![]() If that sounds like a challenge, it certainly is, and it’s one I haven’t beaten yet. Not only that, but this Cthulhu-esque monstrosity is TOUGH, and has 4 phases you’ll need to blast through in one sitting, all the while avoiding the monsters he summons, the descending spiked ceiling, and its own projectiles. Yes, I too was surprised to find there was an actual boss in this game. Which brings me to my sole complaint – the final boss. It’s a good thing you get something when you die, since, in true roguelike fashion, death means starting over again from the very beginning. ![]() I only ever tried the basic style, but there are some cool looking ones, such as Levitate Style, which lets you hover in midair, or Boulder Style, which boosts your health at the expense of upgrade selections. The other primary roguelike feature of the game is how, when you die (and you will die a LOT), your gems unlock various palette swaps and even new play styles. There’s a wide range, such as the Fork & Knife, which lets you consume the corpses of foes to heal yourself or Gem Powered, which allows gems to recharge your gunboots, which is super convenient, or better yet, a little dumpster Drone who fires when you fire! There’s a lot more than that, but trust me when I say they all add to the experience. This is where the roguelike nature of the game comes distinctly into play, as you can pick from a random assortment of truly useful tools. ![]() Each time you beat a segment, you are rewarded with a random upgrade. Each world gradually introduces new dangers and mechanics, such as the spike traps in the Catacombs or the need to constantly find air bubbles while falling through underwater segments. The world of Downwell is split between 4 distinct worlds which are themselves separated into 3 segments. What does matter is playing the game feels utterly unique and awesome. You don’t know why, as there isn’t much in the way of plot, but frankly it doesn’t matter. Yes, much like Bayonetta, the unnamed protagonist is armed with deadly weapons on his feet. Luckily, you can do more than avoid said creatures, and this is all thanks to the game’s most unique feature – the gunboots. There’s a distinct rhythm to it, once you get the hang of things. You have to fall farther and farther down the well, avoiding debris and malevolent creatures as you do so. The basic mechanics of the game are beautifully simple. I say “essentially” because I have never played a roguelike that felt more like a platformer before. The first thing you should be aware of is that this game is essentially a roguelike. Little did I know how far down the rabbit hole I would fall as I started playing… I was completely ignorant of the hype, and honestly bought it for two simple reasons – it was ridiculously inexpensive at $2.99, and I appreciated the pixelated graphics. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when I bought Downwell on Steam.
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