What is 九州仙侠录 - Chronicles Of Jiuzhou?
If you've got a deckbuilding itch and love Chinese mythology, you need to see Chronicles of Jiuzhou. It's a Xianxia-themed roguelike where you evolve from a basic student into a god-tier cultivator.
Gameplay
You're a cultivator trying to ascend, starting with basic internal arts and climbing a random nine-layer map. The core loop is a classic fight-and-draft cycle, but the hook is how you build your 'cultivation path.' You'll lean into five elements and specialized inner skills to create synergies that actually break the game. It doesn't hit the same mathematical insanity as Balatro, but you'll feel that same power creep as you push toward the final tribulation.
Run variety is solid because the map is randomized and your skill paths diverge, forcing you to try new builds every cycle. The meta-progression is where the fantasy really lands; you aren't just resetting, you're evolving your character over time. If you like the 'zero to god' feeling of Monster Train, you'll be right at home here.
At $6.99, it's a cheap entry point, but keep in mind it's Early Access. It's rough around the edges. You'll deal with clunky UI and localization issues that scream 'indie polish.' The devs are active—they even delayed launch to fix boss balance—but you'll still feel those bumps in the menus. It's not reinventing the genre like Inscryption, but it's a tight, thematic ride.
Key Features
- Five-element elemental archetypes
- Randomized nine-layer map
- Internal arts cultivation paths
- Character evolution meta-progression
Screenshots
Verdict
Grab this if you want a cheap, thematic power trip with great progression. If you can't stand unpolished UI or localization bugs, wait until it leaves Early Access.
View on Steam →* Price at time of publication (checked 13.07.2026). Prices may vary by region and are subject to change. This is an editorial review, not a commercial offer.