Rogue Loops: A Hades-Inspired Roguelike with a Twist
The upcoming indie roguelike, Rogue Loops, is generating buzz with its striking resemblance to Hades, both in art style and core gameplay loop. However, Rogue Loops introduces a unique twist on the established roguelike formula. While a firm release date remains unannounced, a free demo is currently available on Steam, offering players a sneak peek.
The roguelike genre's recent surge in popularity has inspired numerous developers to create their own versions, ranging from action-packed titles like Returnal to classic dungeon crawlers reminiscent of Hades and its early-access sequel. Rogue Loops clearly draws inspiration from the latter, featuring a repeatedly traversed dungeon with randomly generated loot and ability upgrades, all presented from a top-down perspective.
Beyond its visual similarities to Hades, Rogue Loops distinguishes itself with a novel mechanic: ability upgrades come with distinct drawbacks that significantly impact gameplay.
Rogue Loops' Unique Mechanic: Embracing the Downsides
This mechanic shares similarities with Hades' Chaos Gates, which offer powerful upgrades at the cost of temporary negative effects. However, in Rogue Loops, these "curses" are more impactful and varied, potentially lasting the entire playthrough depending on player choices.
The game's narrative centers around a family trapped in a deadly time loop. Players must battle through five floors of procedurally generated dungeons, each with unique enemies and bosses. As with most roguelikes, each run unlocks new upgrades, allowing players to craft diverse builds by strategically combining buffs and debuffs.
While a precise release date is yet to be confirmed, Rogue Loops is slated for release in Q1 2025 on Steam. Until then, the free demo allows players to explore the first floor. Other excellent roguelikes, such as Dead Cells and Hades 2, provide ample entertainment in the interim.
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