OSAKA - April 21, 2026 - DANGEN Entertainment today unveiled Bonereader, a card-based deckbuilder with dice mechanics where the player must face opponents and gamble their way out of damnation.
Executed in an electric chair, the player awakens in a shamanic, mescaline-fueled Purgatory inspired by Castaneda and McCarthy, where they are forced to battle spirits in games of chance for a shot at rebirth.
Revealed alongside its announcement trailer, Bonereader invites players to bet their very soul in a psychedelic Purgatory where every roll could mean rebirth…or eternal ruin. The game launches on PC via Steam, GOG, and itch.io in Q3 2026.
About Bonereader
Bonereader is a card-based deckbuilding game with dice mechanics. Assemble your deck of playable cards, collect an array of uniquely-powered dice and purchase powerful items. Increase your score and win this demonic high-number game of chance. Or spend eternity in damnation.
Story
YOU’RE FRIED IN THE ELECTRIC CHAIR — AND YOUR SOUL ENDS UP IN A PLACE WHERE THE DEAD GAMBLE FOR A SECOND LIFE.
Harlan Hill, a seasoned mercenary, is executed in the electric chair. Certain he was betrayed, he dies without peace. His soul awakens in the hut of an old shaman, who offers him a game of dice: four rounds for a chance at rebirth and perhaps revenge.
The spirit mocks Harlan, claiming ownership over his soul. Against all odds, Harlan defeats the ghost in every match. Leaving the hut behind, he begins to wander a dreamlike world; a hallucinatory Purgatory where justice is uncertain and fate is decided by numbers, cards, and nerves…
Bonereader Gameplay
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Card-based deckbuilding combined with dice mechanics
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Build powerful synergies between cards, dice, and items
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Push your score higher and higher in a dangerous game of chance
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Every roll matters — greed can save you or damn you
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30 unique combination-cards
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40 dice with different properties
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20 items that radically change your playstyle
Bonereader Game Modes
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Story Mode — a narrative journey through Purgatory
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Casino Roguelike Mode — pure risk, roguelike, and escalating stakes
Bonereader Features
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Unique playstyles built around dice suits and card synergies
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Every opponent has their own “house rule”, twisting the game, forcing you to adapt
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Each turn, powerful curses and enchantments are applied to card combinations,
altering their effects in unpredictable ways
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Dark, psychedelic atmosphere inspired by mysticism and existential fiction
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High-stakes gameplay where numbers are your only truth
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A grim afterlife that doesn’t care if you deserve redemption
Roll the Bones. Cheat Death. today.
Players don’t have to wait to tempt fate. A playable demo is available now on Steam, GOG, and itch.io. They can test their skill in a handful of high-stakes rounds in Bonereader’s mescaline-soaked Purgatory, offering a first glimpse into a hallucinatory world of cursed cards, loaded dice, and desperate wagers.
About Bonereaders (the developer)
Bonereaders is the studio behind Bonereader. Having developed Loretta, Anoxia Station, and DOM RUSALOK, the duo enjoys crafting works that peel back the skin of reality. Led by Yakov Butuzov (writing, programming, and environmental art) and Daria Vodyanaya (character art, animation, and visual effects), the team aims to craft dark, story-driven games that have a lasting impact on players.
Title: Bonereader
Developer: Bonereaders
Publisher: DANGEN Entertainment
Genre: Deckbuilder w/ Dice Mechanics
Players: 1
Platform: PC (Steam, GOG, itch.io)
Price: TBA
Release Date: Q3, 2026
Languages: English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian
Bonereader on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4240080/Bonereader/
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DANGEN Entertainment
Homepage: https://dangenentertainment.com/
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DangenEntertainment
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/dangen
Discord: https://discord.gg/dangen
DANGEN ENTERTAINMENT is an indie-focused publisher that specializes in localizing and releasing awesome games in multiple languages around the world. Our company mantra comes from the Japanese definition of the word “DANGEN,” which means “words of conviction.” We at DANGEN ENTERTAINMENT wear many hats, but our most important role is to help deliver a multitude of great games to as many gamers as possible.