Pepperbox Studios has launched its stylish new deckbuilding roguelike Dice of Kalma today on Steam, iOS, and Android—and it comes with striking retro graphics and audio that feels straight out of the golden era of pixel-heavy dungeon crawlers.
All of which works to create quite the spooky gaming atmosphere…
Descending into a retro underworld
Dice of Kalma blends modern roguelike design with a classic visual vibe, channelling chunky pixel art, limited palettes, and an atmosphere reminiscent of early-90s PC adventures, with a retro presentation that instantly sets the tone: mysterious, moody, and just unsettling enough to keep you rolling forward.
At its core, the game pits you against Kalma, the Finnish goddess of death, in a tense dice-driven duel for your soul. You’ll build decks from over 200 skulls, creating synergies that feel like a playful nod to old-school tabletop games—only with a supernatural twist.
Dice of Kalma: Balancing luck, strategy, and nostalgia
The gameplay sits at a clever intersection between luck and planning. Players decide when to roll, when to reroll, and when to commit their dice, all while Kalma escalates her challenge in true roguelike fashion.
The loop will feel instantly familiar to retro fans:
- simple inputs
- deep systems
- and that irresistible “just one more run” pull
It’s a modern design wrapped in a nostalgic shell, and it works surprisingly well.
Launching today on PC and mobile
Dice of Kalma is available now with a generous pricing model:
- Steam: $3.99 at launch (20% off the usual $4.99)
- Mobile: Free-to-try with one in-app purchase for the full game
With broad language support and tight mechanics, this should prove to be a nice pick-up-and-play roguelike, and the retro graphics add to the atmosphere.
A new launch trailer is live now, giving a closer look at the retro-styled Underworld, skull combinations, and dice-based duels.
Dice of Kalma is out now on Steam, Google Play, and the App Store.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
