesn't outstay its welcome. It does not distract you with flashy tricks or multipliers, nor huge combo chains, nor splashy effects you hope to pick up and carry your run with. The numbers are not huge. The grid is only 5x5. You only slide one row or column on…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Featuring pixelated visuals reminiscent of the Atari era, sliding tile combat, and brutally punishing difficulty, Kaamos’ greatest strength lies in its simplicity. Return light to a bleak, darkened world in our @kaamosgame.bsky.social review. www.qualbert.com/reviews/kaam... #Indiegame #IndieDev
unlabelledView post →Wonderful game, good price, and really cool devs. Must play if you like these kind of games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A bit to slow and repetetive for me.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The match-three gameplay shown in the gameplay pictures is basically the entire game and unfortunately this feels pretty tedious when you get past the first chapter as every enemy has multiple ways to rack up their defence. The only real decision outside of combat is deciding whether to switch or keep your current equipment. The main decision is which weapon you pick. I just find myself always deciding between a heavy one-strike weapon with shield or a multi-strike weapon. Any opponent with…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →@v2fi.bsky.social just published an article (in Finnish) about two new Finnish indie games: My game Phobos Down and Kaamos (@kaamosgame.bsky.social): www.v2.fi/artikkelit/p... #indiegames #suomipelit
unlabelledView post →And the last game for this week's showcase: store.steampowered.com/app/3317660/... by @kaamosgame.bsky.social Witness how much can be accomplished with simple visuals and mechanics in Kaamos! Equip your knight for a fight and face a variety of foes. We heard the end boss is pretty tough 😉
unlabelledView post →I tried so hard to enjoy this but I hated this game. Limited agency, no way to improve your guy between runs, limited gear options (all of which are underwhelming or just bad), heavily RNG based (at its core), steep difficulty curve after the 1st boss which severely limits the already near-zero amount of viable strategies. Some of these reviews are saying they beat his game on the first run and I have no idea how. Frustratingly difficult and tedious.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Been enjoying Kaamos and wondered what felt a bit familiar.. Aha! It's been a long time since I last played a Puzzle Battle Game! I might want to look more into this genre.
unlabelledView post →I won on my first run, then tried the duelist and it just immediately felt like the best strategy would be to discard all the duelist trappings and switch to doing the same as on the warrior run because dodging sucks (it can't ever block second attacks). The warrior's special power was borderline useless anyway since attacks were nearly always at max damage. Without the ability to see what the other characters are like I'm going to guess also more of the same, which leads to no interest in…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kaamos, developed by Pepperbox Studios and published by indie.io, is a distinctive indie roguelike that skillfully combines turn-based strategy with innovative tile-matching mechanics. Set in a bleak medieval world engulfed in eternal darkness, the game offers a unique blend of tactical combat and puzzle-solving that challenges players to think carefully about every move. From the moment you step into this shadowy realm, Kaamos immerses you in an atmosphere thick with tension and mystery, where…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Lovely little game for puzzle enjoyers. Pixel art is nice to look at and the music is banging. For gameplay, the idea is simple, but it's strangely addictive to minmax your deck and find huge combos in battles. I was pleasantly surprised how well different builds can work. Each character guides your deck to a certain direction and so far I've found success with each one of them. One downside worth mentioning would be a lack of variety between the runs. For me, just hearing the music pick…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love the style, the game looks and sounds great, and it’s all really fitting to the theme. The gameplay is pretty fun, and it’s quite a unique concept for a rogue like. The unique abilities of each character you can play as do genuinely make each of them an interesting experience to play, with different strategies working for each. However, the game lacks overall depth, and is way too easy right now. I’ve played 4 games so far, the first I made it to the final boss and lost, and the other 3…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's going to be a cautious recommendation on my side, and while I don't feel like finishing it, the time spent on the game was enjoyable. It's just that it's too minimalistic on pretty much every front for my liking.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Perhaps I needed to grow up having played something like this before but its just too slow paced for me to enjoy. I wanted to support the game since it had good pixel art and the devs were Finnish but it doesn't really provide the gameplay loop they promised of being easy to pick up and play at a given time. Since its so slow paced you're not likely to start a new run that soon. But just because it isn't for me doesn't make it a game I would give a thumbs down.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What's everyone playing this weekend? 🎮 We're checking out a brilliant minimalist indie game, @kaamosgame.bsky.social, which draws upon Finnish culture through its bleak fantasy world shrouded in eternal darkness. Kaamos is out now on Steam - link in comments! www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7qp...
