Game: Chivalware
Developer: Regal Pigeon
Publisher: Dotemu (The Arcade Crew), Imperfect Games
Genre: Tile-Matching Action Roguelite
Released: November 5, 2026
Price: $9.99 · $8.99 until November 19
Platform: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch 2
⚔️ How we reviewed it: on PC, via Steam. Chivalware launched on November 5, so we’ve also noted what early players are saying, including fans who played the demo before release.
80+Weapon Disks
150+Upgrades
104Achievements
78OpenCritic
$8.99Launch Price
💾 Know this first: it’s a ten-dollar, one-person roguelite, and it’s really good. Chivalware is made by Max, the solo developer behind Regal Pigeon, and published by Dotemu’s The Arcade Crew label and Imperfect Games. It’s out on Steam and Nintendo Switch 2 for $9.99, or $8.99 until November 19. It’s Steam Deck Verified, there’s a free demo, it scores 78 on OpenCritic, and it’s rated Positive on Steam so far.
💿 You Are a Disk Knight
You’re a legendary warrior who wields weapon disks. The kingdom calls on you to slay its King, driven mad by power and years of isolation. But as you carve your way toward the castle, strange glitches suggest something deeper is at play.
Equip up to three weapon disks, each with its own color, and charge them by matching tiles on the battlefield. The more you match, the more you can attack. Never stay still: a Disk Knight is always evading, or planning their next strike.
Mega Man Battle Network meets a match-three puzzle, at full speed.
When we wrote about Chivalware’s demo, the hook was simple: you match tiles and dodge attacks at the same time. The full game proves that idea has legs. It’s a fast, crunchy, beautifully readable roguelite that takes the Mega Man Battle Network grid arena somewhere new, and it’s packed with weapons, upgrades and builds for under ten dollars. Our only real wishes are for a bit more challenge early on and more content down the road.
Our verdict: “This indie roguelite brilliantly fuses tile-matching puzzles with real-time combat, demanding sharp reflexes and strategic thinking.”
How a Disk Knight Fights
Every fight takes place on a grid. You move tile to tile, and the tiles you step on fuel your weapons. Here’s what you’re working with.
🟪 Match to Charge
Each weapon disk has a color. Match tiles of that color to charge it. The more you match, the more you can attack.
💿 Three Disks
Carry exactly three weapons and swap between them constantly. Over 80 disks to unlock.
⚙️ Builds
Over 150 upgrades, with up to three “big” passives, so you can keep your build in your head mid-fight.
🛡️ Disk Knights
Multiple playable knights, including the Tank and Jester Knights, each with a unique mechanic.
The Board Tells You Everything
🧠 Plan Ahead, Then Move
Chivalware’s genius is that your abilities live on the board. One player who struggled with One Step From Eden said they had trouble reading what they could do while also moving and dodging, and that Chivalware solves this by tying your abilities to the tiles. You plan your next few seconds based on which panels are on screen and what enemies are doing, then commit.
One detailed review praised how everything is in service of that core idea. Eating panels to reload and swap weapons forces you to move while dodging, and it ties into many of the passives. Attack patterns are reasonable, and bosses become exercises in learning and applying what you’ve learned. Several players compare it to Mega Man Battle Network, and one called it a very unique take on that grid arena system.
Clean, Crunchy and Addictive
✨ Polish You Can Feel
One player called it clean and crunchy, and another called it one of the slickest action roguelikes in a while, with tight, responsive combat where every hit has impact. The pixel art is full of personality and, crucially, easy to read in a fight. One player singled out the soundtrack as a highlight.
Replayability is strong too. One player praised the cool bosses, the variety of weapons and upgrades, and the later characters. The King’s Leaderboard unlocks extra features like item scrapping and disk replacement, and higher difficulty levels ramp things up. It’s also a great fit for handhelds, and one player called it phenomenal on Steam Deck.
Where It Stumbles
⚠️ A Few Glitches in the Disk
1. Gentle early on. One player won on their second or third run and wondered whether it’s a bit too easy for a roguelite. Another said it starts slower than One Step From Eden and only reaches that speed on the higher difficulty levels. That makes it very friendly for newcomers, but veterans may need to push into the harder tiers.
2. Hungry for more. One demo veteran is already hoping for more content and a fight against the King down the line.
3. It asks a lot of your hands. Matching tiles while dodging in real time is the whole point, but it’s a lot to juggle at first. One player praised its friendly entry for newcomers, but if you’ve never played a Battle Network-style game, give yourself a few runs for it to click.
🎮 Built for Controllers and Handhelds
Chivalware has full controller support, is Steam Deck Verified, and runs on very modest hardware (1080p at 60fps on integrated graphics at minimum spec). It supports 11 interface languages, three accessibility features, and after demo feedback the developer promised a chromatic aberration toggle for the full release.
Things to Know
📋 Before You Buy
• $9.99 · $8.99 with the 10% launch discount until November 19 · free demo available
• Soundtrack $2.99 · bundles with the soundtrack, One Step From Eden and KAZ
• Steam and Nintendo Switch 2 · Steam Deck Verified · full controller support
• 104 achievements · Steam Trading Cards · Steam Cloud · Points Shop items
• Minimum: Windows 10, Core i3-4130 or A8-6600K, 8 GB RAM, Intel HD 4400 or Radeon HD 8570D
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
| The Good |
The Bad |
The Ugly |
| Brilliant Core IdeaTiles power your weapons. |
Gentle StartVeterans may win too early. |
Your Free Time“Just one more run” is real. |
| Readable ChaosClean pixel art and clear patterns. |
Room to GrowOne fan already wants more. |
— |
| Build Variety80+ disks and 150+ upgrades. |
Learning CurveMatching while dodging takes practice. |
— |
| Ten-Dollar ValueSteam Deck Verified, too. |
— |
— |
The Verdict
Chivalware is a great example of what a tiny team can do with one sharp idea. Its tile-matching weapon system turns every fight into a split-second puzzle, and because your abilities live on the board, it stays readable even when the screen fills with attacks. The combat feels tight, the art has real personality, and the build variety keeps runs fresh.
It’s friendlier than its inspirations, so genre veterans may want to jump straight into the harder difficulty levels, and at least one fan is already eager for more content. But at ten dollars, with Steam Deck and Switch 2 support, it’s one of the easiest roguelite recommendations of the year.
The honest read: if you love Mega Man Battle Network or One Step From Eden, buy it now. If you’re new to grid combat, start with the free demo, then buy it.
For more game reviews, check out our full reviews section.
Score Breakdown
Visuals & Readability9.0/10
Steam Deck & Controls9.0/10
Final Score
8.4/10
Chivalware — Regal Pigeon
Ten dollars of clean, crunchy, tile-matching brilliance.
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