Burn With Me, a narrative-driven deckbuilding game developed by Nozomu Games and published by Inner Pocket, is now available for PC through Steam. Released on October 12, 2026, the game introduces an unusual card-based combat system in which players must permanently sacrifice cards while exploring themes of obsession, personal desire, and supernatural rituals.
Set inside the mysterious Arcane University, the game combines strategic decision-making with psychological horror, hand-drawn artwork, and a story centered on the consequences of forbidden magic.
Burn With Me Introduces a Unique Deck-Burning Mechanic
Unlike traditional deckbuilding games, where players typically collect cards to strengthen their strategies, Burn With Me introduces a system that requires players to permanently destroy cards throughout their journey.
The developers describe the experience as a “deck-burner,” emphasizing the importance of sacrifice in both gameplay and storytelling.
Players must carefully manage their available cards while navigating increasingly difficult encounters. Every decision carries potential consequences, as valuable cards can disappear permanently.
Permanent Card Destruction Changes Combat Strategy
The game’s central mechanic involves burning cards to activate powerful abilities and overcome challenges.
As players progress through the story, they gain access to additional cards, combinations, and gameplay mechanics.
However, drawing cards also introduces significant risk. Each draw permanently burns a random card from the player’s hand, potentially eliminating an important component of their strategy.
Completing rituals rewards players with new cards, but those additions are not guaranteed to remain available.
This system creates a continuous balance between short-term advantages and long-term deck management, encouraging players to reconsider familiar strategies throughout the campaign.
Explore Six Dark Rituals at Arcane University
The story takes place at Arcane University, where a group of students participates in six increasingly disturbing supernatural rituals under the guidance of a highly passionate professor.
Each student faces personal fears, emotional struggles, and unresolved desires as the rituals unfold.
The ceremonies culminate in the summoning of a Personal Demon, forcing participants to confront darker aspects of their personalities.
The narrative examines how ambition, obsession, and personal weaknesses can influence decisions when individuals encounter supernatural forces.
Six Chapters Feature Different Challenges and Bosses
Burn With Me features six handcrafted chapters, each introducing distinct gameplay mechanics, cards, enemies, and narrative developments.
The chapters gradually expand the game’s strategic possibilities while presenting new challenges that test players’ ability to adapt.
Boss encounters and changing card combinations require players to develop different approaches rather than relying on a single strategy throughout the experience.
The game’s folklore-inspired storytelling structure connects each ritual to the larger mystery surrounding Arcane University.
Psychological Horror Meets Hand-Drawn Art and Jazz Music
The game’s presentation combines supernatural imagery with an atmosphere the developers describe as “cozy dread.”
Rather than relying exclusively on conventional horror elements, Burn With Me uses unsettling character interactions, occult symbolism, and gradual narrative tension.
Hand-drawn illustrations establish the game’s visual identity, while jazz-inspired music contributes to its unusual atmosphere.
One distinctive visual feature is a surreal hand that gestures during rituals. According to the developers, these animations were created using recordings of their own hands as references.
Cursed Bestiary Includes 90 Creatures and Unlockable Artwork
Beyond the main story, Burn With Me includes a cursed bestiary featuring 90 creatures.
The game also offers 90 secret unlockable illustrations created by 44 invited artists.
These collectibles provide additional content for players interested in exploring the game’s supernatural world and artistic design.
The inclusion of artwork from multiple contributors adds visual variety to the game’s occult themes.
Professional Voice Cast Brings Arcane University to Life
The narrative features performances from professional voice actors with experience across video games and interactive entertainment.
The announced cast includes:
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Alec Shea, known for Enderal: The Shards of Order.
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Sarah Nightingale, whose credits include Dead by Daylight.
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Diana Garnet, known for OPUS: Prism Peak.
Their performances support the game’s character-driven storytelling, particularly the personal conflicts and psychological struggles experienced by students during the rituals.
Burn With Me Key Gameplay Features
The PC release combines several interconnected systems designed around strategic sacrifice and narrative progression.
Its main features include:
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Permanent card-burning mechanics that reward calculated risks.
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Six handcrafted chapters with unique gameplay systems and boss encounters.
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A supernatural storyline exploring obsession, sacrifice, and forbidden rituals.
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Strategic deckbuilding built around changing card combinations.
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Hand-drawn environments inspired by occult folklore.
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Psychological horror elements accompanied by jazz music.
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Distinct characters confronting their fears and personal demons.
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A bestiary containing 90 creatures and 90 unlockable artworks.
Together, these features establish a gameplay structure in which losing resources becomes an essential part of progressing through the story.
Burn With Me Now Available for PC on Steam
Burn With Me officially launched on October 12, 2026, for PC through Steam.
Players can follow future announcements and development updates through Nozomu Games’ official social media channels, including YouTube, Bluesky, and X, as well as the game’s Discord community.
The launch adds another title to the growing selection of independent deckbuilding games that experiment with established card-based mechanics.
By combining permanent card destruction, six interconnected supernatural rituals, and a character-focused horror narrative, Burn With Me offers a different approach to strategic deckbuilding, where every card played or sacrificed can influence the challenges ahead.
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