In Nocthra, you play as a necromancer defending your graveyard. Raise fallen villagers into an army and survive waves in this dark strategy

The villagers have made a grave mistake by disturbing your slumber. Now, they are storming your resting place, but their intrusion is exactly what you need to build your forces. Nocthra drops you into the role of a necromancer, tasking you with turning the tide of this assault by transforming those who attack you into your own undead soldiers. It is a dark strategy experience that blends roguelike elements with a distinct retro aesthetic, challenging you to hold your ground against relentless waves of invaders.

Gameplay

The core loop revolves around preparation and resource management. Between waves, you gather mana and harvest the bodies of the fallen to raise new minions. You are responsible for deciding which units receive your limited resources, as your army's composition directly dictates your success in the next clash. You choose your starting roster and set their formation, but once the battle begins, your minions take over the fighting. Your job is to protect your vulnerable ranged units and strengthen your front line while exploiting the specific advantages your minions have over the incoming enemy types.

Tactical depth is found in how you empower your forces. You can equip minions with sigils that fundamentally change their stats, abilities, and even their appearance. The goal is to discover powerful combinations, such as teaching werewolves to hunt down wounded enemies and then boosting their damage against low-health targets. You must also consider how different attack types interact with unit natures, ensuring your army is balanced enough to cover individual weaknesses. By carefully selecting your upgrades and formations, you can build a force capable of withstanding increasingly difficult waves.

What stands out

Your journey is not static; it takes you from the graveyard to various other locations, each presenting unique battle conditions. You must choose your next battlefield carefully, as the environment itself can force you to adapt your strategy. For instance, fighting by a river introduces narrow passages that hinder melee combat, requiring you to rethink how you position your army to maintain an effective defense.

Who might enjoy it

If you enjoy strategy games that focus on army management and tactical preparation rather than twitch-reflex combat, this is one to watch. Players who appreciate the challenge of roguelike progression and enjoy experimenting with different unit combinations to overcome shifting battlefield conditions will find plenty to dig into here.

Unreleased: review and concurrent-player statistics are not applicable.