"Easily one of my new favorite games" – free release on Steam earns praise but still flies under the radar
Once Upon a Galaxy is a classic, easy-to-pick-up card battler that delivers surprising strategic depth. As the title suggests, it takes players to the stars, where mythical and fairy-tale characters form the crew.
At the beginning, you select a captain – such as the puppeteer Gepetto or the Greek goddess Athena – each equipped with unique abilities and a customized deck. The gameplay combines deckbuilding with auto-battler mechanics: in each round you position your characters on the field, then watch the battle play out automatically. The real appeal lies in discovering synergies between units and sharpening your strategy through upgrades.
Compared to more established titles in the genre, Galaxy feels faster and more accessible. As Steam user Jebas put it: "Galaxy takes the traditional card-based auto battler and trims it down into a much faster and more straightforward experience. Each game is relatively short while still packed with entertaining drafting decisions." Since its release on July 30, the game has already collected over 200 reviews, with 90% of them positive.
Many players have left glowing reviews, describing Once Upon a Galaxy as "a sparkling jewel in the world of autobattlers" and "easily one of my new favorite games." Still, there is some criticism, mostly concerning minor technical issues and a matchmaking system that isn’t fully polished. Despite its strengths, the game remains relatively under the radar, peaking at just 378 concurrent players according to SteamDB. Whether it can break through to a broader audience remains uncertain.
Free on Steam
One aspect players particularly appreciate about Once Upon a Galaxy is its pricing: the game is completely free. As Steam user Shots remarked: "Wow! A free async auto battler without a subscription, $20 for a hero, and no upfront cost of 20–45 bucks? Sign me up!" The game also receives praise for its hand-crafted design – with the developers emphasizing that no AI-generated artwork was used. While the card battler only recently launched on Steam as well as Android and iOS, it had already been available in beta as early as summer 2024.
Source(s)
Image source: Galaxy .fun
