Vivid World launches on Steam — gem-powered roguelike auto-battler adds online co-op and deeper

Why This Launch Caught My Eye

Vivid Knight was one of those 2021 Steam sleepers that quietly hooked a niche: cute-as-heck art layered over a legitimately crunchy party-builder where synergies mattered more than APM. So when Asobism says Vivid World is a bigger, smarter sequel with online co-op and new build layers, I pay attention. The pitch is familiar-roguelike runs, auto-battles, and a gem economy-but the additions (orbs, symbol upgrades, union skills, and co-op) suggest a studio doubling down on depth rather than chasing surface-level novelty.

Key Takeaways

• Online co-op is the headline: party-building gets more interesting (and chaotic) with another brain in the mix.
• New systems-orb equipment, stickers, perfumes, and symbol activations—aim to deepen builds without overwhelming.
• $19.99 with a 10% launch discount feels fair if the run variety and difficulty scaling hold up.
• Asobism’s track record (Vivid Knight, ShapeHero Factory) leans quirky mechanics with real design chops, not live-service fluff.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Vivid World is a party-building roguelike auto-battler on PC via Steam. You collect “gem-ified” heroes, buy and sell them at a jewelry shop, and stitch together synergies through symbols (think team traits) and union skills (bond-based power spikes). Dungeons are procedurally generated, and battles run automatically once you’ve made your strategic picks. The twist this time is gear-like orbs—loadouts that layer tactical choices on top of team comp. The press notes also call out “stickers” and “perfumes,” which sound like run modifiers or item augments that can nudge a build into new territory.

There’s online co-op, which is basically the roguelike flavor of 2025. Done right, co-op in this genre can be magic: two players splitting roles (economy vs. combat focus), tag-teaming shop decisions, or coordinating symbol thresholds to unlock team-wide buffs. Done poorly, it becomes a latency-laced tug-of-war over rerolls. Asobism says “strategize together” and “improved battle system,” which is promising—but I want to know how enemy scaling works, how loot splits, and whether you can drop in mid-run.

What’s Actually New vs. Vivid Knight

Vivid Knight already had the core: buy units-as-gems, combine duplicates to upgrade, chase trait thresholds, and ride the synergy high. Vivid World seems to add three meaningful layers:

• Orb equipment: build-defining items that can shift a unit’s role (turning a soft support into a burst carry or a frontline into a taunt-bot).
• Expanded symbols and union skills: more ways to spike power when you hit certain team compositions or relationship milestones.
• Co-op structure: transforming a solo puzzle into a co-authored draft where coordination is part of the skill ceiling.

If Asobism nails orb design, Vivid World could avoid the “solve it once” problem that sometimes crept into late Vivid Knight. Items that enable off-meta synergies are the difference between a roguelike you dabble in and one you theorycraft at 2 a.m.

The Gamer’s Perspective: Depth vs. RNG

Auto-battlers live or die on the push-pull between planning and chaos. Teamfight Tactics leans heavy into economy manipulation; Dicey Dungeons makes luck the puzzle. Vivid World sits somewhere in the middle: you’re drafting heroes, combining gems for upgrades, and using items to massage odds. The risk, as always, is RNG spiking your run because a core gem never shows or a symbol breakpoint whiffs. The antidote is generous pivot paths—sticker/perfume modifiers that save “dead” shops, or orbs that let you reassign roles mid-run without bricking a build. If those tools are plentiful, failures feel like lessons instead of coin-flips.

Co-op tilts this tension in a good way. Two brains can sniff out alternative lines, and even basic coordination (you chase “Symbol A,” I chase “Symbol B”) can smooth randomness. The question is UX: can both players browse shops simultaneously? Is there a shared wallet? Does the game telegraph symbol thresholds clearly so you’re not alt-tabbing to a wiki while your friend spams reroll?

Price, Bundles, and the Value Question

At $19.99 with a 10% launch discount, Vivid World is priced like a confident indie with replayability. No microtransaction noise here—just an optional $6.99 soundtrack and two discounted bundles (pairing with either Vivid Knight or ShapeHero Factory). If you missed Vivid Knight, the bundle route makes sense; that first game still holds up as a compact masterclass in synergy-driven design.

The value hinge will be run variety and progression. If Asobism avoids overlong meta unlock grinds (a trend I’m frankly tired of), $20 is a slam dunk for fans of buildcraft. If key systems hide behind hours of repetition, the shine fades fast—gem jokes entirely intended.

Looking Ahead

Asobism has a reputation for playful systems that escalate in surprising ways—see the wonderfully odd ShapeHero Factory. For Vivid World, post-launch support will matter: balance passes so one symbol doesn’t dominate, co-op stability, and QoL like quick comparisons for orbs and clear symbol UI. If those ducks line up, this could be the auto-battler roguelike that earns a spot next to your evergreen “one more run” titles.

TL;DR

Vivid World takes Vivid Knight’s brainy gem-combo formula and layers in orbs, expanded synergies, and online co-op. It looks like real depth at a fair price—now it’s on Asobism to deliver balance, co-op polish, and enough pivot tools to keep RNG from feeling like the final boss.