Developer: Cellar Door Games
Publisher: Cellar Door Games
Rrp: £9.69 (Gog.com), £10.99 (Steam), £9.99 (Humblebundle), £9.99 (Roguelegacy.com)
Released: 27th June 2013
Available on Steam, gog.com, Humblebundle and their own site
Played using: A Xbox 360 controller
A haunted castle stands before you, many of your ancestors have entered but so far none have returned, of course your skills and equipment are superior to all of theirs so this should be easy… Right?
Rogue Legacy is a roguelite platforming game in which each of the characters you play is a descendant of the last. When the character you are playing as dies you get to choose between three heirs to continue your quest. Most heirs will have traits that may give an advantage (or disadvantage) to your adventure. Sometimes this is something as daft as Coprolalia (uncontrollable swearing), or it will be more impacting on your game like dwarfism (being small). These heirs will also start as one of four base classes Mage, Knight, Barbarian or Knave. Each of these classes add certain attributes to the character and can be upgraded as you progress. They also receive a spell, this is a powerful attack that uses up mana. These can take on many forms and take some getting used to.
With exception of the first time, every time you enter the castle gates as a new character you must pay a toll. At the start of the game the toll is all the money you have left, but you can lessen that amount through a specific upgrade to your manor.
As you wander through the castle and its grounds you’ll break furniture which will sometimes drop coins or other pickups. The money that you collect on each play through is inherited by the next heir you choose to p,at as. This money can be used for several things, such as buying new equipment or powers, perhaps locking down the castle (more on that later) or for upgrading your manor. Upgrading the manor is always a good idea as this passes on benefits to each heir and also unlocks more ways to improve your characters.
As well as money you also collect blueprints from the blacksmith and runes for the enchantress to use. The blueprints will allow you to buy more equipment from the blacksmith and the runes unlock abilities you can purchase from the enchantress. You’ll also find journal entries that will reveal the events that took place within the castle.
Like most roguelite’s this game is extremely harsh and the chips are very much stacked against you, but part of the fun is working out new tactics and techniques slowly honing your skills. Of course with each improvement you make the monsters inside the castle also increase in power so you’ll never find it a cake walk.
On one of your many, many, many attempts at completing this game you’ll occasionally come across a room with a Fairy Chest. These rooms will issue you a challenge that you must complete before you can open it. These challenges can be quite varied, from the likes of no fighting (within that room) to defeat all enemies or even stranger requirements.
As you may have guessed the procedurally generated part of this roguelite happens within the castle itself. Aside from the first room, all the rooms are procedurally generated. Certain things remain constant however, the forest is always to the left, the area known as the Maya is always above and the dark depths are below.
The great thing is that no matter how many times I died I never got angry or frustrated, I’m not sure what it is that makes it that way.
The recommendation of this? Yeah, I’d say its worth spending the Rrp for it. There’s a lot of challenge involved in this game and when you finish there’s a new game plus mode as well.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
Dust; An Elysian Tail
Risk of Rain
Nuclear Throne
