Teko

About Teko

Teko is a single-player indie strategy game from Talio Games, released on PC in 2026. It’s a roguelike deckbuilder that reimagines poker by requiring you to form three winning hands at once. Instead of traditional card games, you manage a "Pocket" of chips, deleting, buying, and betting them to maximize your score. Every action matters, whether you’re unlocking perks, fighting bosses, or navigating the Shop. The game emphasizes flexibility, letting you craft unique strategies through item interactions, risk management, and combo optimization. No two runs feel the same.

Gameplay

Each run in Teko is a 30, 60 minute session of calculated choices. You start with a limited Pocket of chips and must decide when to discard, trade, or upgrade them. Every turn, you create three overlapping poker hands using available chips, with higher combos boosting your multiplier. Boss battles force you to adapt, prioritize high-value hands or conserve resources for later. The Shop offers Consumables and perks, but spending cash risks short-term penalties. Progression hinges on balancing risk vs. reward, and experimenting with item synergies. Controls are simple, but the depth in decision-making makes each playthrough a puzzle.

What Players Think

Teko holds a 4.2/5 on PlayPile, with 78% of players completing at least one full run. Average playtime per session is 45 minutes, and 62% of players revisit the game post-launch for new strategies. Community moods lean enthusiastic (89% "excited" vs. 11% "frustrated"), though some note the learning curve. Critics praise the "addictive combo system" (GameSpot) and "endless build possibilities" (PC Gamer). Achievement completion sits at 74%, with 43% of players hitting the top score tier. Most reviews highlight the game’s replayability, with one user calling it "a deckbuilder that feels like gambling with your brain."

PlayPile's Take

Teko is a must-play for strategy fans and deckbuilders who enjoy high-risk, low-reward mechanics. At $19.99, it offers strong value for its depth and replayability. The lack of multiplayer is a minor downside, but the Shop’s randomized content and boss challenges keep runs fresh. Achievements are achievable but demand patience. If you crave a game that rewards creativity and adaptability over memorization, Teko delivers. Just don’t expect a relaxing session, this is a mental marathon in poker’s disguise.

Storyline

Every chip played counts! You won’t waste a single hand. Create your own strategies: each one offers a different way to win your runs. As you progress, you’ll unlock new ways to multiply your score and push your limits even further. Manage your Pocket, delete Chips, buy Consumables, bet to earn more MONEY, gain perks for playing better, take risks, choose whether to save or spend it all, fight bosses, surpass the imposed limits, and pick the strategy that best fits what you find in the Shop! There is no single correct way to play this. Break the game, dare to try new things. Everything you do will add to your final score. There are tons of available combinations, amazing interactions, and dozens of items that will let you create your ideal Build!