unlabelledView post →Gets repetitive fast and it's just not... that interesting.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A pretty unique roguelike that is worth a shot for the unique gameplay alone
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A fun & unique Puzzle Roguelike, with similar vibes to Witching Stone where it's not a deck builder but more of a "engine builder" (albeit not as complex as witching stone), where you try to pick out from what game throws at you and make use out of it. Picking out equipment decides the "faces" on the board, and then you need to match them by sliding one of the rows or collumns. You can see the intent (and gimmicks, if enemy has any) of your opponent clearly, and the "preview" of the results…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Slay the Spire -esque overall playstyle with fun tile slider based "deck", throwing some curveballs to the mix at times. The combined gearing & deckbuilding aspect of items bring nice breadth to the progression as the they don't just give stats and abilities but also affect the tiles you have available to play. I really like the writing style of the text tidbits and inserts before and after the maps.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"While I enjoy the occasional puzzle game, it’s been a while since one truly hooked me. That might soon change, however, thanks to a game published by @join-indie-io.bsky.social called Kaamos" www.heypoorplayer.com/2025/02/26/1... #SteamNextFest #gaming #games #steam #pixelart
unlabelledView post →Next Fest & Publisher announcement! We’re super excited to announce that we’ve joined forces with @join-indie-io.bsky.social to publish Kaamos! Together we will take over Steam Next Fest on Feb 24th at 10 AM PT until Mar 3rd at 10 AM PT. store.steampowered.com/news/app/331... #SteamNextFest
unlabelledView post →It's basically 10000000 (or whatever the number of zeroes there is), but with minimalist mechanics and an eschatological theme; which is fitting as a modern upgrade to the formula since the world economy and social contracts have nigh defaulted (profit-driven financial institutions, delusional managerial elites, and sociopatic tescrealites grinded hard to achieve this with a click of a pomodoro timer) and the human society ends any moment now as well. It's a good 1-to-2 YT video essays…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kaamos – Puzzle Roguelike Review Kaamos is one of those rare indie games that quietly hooks you and doesn’t let go. At first sight, it looks like a simple tile-matching game, but it quickly reveals a surprisingly deep system. Every move matters. Instead of just matching tiles, you’re constantly thinking about positioning, future turns, and how your current build affects the board. The ability to rotate rows and columns adds a unique layer of strategy that keeps each run fresh and engaging.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The night is never-ending and full of danger. What the night doesn't know is, I have a huge ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ axe. Perfect brain-scratcher that you can play for 15 mins at a time or 2 hours at a time and leaves you wanting more. Combat feels punishing but fair, so you're encouraged to explore your options on each set of tiles. The system itself is very satisfying (especially when you get a crazy multi attack & defence combo at just the clutch moment) and the sound design helps massively. There's nothing…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cool and rather addictive little brain puzzle game! Definately worth the money considering the many hours of play time you can spend on it (ofc if you enjoy indie games like this). Best regards from the Finnish mate who met one of the devs at Dan Murphy's haha!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Time and time again I find myself re-writing my reviews due to me willing to give games a second chance. I had always been told to at least give something a fair try before outright saying it's bad. While I do admit this game is challenging, and it sucks having to start over and over again, this game does have an interesting twist to it. It's not a souls-like, it's a puzzle game. I feel this as a result will turn a lot of people off, but if you do like a good puzzler then this might actually…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's great to go to a minimal game, but not to less than that like this one. Sadly, anything making the Match 3 mechanic strategic was stripped away: No fall combos, no setting up the next turn, just find the best current best configuration and decide defense or attack. And while the visual style is great, the interface is unnecessarily squeezed into a tired of the top bar.