If you like deckbuilders and rooting for the underdog, Wickens is worth a look. It is the first game from Deep Etch Games, a family-run British studio, and it has just funded on Kickstarter. You play a Wicken, a mystical warrior who hunts down creatures, draws power from the kill and stitches it into ever-nastier combos to outduel your rivals.
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Find events near youDeep Etch is about as indie as it gets. Father-and-son team Roger and Sam Walkden started it during lockdown and have spent since 2024 designing, manufacturing and self-publishing Wickens, their first title. It is a competitive deckbuilder for 1 to 4 players, age 13 and up, with a solo mode for when you cannot rustle up an opponent. The pitch is simple. Build a sharper deck than the player across the table, then use it to take them apart.
The campaign launched on 26 May and timed itself well, going live during UK Games Expo at Birmingham's NEC, the country's biggest tabletop show, where the team demoed it from their stand. Backers get exclusive foil cards and a bonus expansion pack on top of the base game. For a debut from a two-person family outfit, the response has been healthy. Wickens has comfortably passed its £7,000 goal, raising more than two and a half times that according to Kicktraq.
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Start organising for freeWith the campaign funded, Deep Etch now turns to production. It is a reminder that some of the most interesting games come from kitchen-table studios rather than big publishers. Found a group that loves a good combo engine? Round them up on Backseat Gamer and put Wickens on the table.
Sources: Deep Etch Games | About Deep Etch Games | UK Games Expo | Kicktraq
