Basalt: The Cursed Vein Mixes Match-3, Roguelite, and Town-Building

Basalt: The Cursed Vein — roguelite match-3 mining, revealed at The MIX; Steam page live

Norwegian studio Rubarb has announced Basalt: The Cursed Vein, a haunted roguelite twist on match-3. Each successful match pulls you deeper underground to mine resources, fight creatures, and funnel your haul back into rebuilding a ruined town between runs. The debut trailer premiered during The MIX Fall Showcase, and the game’s Steam page is live for wishlists.

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Trailer

Trailer via Rubarb / The MIX Fall Showcase

Basalt: The Cursed Vein

Release: Coming soon

Genre: Roguelite, Match-3, City Builder

Developer/Publisher: Rubarb / Games People Play

Platforms: PC (Steam)

What it is

Basalt is a roguelite match-3 built around efficiency and risk. Matches break rock, expose ore, and trigger bombs, but your remaining moves carry across floors—so greedy detours can cost a run. Back in town, upgrades unlock new tools and perks that reshape the next descent.

“I’ve always loved match-3, but not the free-to-play grind,” says designer Jack Kristoffersen. “Basalt turns it into a strategic roguelite loop where every dig feels rewarding.”

Runs change up enemy mixes, bomb effects, forgeables, and upgrade pools. Synergies matter: the right combo can wipe boards, disable threats, or chain extraction for huge payouts.

“I wanted the pixel art to feel as rough as the town you’re rebuilding,” says artist Simon Nyhus. “It’s dark and gritty—the kind of place where every shadow hides something.”

Key features

• Roguelite match-3 loop: Mine ores, artifacts, and cash to fund town upgrades that push each subsequent run further.
• Synergy-driven builds: Bombs, forgeables, and perks interact for board clears, stuns, and extraction chains.
• Run-to-run variety: Enemy types, bomb effects, recipes, and upgrade pools shift every time.
• Gritty atmosphere: A cold mining settlement full of eccentric residents and whispered warnings not to dig too deep.
• Monsters below: Shape-shifting spiders, mineral-hungry tendrils, and other things that slither through the shafts.

About the studio

Rubarb is a Norwegian indie founded by veteran developers. While Basalt is the team’s first release as a studio, members held lead roles on Bramble: The Mountain King and Fruitbus, bringing seasoned craft—and a stubborn dose of Nordic grit.

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