Action Roguelites are amazing and when Dragon is Dead was announced, it caught my attention instantly. This is a dark fantasy sidescrolling action game with amazing pixel art roguelite with gorgeous, bloody pixel art and manages to draw you in with its addictive nature. The game has just released and will be in Early Access for at least a year, but the game already has so much going for it, which is very impressive.
This is a heavy and gritty game that sees you go from room to room, defeating monsters and claiming your choice of reward from the giant chests that spawn, which seems simple enough. There is a town where you can buy items before each run and you will find vendors in the levels as well. As with all roguelites, death will reset you back to the start and you will need to begin your progress all over, but the game has a good hook that keeps you interested.
Combat is one of the best aspects of the game, and is extremely varied, changing when you upgrade your skill trees each run to change up your fighting style. Weapons have different elements that affect enemies differently and have different range, and the right build picked each run, matched with the right weapons and artifacts you select will mean you can create something truly unique. In that way, Dragon is Dead is a game that understands that roguelites are all about variation and gives you much to work with when building your character and taking on enemies.
There is a good story here and the bosses present a good challenge that makes you want to keep going after getting defeated. The bosses and levels all feel unique and realized and there is definitely a good horror fantasy feel to Dragon is Dead that makes the game unique. Plus the art style calls to mind the best of the Castlevania series, while the music is absolutely amazing as well.
