Tetra Cube
Tetra Cube is a solo project by DDal, an Illustrator, known for art from gacha game Girls' Frontline. With small budget and zero marketing, Tetra Cube gets instantly into a pile of Steam games with near zero discoverability on the release day, but let it not deceive you.
So what is Tetra Cube? Basically, if you played Into the Breach and Invisible Inc, the game will give you those feels, except on a much smaller scale since the game isn’t that complex. It’s fast paced, fun, small puzzle battles in 8x8 tiles or 8x4 tile rooms, and you control only 2 characters + 1 hacked robot of your choice. You dungeon crawl through floors, manage your resources, upgrades, equipment and try to win battles without taking any damage if possible. Full run from start till the end is around ~2-3 hours. Music is probably one of my favorite things in Tetra Cube. And surprisingly, plenty of different tracks for such a small project.
– Real player with 98.5 hrs in game
Read More: Best Roguelite PvE Games.
Even though the price is deceptively low, this game received a lot of effort. It takes several hours to play until the ending, without feeling repetitive or watered down.
The strategic part is easy to understand, and feels fair and fun to play. Different equipment requires different strategies, which makes it fun to fight for another ending. Unlike many rouge-somethings this game follows the plot and doesn’t revolve around randomness and near infinite replays, finding good balance between procedural crawling parts, and story progression.
– Real player with 14.4 hrs in game
Tiny Strife
I have no idea why the game has no reviews… but now it will! First of: it is adorable! I like the cute design of everything. Also, it is turn based. So turn-based party RPG (I mean it says it above). You start with one character, but the higher you go: the more you unlock.
The game is… luck based. I lost on the first or second battle my first time around. Then when I showed my friend how bad I was at it: I completed 1-1 area! Afterwards I tried to lose, because if you do - there is a score that updates and you get new skills… so I actually won Chapter 1… Go figure!
– Real player with 1.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Roguelite Aliens Games.
Marfusha
Girls' Frontline meets shoot-em-up
One morning I was looking at new releases at Steam. Usually I don’t find something interesting, but for some reason Marfusha has caught my attention. I briefly looked at screenshots and without a second thought bought Marfusha.
And you know what? Marfusha turned up to be a great game!
The gameplay is simple but heavily addicting. You are playing as Marfusha, a girl who drafted into the army since the country Kazolmya, where she lives is at war with all surrounding countries. Marfusha gets the duty to protect the wall from different robots who try to destroy this wall. Every day you get salary which you can spend on cards and, of course, paying taxes, which becomes more and more expensive. There are different types of cards, some will increase your stats, some will give you a weapon(which can break so you’ll have to buy a new one, keep that in mind), some will give you useful items like mines or barricades.
– Real player with 13.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Roguelite Dystopian Games.
”To protect homeland and someone you loved, what did it costs?”
Molten Iron: Marfusha is an indie project I’ve been following creator/artist for a while and impressed how something simple can be so enjoyable despite some flaws. A 2.5D tower defense shooter game developed by one person named hinyari9.
This review is based on version 1.0.0.3. It contains subjective opinion and partial spoiler.
The World with No Exception
Game title is based on young bakery clerk; Marfusha who is drafted as a border guard due to trooper shortage. Marfusha has no choice but to obey the order and survive to reunite with her younger sister again.
– Real player with 12.6 hrs in game
Outcasts of Orion
Outcasts of Orion is an autobattler roguelike combining a solid game loop and varied strategic potential to offer an engaging experience with much replayability. You draft from a variety of randomly presented abilities and units to craft your squad and discover unexpected synergies. The game does struggle a bit early on in conveying the appeal of its mechanic, but given some time, it reveals an underlying layer of depth that keeps you coming back. If you are a fan of either autobattlers or strategy roguelikes, this game is worth giving a shot.
– Real player with 37.0 hrs in game
I’ve come back to add, this game has more layers and depth than I originally imagined it may be “feigning”. On the flip side, the enemy formations are a little limited. There is deviation from the standard, but buy in large, there are a few standard formations you will find them in. That said, for the price point, what you are getting is more than fair from where I stand, and the developer seems to be active on the boards, and they seem to be keeping an eye on this game and keeping it in a good state.
– Real player with 22.0 hrs in game
Rumours From Elsewhere
Deep and challenging platform action game attempting to meld Prince of Persia with a modern Roguelite. Momentum based platforming/parkour, ability based combat with character classes. Inspired level design, smooth controls, solid performance, excellent music, and imaginative worldbuilding are enough to carry the experience through a steep learning curve and significant UI deficiencies as well as occasional frustrating bugs (and sadistic gameplay systems that act like bugs).
I recommend this game if you like hard platformers with an emphasis on momentum rather than air control. Be warned, however, that the high-pressure gameplay involves features like a stamina bar (depletes with attack or dash but not jump or abilities), a timer on every level (which have randomized objectives), potions that do damage to you, weapons that kill you if you unequip them, monsters that CC you so other monsters can knockback you to the other side of the map where you fall in a lethal trap…you get the idea. This game is rewarding but punishing and a better UI would make it more comfortable.
– Real player with 35.1 hrs in game
This game is a lot of fun!
I love the look of the game, and it has a ton of character in everything you play as, kill, pick up, or read. Not to mention the sound design and music are great. Once I got used to the core mechanics, I was hooked and kept starting new runs to discover more about the game. Each of the characters feels unique, just as each of the areas are distinct, vibrant, and fun (except Misty Peaks, that place is agony).
