Tag Archives: roguelike

video game reviews

The Book of Warriors: A Cute Little Roguelike for $8

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I was sent The Book of Warriors for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

What is The Book of Warriors

The Book of Warriors is a cute little fantasy roguelike RPG out now for PC. Lead your party through the dungeon as you search for power, treasure, and fame. How much of the dungeon can you clear before your adventure ends? 

Gameplay

You start each run by choosing a hero. There are nine different classes, each with unique abilities. Your run won’t end if you lose your initial hero. You then make your way through your dungeon, clearing procedurally generated rooms, unlocking upgrades, and recruiting heroes to your party. Upgrades, loot, and heroes you recruit are random, but occasionally you can choose the type of upgrade you can unlock. For the most part, the RNG is fair, but there are runs I lost because I was unlucky.

To clear a room, you either need to clear the room of enemies or lose your heroes. Maps will have hazards or cover that offer buffs and debuffs. Although not all the maps are fun, it does give combat enough complexity to keep things engaging.

Combat is simple. Heroes can move and perform one action per turn. The type of action changes as the characters level. The game feels a bit like a mobile game, but it is fine for the casual experience that it represents.

Like most games in this genre, the game is a little grindy, especially at later levels. You do unlock permanent upgrades the more you play, but enemies at later levels do feel like damage sponges. This is only a problem when you’re stuck on a bad run.

Thoughts

I enjoyed The Book of Warriors. The art is cute and the gameplay is relaxing. I enjoyed it for the change of pace that it offered, but I don’t see it being my main roguelike. While I appreciate the simplicity, the grind gets old after a while. You’ll get $8 worth of fun from this game, but it isn’t replacing anything in your current library. I would pick this up if you want a break from your current rotation but don’t want a massive commitment. If you enjoy tactical RPGs, or simply want to get into a new one, this is a solid option. You can pick up The Book of Warriors on Steam now for $7.99. It is currently on sale for $5.59 for the next 48 hours of writing this.

video game reviews

Pyrene: A Unique Deck Builder Coming to PC. Try it Today!

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I was sent the Pyrene demo to cover for my blog. It is a little too early to review it completely, but I will be as honest as possible with my impressions. If you enjoy my reviews and content, please leave a like, comment, follow the socials, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Pyrene

Pyryne is a deck building roguelike coming to Steam. Monsters have destroyed your village, and it is up to you to rebuild and save the towns people. Do you have what it takes to restore Pyrene to its former glory, and rid the land of its evil?

Gameplay

Pyrene is a unique deck builder because it involves movement. Each encounter has a board that fills with randomly generated monsters, items, and artifacts. The RNG is relatively fair, but I did have a couple of runs where the odds were stacked against me. The goal is to clear the win condition without dying. The game feels like a puzzle because the game rewards efficiency. 

Like most roguelikes, the more you play Prylene, the stronger your character becomes. You get access to new power-ups, buildings, and cards to help you with your journey. This also means the loop is somewhat repetitive, but it doesn’t feel like a grind. The game is very relaxing but with enough of a challenge to keep things engaging.  

Impressions

This is a good demo that paints a solid picture of what to expect from Pyrene. It looks great, plays well, and most importantly, the demo is fun. I loved that every encounter felt like a puzzle, and each puzzle had enough of a challenge to keep me wanting more. If you are in the market for a new deck builder, I recommend you pick up the Pyrene Demo. I’ll be working on getting the full version for review, but so far, I am impressed.

video game reviews

Crumbling: The Unique VR Hack and Slash

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I was sent Crumbling for free to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. If you’re looking for accessories for your VR headset, like magnetic prescription lenses or a high-quality charging cable, get it at ZyberVR. Use discount code CHURAPE for 15% off. You can also always buy me coffee. 

What is Crumbling

Crumbling is a cute 3rd person hack and slash action roguelike available now on the Meta Quest and Steam VR. Take control of your favorite adorable Crumbling and fight through a unique fantasy adventure. Can you collect them all? 

Gameplay

Like any roguelike, players will repeat each run fighting against unique enemies and earning randomly generated powerups and new crumbles to play with. What makes Crumbling unique is its combat. Players move their crumbling around like one would an action figure. Crumblings have access to a light attack, a heavy attack, and a dodge. The game gets incredibly creative with its spatial mechanics. Players can move the crumbling anywhere within the map space. 

