Zems

Zems Overview

Zems is a free-to-play card game that blends deckbuilding with a turn-based, board-centric combat system. Developed by Impulse Limited, it frames each match as a tactical duel on a hexagonal grid, where the cards you draw translate into units, abilities, and even environmental shifts that can swing a fight. Rather than focusing purely on trading minions and damage, Zems leans into spatial play, lineups, and the idea that the board itself can be manipulated.

Matches revolve around protecting your own hero while pressuring the opponent’s. Your hero is not a passive health total, it is an active piece that can move across the map and participate in battles alongside your summoned units. That mobility encourages both aggressive pushes and careful retreats, similar to how a key piece in a board game needs escorting and smart positioning.

The standout hook is the battlefield’s changing conditions. Weather and elemental effects can alter tiles and create chain reactions. As an example, rain can leave tiles wet, and lightning interacting with those wet spaces can punish units caught on them or nearby. This gives players a reason to think a turn ahead, not only about combat math, but also about how the state of the grid might be set up for the next exchange.

Deck construction pulls from a pool of over 200 cards, with themes ranging from classic fantasy creatures to spell-like events such as blizzards and lightning strikes. Players pick a hero and then build around that hero’s unique ability, which shapes both tempo and tactics in play. For competitive variety, the game advertises multiple ways to queue, including ranked and unranked play, plus a draft option for players who prefer improvising with limited card pools.

Zems Key Features:

• Over 200 cards – assemble decks from a catalog of 200+ cards, mixing creatures and combat tools with weather-driven effects.
• Hex-based tactical strategy – win through movement and placement on a hex grid, combining summons, abilities, and combat decisions.
• Ever-changing environment – shift weather and board conditions to disrupt opponents, create hazards, or set up damaging interactions.
• Heroes that move – heroes function as mobile units, so positioning and protection matter as much as raw damage.
• Various modes of play – queue for ranked or casual matches, or jump into draft for a different deckbuilding challenge.

Zems Screenshots

Zems Featured Video