Rogue Stormers (PC) Review

Rogue Stormers is a 2D side-scrolling shooter with rogue-lite elements, a statement that seems almost trite at this point. It doesn't seem to be aiming to absolve that issue, instead it aims to do it well, which is just as commendable.

Like many similar titles, the player is put up against an insane amount of enemies and traps, in an effort to survive as long as possible. Those who manage to reach the end of a short group of stages will complete the game. It's very rudimentary at this stage, and although there's more depth, in the form of bosses after each level, there's nothing to distinguish it from any other genre stable-mate.

There is a plethora of collectibles, ranging from weapon mods to brand new characters, which is good because the starting character and equipment doesn't hold up for very long. Finding a bevy of loot is definitely a good way to draw people in, and there's plenty to be found, although the quantities early on could be a bit more prevalent. Everything, including the loot rate, is another effective yet mildly tired way of escalating the difficulty.

Speaking of difficulty, get ready for a sadistic romp through a world that lives for nothing more than to kill you. Enemies will come from every corner of the screen, ready to assault. Unfortunately, the enemies not only outnumber the player, they also don't seem to play by the same rules, or even the rules that games have established over their many years of existence. Enemies have a health bar above their head to indicate how close they are to dying. They frequently take multiple shots to the head with zero health, but refuse to croak.

Every inch of the game is saturated with this intense difficulty and broken system, and never manages to be too much fun. In fact, getting beyond the first level can ruin the enjoyment factor early on, simply by making the gateway into the action so tough. It's a shame, because this isn't the kind of difficulty that requests the learning of its intricacies, it's the kind that's largely unfair and working against gamers.