Off the AppStore: Awesome Aestheta aesthetics

• It's a card-battling roguelite quest for the prize!
• Three different teams with their charm and character
• Bide your time and spam cards, or get things out fast

Welcome to Off The AppStore, a weekly feature with a twist. Namely, that while these - as with all the games we cover here - are games that you can play on your phone, they're ones that operate outside of the realms of the big two ways to play: The Google Play Store and the Apple AppStore.

That means that there might be a bit of work required in downloading alternative AppStores or APKs, or that the games can simply be played in your phone browser. We'll make sure to detail that for each game though. Anyway, read on to find a new game or experience to play Off The AppStore.

There are a rare few moments in life that make you question everything… This is not one of them, but I got your attention, didn't I? The amount of work and effort that goes into making something that is not only fun but challenging and nice-looking can not be adequately measured. With all the designers, writers, and artists out there, it's no wonder we're finding more diamonds in the rough than usual. This week's yield from the indie dev mines is Aestheta by Aplove Studio. These guys had an idea for cards, strategy, and roguish charm, and gosh golly, they mixed them into a tasty stew.

In the universe of Aestheta, I assume the wildest stuff is happening, but I do want to credit the brief plot slotted into place. There is a tower (there always is) in an unknown galaxy positioned at a great distance from our own. It's built on a moon, and every couple of decades, a star crashes on top of the tower (as they tend to do). It's said that this star has the power to grant wishes, so all the kingdoms, gangs and menageries decide to compete to see who can reach the top first and get their wish.

As a participant, you will lead one of three factions: Cowboys, Demons, or Knights. Each can access different units and powers through cards arranged in their designated decks. As you climb the tower with your army, you can choose which battles to face, which treasures to take, and which cards to sacrifice. The goal of each battle is to destroy the enemy towers by building up energy and plopping down units to swamp their target. The better you do, the more stars you get, which means you can upgrade cards. It's a long way to the top if you wanna dish and wish.

Like the tower it claims to be about, Aestheta is solid and stands tall. The three teams are distinct and colourful, the graphics are charming, the challenge is balanced (as far as roguelikes go), and there's even a bit of humour in the writing. It truly was designed to fit in the palm of your hand, as the battles can be short enough to not feel like a time-sink but intense enough to keep you focused on what you're doing. I wish you could play Aestheta… oh, wait.

You can download and play Aestheta from its itch.io page!