While the game is adorable from top to bottom, the game is harder than it appears. Players have to think about attacks and positioning in a 3D stage, taking players back to a nostalgic era when we fought with our action figures. 

Thoughts

The game is cute and has a surprising amount of depth. I am impressed by how they can use 3D effectively to create its unique combat system. That said, my issue with Crumbling is with the gameplay. Moving through the toy shop to set up between each run feels cumbersome, and combat is tiring. My reach felt insufficient, and it put me in awkward and uncomfortable positions during combat. I couldn’t play this game for long because of the discomfort it caused, but I might be an odd example. 

This game isn’t for me, but I can appreciate the unique attempt at the genre. The combat has enough depth to be engaging, and it runs well. Dodging enemies from every direction is such an interesting concept. If you don’t mind waving around your Crumbling wildly through combat, the game isn’t bad. 

Conclusion

The game is cute, and the combat is interesting, but it felt like too much work. It is a bit too complicated for a kid’s game, but the neat nostalgic gimmick might be enough to satisfy the small niche it is meant to fill. I don’t think it’s a game that will get much play after the novelty wears away, so I can’t recommend it. Try the demo first before making your decision.

You can pick up Crumbling for $19.99 on Meta Quest and Steam VR.

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Check out the Realm of Ink Demo Today!

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The Realm of Ink demo is now live on Steam. If you are looking for a new action roguelike to sink some time into, download this demo today! The demo is only 40 minutes long, but you’re going to want more. 

If you enjoy my content, please leave a comment, like, follow, and share this with your friends!

Hook

Realm of Ink is a short story collection controlled by the Book Spirit. For the most part, characters within its pages live their lives as written. This changes when on a hunt for a cunning Fox Spirit, Red discovers that everything around her is a fabrication. After her awakening, Red makes her journey through this fictional world to find out the truth of the Book Spirit. What secrets will she learn along the way?

Gameplay

Thoughts

The full version of the game will give players access to different characters, spirits, and upgrades, but the demo is limited to one character, chapter, and a limited selection of upgrades and spirits. While I was left wanting more, the provides players with a solid grasp of the gameplay loop. 

Real of Ink plays like your traditional Rogulike. Players start each round with a random spirit and earn random upgrades as they move through the levels. Champions have access to a light attack, a heavy attack, and two spirit abilities. 

These types of games are repetitive by design, but there is enough RNG in this game to make each run feel different. I ran through the demo version a few times and never had the same build twice. Some builds are better than others, but that is the nature of RNG. 

Red is a cool champion with three loadouts. Players start the demo with the single sword but can unlock a duel wield version for faster attacks and a ranged attack after you end your first run. Each loadout plays differently, which keeps the game feeling fresh. I preferred the ranged version of Red because I had a lot of fun kitting in this game. 

Realm of Ink is beautiful, and I recommend you check it out to appreciate its art style. The demo also has fun flavor, and an amazing soundtrack. The gameplay was fun. Combat was great, leveling was fast and easy, RNG seemed fair, and the spirits gave fun abilities. I don’t like that you start the game with one spirit and have to find the second through RNG. 

The only complaint I have is that in some runs, I only had access to one spirit ability. This felt like a disadvantage, especially when it came to the boss fight. I hope spirits are easier to collect on full release because it is the mechanic that gave the game its unique flavor.

The demo is short, but it was long enough to get me excited. I need a little more story and gameplay before I can form a full opinion. If you’re looking for something new to play, check out the Real of Ink demo. It’s free, it’s fun, and it isn’t a huge commitment. 

We don’t have an official release date, but I will be trying to get my hands on a copy when it comes out. Stay tuned for that. If you enjoy my content, please leave a comment, like, follow, and share this with your friends!

video game reviews

Roots of Yggdrasil: The Unique Village Builder Deck Builder

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I was sent Roots of Yggdrasil for free to review for my site. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

What is Roots of Yggdrasil

Roots of Yggdrasil is a roguelike deck builder that splashes village builder elements to create a unique gaming experience. The game releases on Steam in Early Access on January 24 for $14.99. Don’t forget to wishlist. 

Sunna and her tribe have been trapped between time, and they must find a way out. Together you must build a settlement, explore the unknown, and discover the secrets that will take the tribe to the top of Yggdrasil. But the road won’t be easy, and failure means you will have to start over. Do you have the spatial awareness to make it to the top of the mountain?