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Bleak and simplistic, yet brilliant. Combining elements of match-3 puzzle games with punishing roguelike replayability, Kaamos is a unique twist on familiar gameplay. If you've ever enjoyed playing Puzzle Quest, this indie gem will almost certainly be to your taste. Featuring minimalist retro-inspired visuals and drawing upon themes of Finnish culture, there's a surprising amount of depth to this deceptively simple game. The writing is especially impressive, with descriptive passages to draw…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A cool roguelike where battles are presented as match-3 puzzles. It is definitely worth purchasing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm writing this after just beating the game and all its bosses first try on my third run. I wont bore you with my long rundown you can see it in the official discord if you want, heres my summary. Kaamos is a great roguelike with runs around an hour in length with a surprisingly deep yet simple puzzle based combat system. Weapons, rings, gloves, armour amulets and the like offer a wide range of play styles that require you to balance stats in a way that's unique. You cant just go full damage…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The ga,e is very very good, it can get really difficult if you dont make the right decisions about your build The trailer paints the game to be almost too simple and uncreative, but there are many build options that surprised me, and your character changes depending on what you wear. if you like puzzle games with a touch of strategy and luck, give it a try!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finnish games never fail to be creative. As an avid player of Noita and Zeroranger, I'm used to the craziness that is Finnish pixel gaming. This is the perfect game to chill out on the Steam Deck to, as I will be this summer between taking my Sauna, eating makkara and enjoying my Mokki. Kiitos!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played the demo a few months ago, and I have been waiting for this release with bated breath. Beautiful aesthetics and simple gameplay hide a haunting world with a rich, yet vague prose that drives home the desperation of a world without a Sun. The actual battle mechanics are brilliant too, and its the closest I have ever felt to a real sword fight in a video game context. Every round you have to weigh up defending yourself, attacking the enemy, or preparing to dodge. I love this game, even…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really like the theme and atmosphere of the game. Music is relaxing and the game mechanic is really unique that I havent seen before. It is simple but still there is great strategy options at the same time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kaamos is a cool idea with poor implementation. Fights are long and tedious, gameplay is almost identical between runs, and it never innovates upon the base gameplay loop it built. Beating one run took me 2.5 hours, but for the life of me I cannot tell you one interesting moment from any of those just over two hours, because there were none. I wish I could say more about it, but I don't think it even has enough substance for to criticize it further. If I hadn't gotten this in a bundle, I'd feel…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I truly believe that Kaamos is worth the money. For $10 I definitely got my moneys worth, and didn't expect a game that I would play for years. If you enjoy simple puzzle games and want to scratch that itch for a bit this is the perfect game. BUT as it stands I do have a few issues with it. For one when you beat the game with a certain class, at least for me, there was 0 desire to go back and try again. Perhaps due to the limited playstyles. And the defensive playstyle classes are brutally…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played Kaamos for couple hours. Great fun and very easy to get into, with a side of that trademark finnish indie game weirdness It could also wrok really well as a mobile game
unlabelledView post →I could go either way on this one. Overall I think the game is great, the issue is that I also think it is quite overpriced. The core gameplay while good, is pretty repetitive and lacks much depth. Again, I enjoy the game and think there is a lot to like here, I just also have to mention those grievances. The combat is unlike anything I've played before. It's a sort of back and forth, often very drawn out, battle between you and your opponent, where your turn is determined by a match three…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't have a lot of playtime in the game so I don't think i can give that in depth of a review, but from what I've played I can say that this is what I've been looking for ever since I completed 10000000 and You Must Build A Boat a few times. If you liked those experienced just know that this game is definitely for you but it has so much more going for it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Probably the best roguelike puzzle game ever made.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun game and perfect on the Steam Deck. Shout out to whoever implemented the clicking tiles sound at the start and end of every battle. Extremely satisfying.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Decent game, but after one complete run you've basically seen everything
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →is good, should try
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not very good. Don't get.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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