On the downside, sometimes the platforming is just a little unwieldy. The jumping or dashing or platform grabbing seemed to occasionally glitch and caused me some significant frustration. This didn’t ruin the game by any means, but it did feel like an unfair game flaw that would crop up now and again. Also, here and there a hit box would be in dire need of updating.
– Real player with 31.9 hrs in game
Kainga: Seeds of Civilization
i previously did a hastily anger fueled review after losing my thinker to walking into the water and ending my game but after another 14 hrs can say nothing has changed and my thinker had died a few more time this way. The road map will be very delayed to add new content as alot of the games current content needs alot of bug fixes, i’ve never played a game with so many bugs early access or not i’ve played plenty of pre release games too with less bugs then this.
Do not buy until Dec/Jan and even then unless rolling in $ wait for a sale. the sheer amount of bugs and stuff that just doesn’t work will turn you off the potentionally great game
– Real player with 37.2 hrs in game
This game has so much potential but really needs to be balanced in order to stave off some real frustrations. The RNG aspect of the game really works against the player in most cases, and the enemy tribes start off ahead and are a real hindrance to get your tribe out of the mud. They attack or demand tribute almost immediately, and 9 times out of 10 despite how big the map is, you spawn right next to them. Aside from the tutorial there’s no “starting area” to get your feet wet and learn the game. One map has half of the inspiration areas inaccessible (including the inspiration that allows these areas to become accessible, the other map has hardly any resources, and if you don’t “draw” the right tech after inspiration, you’re screwed. Because of all of this, it took me 20 attempts to pass the first challenge. A third map is unlocked later, but is harder still.
– Real player with 32.6 hrs in game
Mines & Dragons
A rather simple game, Mines & Dragons premise is solid enough but not a whole lot of polish went into it. The game is based off minesweeper but their is no option to seemingly plant a marker where you think mines are and clicking on the board wasn’t all that interesting (hope to find those big open spaces with no mines around them, blanket tiles around any 1’s you see, and you’ll do quite well).
I managed to beat a run of the game in under 15 minutes and can’t really say I’m all that inclined to go into another run. The enemies that are fought might have progressively more health but they don’t really do anything interesting. Weapon selection seems to favor heavy hitting items as even though they reduce your time limit they ultimately will let you melt bosses faster.
– Real player with 0.2 hrs in game
We Are Live
I’m new to RougeLite games, so it took me a run or two to catch on. I really like the random encounters and rewards. But you also have options to shape your run. Together you need to think about your strategy for each run. I have not made it past the second level yet… I’m convinced spell crafting is the key and I get better each time.
All in all I think this game is fun, cute (in a pixel-heart kind of way), and mildly addicting (so far).
– Real player with 7.4 hrs in game
[Note: Low Hours Played on this account because I played a Beta off Steam previously]
I genuinely enjoyed my time so far in We Are Live, it has some innovative features to bring to the table while also keeping what makes a classic Roguelite. My favorite notable feature would be the spell creation mechanic where you’re able to find “nodes” which can be crafted into various spells, allowing a more or less infinite amount of unique spell combinations. The story is also intriguing and kept me pushing forward time after time to get to the next new bits of lore or dialogue. It’s not a huge game but certainly not too small either, it’s a great medium experience as a fair price point!
– Real player with 1.6 hrs in game
Brutal Orchestra
Hieronymus Bosch’s Brutal Orchestra is a Turn-Based Roguelike Strategy Game with resource management and deck-building elements. Employ the help of damaged and daring fools, equip ancient and insidious items and make deals with the devil on your path to revenge.
Revenge
You died. Someone killed you. You are now in Purgatory and you will never escape. Make a deal with the “demon” Bosch and set off into this brutal and bastardous world, finding all manner of demented and degenerate friends and foes on your quest to get petty revenge.
Pigment:
Purgatory bleeds pigment. It is a strange substance that Bosch has granted you the ability to control. Channeling pigment allows one to perform powerful and absurd abilities. Pigment comes in many colours, each derived from a different source, some even of your own flesh.
Fools:
This may be a place of the dead but even here there are still poor fools eking out a pathetic existence. Some would make for valuable party members or at least entertaining conversation. Most, however, are dim wits or damaged beyond all reason.
Hell:
Purgatory is not a gentle place, it is a writhing dump of all that has died in many worlds. Endless deserts of pale sand are stalked by parasitic fish. Storm-cloaked mountain tops hide ungodly things above and below. The Garden waits for you at the end of time.
Hieronymus Bosch’s Brutal Orchestra was developed by Maceo bob Mair and Nicolás Delgado. With Sound Design by Pato Flores and Chris Dang and Composed by Publio Delgado.
Dungeon and Gravestone
“Dungeon & Gravestone” is a buggy console port intended for someone with a game controller. In fact, the only help available is for a controller that I do not own. There’s no way to move the map with the keyboard or mouse. You must have a game controller to do this. Which means, you will get killed by a rolling boulder unnecessarily. The keyboard layout is terrible. It’s only setup for the left hand, since you cannot use the arrow keys to move. And there’s no option to remap the keys. Most of the Magic commands won’t work, since you are not allowed enough time to input them. There are only three resolutions to choose from, and 1920 x 1080 is listed twice. ??? Very strange for a game designed with Unity. Many of the dungeons have more bugs than monsters. There are locked doors without walls attached, completely empty dungeons. Boulders that fail to roll and block the exit. Levers, potions and treasure chests that cannot be reached in corners. Having your character completely stuck after after opening a chest so you cannot continue. Some of the achievements are still broken. Unlike the few positive reviews, I’ve actually played the game for over a hundred hours. It’s unfortunate, the developer has never responded to any of the problems posted here in the Reviews or the Discussion forum.
– Real player with 171.0 hrs in game