Look, I need to talk to you about The Spirit Lift because this is exactly the kind of game that feels like it shouldn’t work, but somehow prettysmart games has figured out the magic formula. We’re less than a week away from its scheduled release on 2026-01-27, and honestly? The anticipation building around this title deserves way more attention than it’s getting right now.
Here’s what’s fascinating about The Spirit Lift: it’s taking two genres that have wildly different design philosophies and smooshing them together in a way that actually makes sense. You’ve got your deck-building mechanics—that careful curation of cards, the economic decisions, the risk-versus-reward calculations that make roguelikes so addictive—but then you’re layering in a full adventure narrative set inside a haunted hotel. Most games that try this hybrid approach end up feeling schizophrenic, like the developers couldn’t decide what experience they wanted to create. But from what we’ve seen in the Steam Next Fest demo and early impressions, prettysmart games has genuinely nailed the balance.
The core concept alone is genius in its simplicity:
- 13 floors to ascend in a spectral elevator
- Equipment cards that function as your primary combat tools
- Spooky atmosphere balanced with genuine charm and personality
- Roguelike structure with procedural runs and meaningful progression
- Strategic deck-building layered into exploration and combat encounters
What’s really got people talking, though, is how the developers have treated the presentation. Early reviewers have highlighted that the soundtrack is remarkably diverse—and I mean genuinely diverse, not just background ambiance looped across levels. Each floor apparently has its own musical identity, which sounds like a small detail until you realize how much that contributes to the game’s ability to keep things fresh across a 13-floor climb. That’s the kind of thoughtful design that separates memorable games from forgettable ones.
The Spirit Lift manages that rare feat of being simultaneously spooky and delightful, a tonal balance that most horror-adjacent games struggle to achieve.
There’s something compelling about the timing here too. We’re stepping into late January 2026, well past “spooky season,” and yet The Spirit Lift is positioned to launch during winter—arguably when people are most receptive to atmospheric, cozy-but-eerie experiences. It’s not trying to capitalize on Halloween nostalgia; it’s arriving when players are genuinely hungry for something that feels different. That’s confidence in the product, frankly.
Let’s talk about what prettysmart games is actually accomplishing here. They’re operating in a space that’s become increasingly crowded—deck-builders have exploded in popularity, and roguelikes are basically their own sub-genre within indie development. But The Spirit Lift isn’t just another entry in the catalog. The demo feedback suggests this is a game that understands why these mechanics work in the first place:
- Meaningful card choices that force you to think about synergies
- Environmental storytelling that makes each floor feel distinct and worth exploring
- Combat systems that reward both planning and adaptation
- Replayability built into the roguelike structure without feeling repetitive
- Accessibility balanced with genuine challenge
The fact that the game is currently sitting at a 0.0/10 rating isn’t a red flag—it’s literally a “Coming Soon” title that will receive its first ratings once it officially releases. This is genuinely exciting territory where the game exists in this pocket of potential, where everything the developers have promised is still intact and untested by the broader audience.
What strikes me most is how the Steam Next Fest demo essentially served as proof of concept. Those early hands-on impressions weren’t just positive—they were thoughtful. People weren’t just saying “this is fun”; they were analyzing the design choices, discussing the mechanical depth, and already theorizing about strategies for higher-difficulty runs. That’s the kind of engagement that indicates a game has genuine staying power.
Prettysmart games is essentially positioning The Spirit Lift as a gateway between two different gaming audiences. If you’re a roguelike veteran, the structural DNA here speaks your language. If you’re someone who gravitates toward narrative-driven adventures with atmospheric worlds, the hotel setting and progression system will scratch that itch. That’s not a compromise between audiences—that’s a genuinely inclusive design philosophy.
2026-01-27 is going to be significant. Not just because a new game is releasing, but because we’re about to see if a smaller developer can execute on a genuinely ambitious vision. All the pieces appear to be in place: solid mechanical foundations, thoughtful presentation, appropriate tonal balance, and what seems like genuine care in the details. The Spirit Lift feels like the kind of game that could quietly become a staple recommendation, the title people bring up when someone asks “what’s an underrated deck-builder that actually has something interesting to say?”
That’s what deserves recognition—not a flashy release with massive marketing spend, but careful, intentional design that respects player intelligence and creates something that’s both mechanically satisfying and genuinely memorable.
