I recently had the opportunity to try out a review version of Rouge Strikers by Black Forest Games. Rogue Stormers is a 2D side-scrolling multiplayer shooter that incorporates twin stick controls for players using a controller. For my play thru I used my Xbox one controller connected to my PC with a USB cable. When you first look into Rogue Stormers you won't notice anything special at face value but after playing for a while you will begin to enjoy the rogue-like elements as well as the solid levelling system. The game also has a unique theme that is used through out. It has a sci-fi meets medieval fantasy aesthetic that is sure to please fan of both genres.
Before beginning your missions, each player begins by selecting one of the five playable classes. Each class has different armor and different styles. After the initial selection screen the players get dropped into the first stage to begin taking on the merciless onslaught of goblin forces, while they try to locate the stage boss to allow them to proceed to the next stage. While playing you begin to realize that each level is extremely big and that finding said boss will not be an easy task. There are numerous areas to explore, numerous blimps to shoot down, and so much loot to collect. You can easily find yourself digging and searching for as much stuff to help you upgrade your character before you come across the inevitable stage boss.
Black Forest Games set out to make a challenging game and they absolutely nailed their objective. Projectiles will fill up the screen, goblins will always be on their way, and the level boss is significantly difficult. The amazing aspect that this game has is that it also rewards failure. This is done by allowing certain perks to be permanent, which helps you on your next attempt at completing the level.
The graphics on this game look absolutely stunning. These screen shots will not do it justice you have to play the game to truly appreciate it how beautiful it looks. While I mentioned that your screen will get filled up with numerous enemies and projectiles, i didnt notice any slow downs or frame hiccups will I played Rogue Stormers.
I played the game with both an Xbox controller and with a keyboard. I found that using a controller lead to way a better experience. The only issue is that some of the pop ups still used the keyboard keys on screen instead of the controller keys which lead to some confusion in the beginning of the game. With that being said being said the buttons soon became second nature and wasn't much of an issue.
The game can played in Solo mode, Couch Multiplayer, and also Online Multiplayer. Unfortunately with my review copy I couldn't find anybody online to play with so I can't speak about that aspect of the game but the couch multiplayer worked great and made the game much more entertaining with friends involved.
This game brought back memories of one of my favourite side scrolling shooters, Metal Slug. The fact that this game has dash and power ups makes it that much more entertaining. So my final thoughts: Get the game as it is totally worth you time and money.
