Indie Spotlight | Steam Next Fest 2026
Three heroes. One shared deck. And a very different kind of party-based strategy. Northanda Chronicles, from Australian two-person studio Hyperfocus Interactive, brings the familiar Defender, Slayer and Support roles into a roguelike deckbuilder where every card choice affects the entire team.
Three roles, one deck
The Defender shields and redirects attacks, the Slayer specialises in damaging combinations, and the Support keeps the team functioning through resources, buffs and card manipulation. Each hero has a separate regenerating mana pool even though they draw from one evolving deck. The challenge is not simply assembling powerful cards, but ensuring the whole party can use them together.
A dungeon that asks you to choose
Runs feature choice-driven Encounter Cards, allowing players to weigh risks, rewards and the order in which to tackle challenges. Artifacts, Blessings and socketable Gems provide further build customisation, while role-paired summons add another layer of battlefield positioning.
Two brothers building a world
Hyperfocus Interactive is run by brothers Kim and Isaac Boulton. Their fantasy world of Northanda is threatened by the Void, with the heroes travelling beyond the Sanctuary of Lumina to confront corruption. The developers contacted Coloured Static Press and expressed interest in talking about the project. A separate interview would give us the opportunity to explore how the shared-deck concept developed.
Try the first act during Steam Next Fest
The studio’s 19 October 2026 announcement confirms that a free Steam Next Fest demo includes the full first act. Early Access is planned for Q1 2027, rather than the earlier 2026 date shown in older materials. Find Northanda Chronicles and its demo on Steam. The studio also provides a press kit and gameplay trailer.
Editorial disclosure: This is an independent discovery feature based on official materials and developer correspondence, not a hands-on review.
Explore more indie games in The Switchboard.