Gameplay

Players start a run of Roots of Yggdrasil with a random deck that they upgrade throughout a run. These decks summon structures that can be built on procedurally generated levels. Space and resources are limited, making efficiency a player’s most important resource. To beat an encounter, players need to complete several tasks to power up the ship for the next leg of the voyage. A player can run out of space or resources, or have a random disaster make it impossible to complete a level. For example, there is a deadly fog that slowly eats up the map, leaving players without enough space to build. 

Aside from the village builder elements, Roots of Yggdrasil plays like your typical deck builder. Heroes have special abilities players can cast periodically, there are random encounters that give players cards or resources, and there are permanent upgrades players can purchase in between runs. The hardest part about this game is building in the right order and leaving enough space for what you need. 

Thoughts

Roots of Yggdrasil is a cute game with a fun art style, amazing flavor, and interesting mechanics. I enjoyed this game a lot, but the game isn’t finished, and you can tell. It isn’t unplayable. The game never crashed, and the mechanics were fine, but it needs a little polish and more content. The gameplay started to feel repetitive after a few runs, so most people will want to wait for more biomes, mechanics, and features to be added to the game. 

If you don’t mind the roughness of an Early Access game and want to experience a unique deck builder, look into Roots of Yggdrasil. The bit I got to play is fun, and I can see the potential. I’ll be revisiting the game on a future release, so make sure you stay tuned for that. Until then, make sure you add it to your wishlist! 

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Discover Realm of Ink: A Cool Stylized Roguelike

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Realm of Ink is an action roguelike coming to PC and consoles this year. The game features a unique brushed artwork, a neat isometric design, and promising gameplay. The art is what initially drew me to this game, but the story has me interested. 

Red discovers she is a fictional character within the Realm of Ink short story collection. She must now travel through the depths of her story to discover the truth of her existence. Is her fate prewritten by some faceless author, or does she have the power and free will to write her own?

I am curious to see how Red’s story pans out. Players will also get to play as other characters as they are unlocked, and I am a huge fan of the spoiled character designs. I did get an early copy of the demo and will be posting my impressions as soon as the embargo is lifted. Until then, I recommend you watch the trailer and add Realm of Ink to your Wishlist. 

video game reviews

Loot River is the Souls-like Tetris Game You May Need to Try Once

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I was sent Loot River for free to review. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

Loot River is a unique roguelike that combines the bleak and unforgiving grind of a Dark Souls game with Tetris. Players must fight through endless and dangerous catacombs where they fight monsters, find treasure, and defeat bosses. With the power of the Relic, players can move the ground to travel through its darkness, solve puzzles, and manipulate enemies. Can you find the end before you meet yours?

The game does a fantastic job of blending the two genres to create a unique and memorable experience. The souls-like elements are simple but unforgiving. The Tetris part creates the game’s unique movement and adds dimension to the combat. The combat is simple but with enough strategy to make it engaging.

Players start each run with a simple weapon and have access to a basic attack, thrust, parry, and dodge. You can move your character, but you can also move the platform you’re standing on independently. You must use a combination of these actions to defeat your enemies and clear each level. These elements come together to create Loot River’s creative combat system. 

Throughout a run, you will pick up weapons and gear. This gear is randomly generated, and you lose it when you die. I felt like the RNG was fair enough, but some runs were easier than others. You can also find and buy permanent upgrades to make runs easier. The more you play, the more upgrades you’ll have access to. 

Like most games in the genre, Loot River’s gameplay is repetitive. The RNG and procedurally generated levels help mitigate some of the monotony, but you’re still repeating the same actions. I find comfort in the repetition, but it isn’t going to be for everyone. There is also a leaderboard and level editor coming on December 19 with the PlayStation release.

My favorite aspect of the game is the aesthetic. I love the minimalistic pixel art, and the soundtrack is amazing. Most importantly, the game is fun. If you’re looking for a new roguelike to fill some time, check out Loot River. The game is $25, which I find a little high, but the devs continue to release updates so take that as you will. I’d wait for a sale personally. 

Loot River is available now on Xbox and Steam for $24.99. It’s free if you have Game Pass.

video game reviews

Extremely Powerful Capybaras: At least it’s cute

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I was sent Extremely Powerful Capybaras for free as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, please comment, like, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

Extremely Powerful Capybaras is a cute bullet hell roguelike available now on Steam. Players can team up with friends or brave it alone as they defend their village from endless hordes of monsters. Do you have what it takes to become the most powerful capybara on the island?

