Norwegian independent studio Filiokus has launched a second free Steam demo for Talystro, an arithmetic-inspired roguelite deckbuilder available on PC and Mac. Rather than encouraging players to stack synergies until damage numbers spiral past 9,999, Talystro turns traditional deckbuilding on its head with a strict exact-damage combat system.
Stepping into the claws of a nervous, battle-axe-wielding ‘Math Mouse’, players must defeat the evil Necrodicer’s army of corrupted numbers by rolling dice each turn and slotting them into unfinished calculations on their cards. Precision is paramount—dealing a single point of damage too high or too low won’t leave even a scratch.
The newly released demo (available on Steam from today) introduces a fresh act called The Haunted Crossing, which introduces previously unseen corrupted numbers and culminates in a showdown against the infamous 67 Dreadhorse boss. Alongside the new act, players can explore a revamped level progression system and compete on leaderboards via a newly added scoring system. Even in this demo slice, there is plenty of strategic room to experiment, featuring 52 cards, 19 artefacts, and 12 enchantments to build around, as well as unlockable permanent abilities that carry over between runs to alter your playstyle.
Bringing this arithmetic-themed world to life is Filiokus’s signature hand-drawn, retro-cartoon animation style. Since the game’s first demo, the studio has woven fresh detail and fluid animations into its visuals to ensure every corrupted number carries its own distinct personality, paired with evolving, atmospheric music and ear-wormy sound design.
“Math is strategic, creative and rewarding, and so is Talystro!” said Martin Lothe Sæterdal, CEO at Filiokus. “It combines logic, strategy, and arithmetics with monster hunting, battleaxes, and fireballs, what’s not to like? Number crunching has never been so literal or vicious!”
Talystro is scheduled for a full launch in early 2027, with a broader playtest planned for later this year. Players ready to put their mental maths to the test can head to Steam now to download the free demo and register for the upcoming playtest.
