What is a monkey?
You've gotta check out a monkey, a weirdly low-key indie deckbuilder that turns the legend of Journey to the West into a fast-paced roguelike. It's purely about a monkey hitting things with cards in a punchy, 2D experience.
Gameplay
You're a monkey based on Journey to the West, carving through randomly generated paths and trying not to get wrecked by over 10 unique bosses. The moment-to-moment loop is fast. You'll grab cards and fight your way forward, but the real meat is in the archetypes. You can lean into a Burst build to just delete enemies, a Combo build if you want that puzzle-solving feel, or a Defense build to play it safe. With over 60 cards to choose from, the synergy between your deck and the 10+ artifacts is where the 'aha!' moments happen. It feels great when you find a relic that makes your Combo deck go infinite.
Don't expect a revolution here. If you've played Slay the Spire, you'll feel right at home because the structure is very derivative. It's not reinventing the wheel, but the theme gives it a flavor that keeps it from feeling like a total clone. However, it's a bit rough around the edges. The UI is basic and it lacks the deep meta-progression that keeps you hooked for hundreds of hours. It's more of a 'pick it up for a few weekends' experience than a forever game. At $1.99, it's a steal, but the lack of polish shows it's a small indie project.
Key Features
- Over 60 cards across 3 archetypes
- 10+ powerful artifacts
- Over 10 unique bosses
- Journey to the West theme
Screenshots
Verdict
Grab this if you want a short, punchy experience and like the theme. Skip it if you're looking for the next Balatro or need deep systems to stay interested. 7/10.
View on Steam →* Price at time of publication (checked 06.07.2026). Prices may vary by region and are subject to change. This is an editorial review, not a commercial offer.