We could gobble up our allotted Mini Review word allocation merely recapping the background behind deckbuilding roguelike Yohane the Parhelion: Numazu in the Mirage, but all you really need to know is that this is based on the Love Live! Sunshine!! anime spin-off, which casts the eponymous idol as a fortune teller. It’s not to be confused with Inti Creates’ side-scrolling Metroidvania named Blaze in the Deep Blue, which released on the PS5 and PS4 last year.

Like that game, though, this is a bit of a sleeper, clearly inspired by indie hits like Slay the Spire et al. As in the aforementioned, each run is random, so you’ll never face the same scenario twice, forcing you to think tactically about how you approach each attempt. Completing battles will unlock cards which you can add to your deck, as well as summons inspired by characters from the source material. Unsurprisingly, these can turn the tides of battle when deployed in the right moments.

Throughout each run, you’ll battle a variety of different enemies, some with the ability to lock out cards from your deck, requiring you to make strategic decisions about how to approach. You’ll need to arm yourself with shields, design favourable scenarios that buff your energy allocation, and keep your health well replenished. And upon the completion of each battle, you’ll need to consider which cards will complement your current deck, and which path you want to take to the final boss.

The art style is bright and breezy, and the loading times are non-existent. More importantly, the gameplay is challenging enough to test your grey matter, without ever becoming exhausting or overwhelming. An easy difficulty option means you can tone down the challenge if you want a more comfortable experience, while the existence of Charms allows you to seriously beef up your capabilities throughout each course, culminating in some satisfying conclusions.

Our only real criticism is that the plot, delivered through visual novel-style cutscenes, is a little dry and unlikely to engage non-fans of the source material. Similarly, some of the card descriptions can be a little cumbersome and wordy, leaving their usage down to trial and error. But otherwise, if you’ve been looking for a colourful deck builder with a more anime art style than the decidedly heavy metal Slay the Spire, this should appeal.