Lunchbreak Tactics

Borealys Games

Montreal-based developer Borealys Games is expanding its footprint in the indie space with the launch of a new experimental publishing label, Borealys Lab, and its first title, Lunchbreak Tactics, an auto battler roguelite card battler game.

It’s set in the unlikely backdrop of a supermarket breakroom and is slated to arrive on Steam Early Access before the end of the year. A free demo is already available for players to sample over on the Steam page.

Lunchbreak Tactics: New Roguelite Card Battler

In Lunchbreak Tactics, players step into the role of a trainee employee navigating the chaotic hierarchy of a superstore. What begins as a casual pastime among coworkers evolves into a high-stakes obsession as employees vie for supremacy in the breakroom’s favorite card game pastime.

The game blends auto battler mechanics with roguelite progression and deck-building elements. Each run starts with three choices: selecting a hero and two clans. Heroes bring unique passive abilities, while clans determine the pool of units available throughout the game. With more than 100 units and dozens of heroes to mix and match, the system promises tons of possibilities for synergy and tactical experimentation.

Unlike traditional auto battlers that emphasize real-time competition, Lunchbreak Tactics is designed around asynchronous multiplayer. This allows players to tackle matches on their own schedule, making it easier to fit into the titular “lunch break” or short bursts of downtime. Borealys sees this flexibility as a way to broaden the appeal of a genre often dominated by lengthy, high-pressure sessions.

“We’re thrilled to bring the weird and wonderful world of Lunchbreak Tactics to players everywhere, as the very first project of our new venture Borealys Lab,” Louis-Félix Cauchon, head of Borealys Games, said in a prepared statement. “This game is a love letter to the roguelite genre, filled with endless possibilities and tactical depth. We can’t wait to see what wild strategies players come up with in our asynchronous multiplayer mode.”

The announcement also highlights a new direction for Borealys itself. Founded in 2014, the Montreal studio is best known for its 2017 action-adventure Mages of Mystralia. With Borealys Lab, the company is carving out a dedicated space for smaller, faster-moving projects that prioritize experimentation and playful design. According to the studio, the Lab will focus on “out-of-the-box concepts prioritizing pure fun (and a healthy dose of craziness).”

The move reflects a broader industry trend where indie studios are diversifying their pipelines to balance long-form prestige projects with more agile, lower-budget experiments. Early Access releases in particular allow teams to gather player feedback and refine mechanics while building an active community around a game before full launch.

Lunchbreak Tactics may seem whimsical, but its blend of asynchronous play, roguelite depth, and workplace humor could resonate with both strategy fans and casual players looking for accessible bursts of competition.