Players choose from four classes of capybara before queuing up to survive against the horde. Each capybara has a unique weapon to start with. As players level through combat, they unlock access to other weapons and upgrades. The weapons and upgrades are RNG-reliant, but the RNG is fair. The classes did feel unbalanced, but later upgrades helped mitigate that a bit. 

Unfortunately, Extremely Powerful Capybaras aren’t fun. The game runs great and looks adorable, but the gameplay feels slow, even in the crazier stages. I appreciate how much work went into the flavor and creativity of the weapons and upgrades, but they were often more work than they were worth. Maybe the game is better in multiplayer, but even then, there are better party games.

Extremely Powerful Capybaras is cute with some terrific flavor, but it isn’t fun enough to recommend. If you are looking for a bullet hell roguelike, Brotato does it better for cheaper. Otherwise, you can pick up Extremely Powerful Capybaras on Steam for $5.99.

video game reviews

Skybreakers is fine for what it is

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I was sent Skybreakers for free as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee. 

Skybreakers is an action-packed roguelike available now on Steam. It has cool flavor, cooler art, and a solid gameplay loop. Players must survive against waves of enemies and the occasional boss. There is a story, but you’re mainly playing this game for the combat. 

Players have access to four playable heroes, three of which need to be unlocked. Each character has its unique flavor and playstyle, and I enjoyed them all. Some of them need a few upgrades before they get fun, but I have no overwhelming complaints. Between each round, players can purchase upgrades with resources they earn throughout the round. These upgrades are determined by RNG, but I felt that the RNG is fair. The top-down style makes the game feel like a MOBA but with a focus on combat. Combat is simplified to movement, a basic attack, a special attack, and whatever effects you pick up along the run. 

Skybreakers gets busy with its effects, but it never gets overwhelming or confusing. As simple as this game may seem, there is still some thought involved when it comes to upgrading a hero and moving them through combat. You won’t need to look up guides or keep a notebook, but it won’t be mindless either. 

I enjoyed Skybreakers, but it definitely isn’t something that I can play for too long. While the game is fun, combat gets repetitive after a couple of runs. The RNG heroes give the game some replayability, but they aren’t enough to make this anybody’s main game. You’ll get $9 of fun from this game, shelve it, and either forget you own it or pull it out when you need it. If you’re looking for something simple and fun that doesn’t require much commitment, Skybreakers is a solid choice. 

You can pick up Skybreakers on Steam for $8.99.

video game reviews

The Foglands Review: the VR Roguelike That Fails to Deliver

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I was sent The Foglands as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, this will be my honest review. If you enjoy my reviews, make sure you leave a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can also always buy me coffee.

The Foglands is a western-themed action roguelike VR game out now for the Meta Quest and PlayStation, and will be coming to Steam next year. 

A toxic gas now ravages the world, forcing the few remaining survivors to live underground. A brave few must brave the foglands and its dangers to run supplies for these settlements. You must go out on one of these missions, but can you make it back before the fog swallows you whole? 

This game is awful, don’t waste your time or money on it. It’s been a while since I’ve given up on a game, but The Foglands managed to break me. This game looks and feels generic and unfinished. While the concept and pitch are interesting, the execution lacks everything that would make this game playable. Levels are poorly designed, combat is slow and dull, and the game is broken and unplayable. I got to a point in the game where the game broke, and the only way to fix it was to start over. I didn’t have it in me. 

As far as VR games go, The Foglands is ugly and rushed. I don’t expect high-quality 4K graphics from a VR game on the Meta Quest 2, but I’ve played enough good-looking VR games to know when I am being cheated. Some assets were broken or missing, or walls that didn’t properly connect. This game is unstable, and I find it ridiculous that they charge $25 for something that clearly isn’t finished. 

I am not a snob. I could have excused the bugs and the ugliness if the game was fun and playable, but it isn’t. Players crawl the dungeon and fight monsters with pistols and improvised weapons like rocks or bottles until they die and do it all again. As they progress, they can unlock upgrades to make the runs easier. The problem with this loop is that combat is clunky and boring. There really is no reason to pick up this game when there are other games in this genre that do it better. 

The Foglands is a waste of time and money. It is clearly unfinished, and no amount of updates or added features is going to make it any more playable. You can pick it up now for the Meta Quest for $24.99 and PlayStation for $34.99, or wait for its release on Steam, but I wouldn’t bother.