Games Like Waning Light

Overview

Waning Light is a story-rich card battler with life-sim elements that explores how mental health can shape everyday decisions, relationships, and perception.

Players take on the role of a young adult navigating the pressures of daily life, where every choice comes at the cost of something else.

Burning the Wick at Both Ends

Each day, players decide how to spend their limited energy.

Time can be invested in school, work, relationships, or self-care, but not everything can be maintained at once. What is neglected does not disappear. It carries forward, influencing the player’s experience in both subtle and direct ways.

Dual World Structure

At night, the player enters a dream world shaped by those decisions.

Environments shift, characters react differently, and challenges emerge based on what has been left behind. This world reflects internal struggles, turning everyday pressures into something visible and interactive.

Card Combat & Emotional Management

Players engage in turn-based card combat against enemies tied to their experiences. Cards are earned through choices and actions, allowing players to build their approach over time. The character’s emotional state influences how cards behave, reinforcing the connection between gameplay and mental state.

Mental Health & Intent

Waning Light is designed to reflect aspects of mental health, including depression, through its systems rather than treating it as a separate mechanic.

The goal is not to provide solutions, but to create a space for reflection, understanding, and conversation.

Built with Experts

To support accurate and respectful representation, Waning Light is developed in consultation with subject matter experts and organizations, including:

These collaborations help ensure the game approaches its themes with care, nuance, and responsibility.

Note: Waning Light is a work-in-progress, all information is subject to change.