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Press release:

Hey there, it’s the Awaken Realms team! We’re proud to announce that Shards of Order, our grimdark RPG, is out now on Steam! Made by Fardust, a small team of ~7 inside the ranks of Awaken Realms.

What is the game about?

Shards of Order is a dark fantasy RPG that throws out the rulebook for deckbuilding & card-based combat. There are no turns and no mana points. Every enemy acts on a visible countdown, and every card you play winds those counters down, shifting the whole flow of the fight. Time is your most valuable resource. Misjudge, and your team is sure to crumble.

Master the art of shared deckbuilding; there are three heroes, but only one set of cards. Every card you add affects the drawing odds. Will you build around one main hero and stack the deck in their favor, or spread the strength across the whole party and keep everyone in the fight?

Reality is coming apart. The ancient Laws that once held life, death, and time in place have been stolen or shattered. What’s left is a world where identity fractures and the dead refuse to stay buried. A handful of survivors set out to put it back together, one broken Law at a time. You’re their leader, and restoring Order is up to you – If you find it worth saving.

Play as three distinct characters, each with multiple playstyles, their own skill trees, and a personal arc. This is a full RPG underneath the cards: level up, customize equipment, make dialogue choices, and pass skill checks. Weapons and armor aren’t just stat sticks. They define each hero’s playstyle and can even inject unique cards straight into your shared deck, so every gear decision is also a deckbuilding decision. Layer the right gear across all three and your party starts working like one organism.

The time counter system is the heart of combat in Shards of Order. Each enemy shows exactly when it will act next, and each card you play pushes those moments closer or further away. You’re not reacting turn by turn, but rather managing a clock for your entire party at once. One mistimed card can unravel the whole fight, so every move is a calculation. Three unique regions and a roster of handcrafted boss fights will push your time mastery to the limit.

As you scavenge a dying world, you recover the lost Laws that once governed it. But restoration comes at a cost. Each Law you bring back draws the eye of the all-seeing God a little closer. In your darkest moments, they will offer a helping hand, and you’re free to take it. But be warned: they are known for their mischief…

Now, embark on this journey through ruin, where every decision leaves a scar, and every scar becomes part of your story.

There is no more Order. Only what you are strong enough to bring back.

The game is 9.99 USD on Steam (or a regional equivalent).