Imaginytes Early Access: A LEGO-Inspired Twist on Roguelite Deckbuilding

On July 17, 2025, Imaginytes arrives on Steam Early Access, promising a fresh spin on the crowded roguelite deckbuilder genre. Developed solo by former LEGO designer Rasmus Lindholm under the Egome Games banner, this passion project aims to break the mold of recycled card-game mechanics by weaving in evolving creature companions and classic tower-defense strategy—all set in surreal, procedurally generated dream worlds.

What Is Imaginytes?

At its core, Imaginytes is a fusion of branching card-based runs and tower-defense tactics. Each run sees players defending a vulnerable “Dream Core” from waves of nightmarish foes. As you progress, your deck evolves: spells, towers, and abilities can be swapped, upgraded, or combined to suit your preferred playstyle. Meanwhile, your creature companions—creatures born from the dreamscape—level up and mutate, gaining new powers that force you to adapt on the fly.

Key Features

• Dynamic Deckbuilding: Tailor your deck each run by selecting from a rotating pool of spells, towers, and special abilities.
• Evolving Creatures: Watch your dream-born allies grow stronger, unlocking new skills and even changing form based on your in-run choices.
• Tower Defense Integration: Strategically place defenses around the Dream Core to stem incoming nightmares.
• Procedural Dream Worlds: Every session introduces fresh layouts, hazards, and enemy types, preventing stale strategies.
• Community-Driven Updates: Early Access feedback will shape balance tweaks, new content, and potential feature expansions.

Early Access Details

• Release Date: July 17, 2025
• Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
• Estimated Requirements: Approximately 8GB RAM, a mid-tier GPU, and 10GB of storage
• Demo: A free demo is available now on Steam
• Beta Progress: Beta participants from July 16 may carry over their progress, though details remain unconfirmed.

Why It Matters

In an era where post-Slay the Spire deckbuilders often feel interchangeable, Imaginytes stakes its claim with a playful, LEGO-inspired approach to system design. Lindholm’s background shines through in the modularity: cards, creatures, and defenses slot together in surprising combinations. The evolving creature mechanic in particular stands out—each mutation offers distinct tactical choices, injecting genuine mid-run decisions instead of predictable power curves.

Meanwhile, the procedural dream realms aim to dodge the trap of repetitive maps. By introducing new hazards and enemy archetypes each run, Imaginytes keeps you on your toes. And with community feedback baked into Early Access development, players have real sway in shaping the game’s balance and content roadmap.

Risks and Rewards

Combining roguelite deckbuilding with tower defense is ambitious. On one hand, the layered mechanics can lead to rich, memorable runs where every play feels meaningful. On the other, complexity risks overwhelming new players or spawning balance headaches. If the menu of options grows too dense, runs could bog down rather than flow dynamically.

The ultimate test will be Lindholm’s responsiveness to player feedback. Early Access communities can make or break an indie title—if updates arrive promptly and address core concerns, Imaginytes could build lasting momentum. If not, it risks fading into the sea of under-polished roguelites.

TL;DR

Imaginytes melds deckbuilding, evolving creature companions, and tower-defense strategy in a community-driven Early Access release. With Rasmus Lindholm’s LEGO-style design sensibilities at work, this could be the next “one more run” obsession—provided that post-launch balance and content support live up to promise.