Turn-based roguelike Toads of the Bayou blends TRPG and deckbuilder gameplay in a charming pixel art horror fantasy package.

Strange things are afoot in the swamps of Louisiana. When the evil toad Baron Samedi curses the bayou, the other toads must unite to thwart his sinister plans that endanger their home. La Grange and Fireshine Games’ Toads of the Bayou challenges players to take their toads into turn-based tactical combat against Samedi’s forces.

My first impression of the game’s screenshots was that it would be similar to Final Fantasy Tactics, but with toads. I quickly discovered I was mistaken. Toads of the Bayou offers a unique take on the tactical role-playing game (TRPG) genre, blending grid-based combat with deck-building and roguelike mechanics. You control a single toad on the battlefield and draw cards from a deck that you use to take actions by spending ability points (AP).

The cards you draw during each turn often require you to adjust your strategies on the fly, especially if you’re trying to achieve secondary objectives, such as protecting objects or other toads from enemies. I quickly realized that paying attention to these objectives is crucial, as failing to meet them adds cards to your deck that will debuff you when drawn and cannot be used.

The game makes it easy to understand what enemies will do on their next turn, giving you a helpful advantage during battles. This feature not only makes combat a little less challenging but also softens the impact of permadeath in the game. Additionally, knowing what the enemies will do opens up exciting strategies, like using special abilities to push them into the path of their comrade’s attacks.

Between levels, you can purchase new cards, items, and traps, and you will receive permanent upgrades between runs. While you can also hire supporters, it's important to note that they only provide buffs from off the field of battle and can’t be controlled as allies.

Three different toad characters are playable, each one becoming available after you finish a run with the previous one. Having multiple characters to choose from makes the game much more exciting and varied.I loved the characters! My favorites are the dapper Leader, who wears a stylish red coat and carries a pipe, a sharp cutlass, and a gun, and the Sister, who is a toad nun packing a shotgun. Each toad comes with special abilities that can help you in different ways. For example, the Leader can set up weak barriers that can slow down enemies and protect important spots. It's crucial to use these abilities wisely to stay alive.

The game’s beautiful pixel art immediately won me over with its charm. Everything in the spooky bayou is rich in color and detail. The distinctively designed characters, NPCs, and enemies ooze personality and feature lively animations. If the art continued to be this good, I could play a dozen more games set in this world. However, I did sometimes find it challenging to spot the targets of optional goals on the map; ammo or wood you’re supposed to protect blends in, and I wouldn’t spot it until an enemy targeted it. Perhaps using bright outlines to highlight these objects would have helped in these instances.

The game’s UI is pretty, but its illustrated design isn’t as striking as the pixel art graphics. Still, it was easy to understand, though not fully accessible using a controller due to some bugs and oversights. I had to switch to mouse controls to enjoy the game—not ideal. Still, I enjoyed the game enough to let that slide. If you intend to play on Steam Deck as I did, just know that you may need to customize the controller profile to have things work smoothly.

Toads of the Bayou is an exciting roguelike TRPG that combines strategy and adventure. If you enjoy games like Final Fantasy Tactics, Into the Breach, or Slay the Spire, then you’ll love this one. I hope the developers consider adding new content or making a sequel because I’d love to continue the adventure of battling undead creatures alongside the toads!

Toads of the Bayou is available now for PC on Steam.

Overall Score: 8/10

Played on: Steam Deck