Blade Assault

This masterpiece brought to us by Team Suneat aims to win gamers over with a retro aesthetic and cyberpunk setting that, in spite of the years that have passed since it became commonplace, is still very popular.

But it's not all about aesthetics. In fact, it features intense, action-packed gameplay that, combined with its roguelike elements, makes for a very entertaining gaming experience.

Blade Assault begins with the story of Kil, a young warrior who appears to be a soldier from Esperanza – a beautiful, high-tech city floating above the remains of a devastated world. For some reason, our protagonist has rebelled against his high commanders Electra and Panus and has been exiled from the city, left for dead.

Kil manages to survive, however, and awakens in the depths of the lower city, where second-class citizens are trying to defend themselves against mutant attacks. After joining the resistance, Kil decides to advance through mutant land and make his way to Esperanza to exact his revenge on the corrupt elite.

For the next few hours of gameplay you will explore the same six levels over and over, gaining resources and strength each time in order to progress. Staying true to its roguelike roots, you cannot simply save in the middle of a game. Every time you die, you return to base and have to start the adventure all over again. Some resources are recurring, but most upgrades are lost each time you fail to reach Esperanza.

At the end of each "dungeon", you can select a door based on the reward you want to receive in the next level. These are elemental cores (fire, electricity and ice) which boost attacks and skills and provide you with more combat options. Jewels allow you to open chests and pay characters you come across in the game to get upgrades and Roses, which alter and enhance weapons and skills. There are also coins and chips (which stay in the inventory after each game and can be used to purchase permanent upgrades for characters and weapons).

The quantity of characters and ways to play them is Blade Assault’s only real form of variety. Because, despite its roguelike nature, there is actually very little variation in the scenarios. The "dungeons" are very similar and have similar enemy configurations. As a result, it's more like an eighties or early nineties classic action game: very linear and no way of saving the game. However, the big difference is that characters do become more powerful with every attempt.

What makes Blade Assault addictive is how short gameplay is and the variety of play styles that are possible, thanks to different builds and characters. There’s no denying that Blade Assault has a unique quality to it, and it is fun enough to make it stand out from the games that inspired it.