Umigame opens in an nearly cosy style. Gentle lute strums fill your ears whereas scrolling textual content tells the story, accompanied by the oddly satisfying tap-tap of a keyboard. You play as an Umi, a water spirit summoned into the Haunted Swamp by the depraved Witch Maeve, whose corruption has turned practically each creature in opposition to you.
It’s a roguelite, in order that tranquillity is short-lived. From right here, chaos units in as you wade via swamp waters, clearing enemies, discovering upgrades, and infrequently being flattened by one thing far nastier than you anticipated. Developed and revealed by a devoted two-person crew together with Phoenix Sport as writer too, this Early Entry title already gives a surprisingly deep expertise, brimming with appeal, technique, and replayability.
Characters, Companions, and Pearl the Glass Cannon
You start with Lyra, an archer, and Olaf, a melee fighter. The Sanctuary hub lets you swap characters, every with their very own fight type.
Fight is easy, swift, and satisfying. With 4 playable heroes, over 150 unlockable expertise, and a number of Guardian varieties, Umigame encourages experimentation. Whether or not you swing an axe, shoot arrows, blast magic, or dagger enemies, there’s a mode for everybody.
Pearl, the fire-staff wielder, stands out. She excels at maintaining enemies at a distance whereas dealing heavy injury, however her well being is low, making her a glass cannon. Prioritise well being upgrades early until you get pleasure from flirting with hazard. Dialogue selections with characters are a small however appreciated private contact. Whereas they don’t drastically change outcomes, they provide the sport persona, one thing many roguelites sorely lack.
Guardians: Tactical Determination-Making
Guardians are one in all Umigame’s cleverest mechanics. These summoned turrets could be positioned in every room and levelled up utilizing “petals” forex. Set them correctly, they usually can deal with complete rooms themselves, including a layer of tactical decision-making to fight.
The annoying factor is that whilst you can have multiple guardian on the sector directly, just one could be activated. So, it’s extra about the place you place them and while you’ll activate them. Moreover, it will likely be the identical guardian you select in the beginning of the run. You can’t change later within the run.
Reward rooms are signposted with icons. Hearts with up arrows enhance well being, scrolls grant new expertise, and the clam shell, much less apparent, represents forex. Everlasting upgrades by way of soulshards be sure that every run contributes to your general development, turning failure right into a productive step somewhat than a irritating reset. Additionally, you will meet a healer and a blacksmith to offer you armour or enhance it barely.
Replayability
Demise just isn’t the top. Returning to the Sanctuary hub permits interplay with saved characters, and spending “soulshards” to improve heroes completely ensures that progress is rarely misplaced. Petals are spent on Guardians, reinforcing the significance of strategic selections.
The Omnicore Resonance system additional extends replayability. Accomplished runs could be replayed with problem modifiers, providing stronger rewards and inspiring mastery of your builds. Early Entry could also be a piece in progress, however the basis already helps hours of strategic, partaking gameplay.
Whereas a typical run would possibly take 4 hours in the event you strategy it methodically, expert gamers might blaze via in beneath half-hour. The meta-progression ensures that each try is significant, reworking potential frustration right into a satisfying grind.
The Sound and Really feel of the Swamp
The soundtrack does a beautiful job of maintaining you engaged. Dominated by Bouzouki tones and accented with lute and keyboard, it completely balances mystical atmosphere with a contact of melancholic appeal. Every struggle, every exploration, is elevated by music that feels thoughtfully crafted for this waterlogged world.
The music for every boss actually units the tone and urgency. Controls are versatile. Whereas a controller is really useful, a mouse and keyboard are completely viable, particularly for Pearl’s ranged assaults. Nevertheless, some Early Entry quirks stay, nudging the keyboard whereas utilizing a controller locks the keyboard enter for that run, and I skilled a full freeze requiring a whole restart. These points are minor however value noting.
Umigame’s visible stylings are great. With wealthy saturated colors bringing the haunted swamp and its inhabitants to life. The digital artwork type is clear and good to take a look at. Whereas the characters seem to solely have their higher our bodies displaying, and a pool of water for his or her decrease half. They nonetheless look nice in movement. With every animation feeling fluid.
Future Guarantees
The present Early Entry launch is powerful, and the roadmap is thrilling. Plans embrace:
A fourth biome with a closing bossAdditional enemies and Guardian typesExpanded on-line co-op for as much as three playersGreater construct selection and synergy between characters and GuardiansNew expertise, Soulbounds, and objects
The story ending is at present ambiguous, leaving room for future growth. Given the builders’ transparency and dedication, it’s clear they intend to develop Umigame into a totally realised, replayable roguelite.
Last Ideas
Umigame is a pleasant, charming, and strategic roguelite. Its core loop is satisfying, the meta-progression reduces frustration, and the environment is backed by genuinely stunning music. Whereas Early Entry bugs exist, they’re minor within the face of a sport that brims with persona and potential.
Fitz alone is definitely worth the journey, however the true pleasure comes from experimenting with heroes, Guardians, and builds in a swamp world that’s as humorous, tense, and heartwarming as it’s difficult.
With Umigame’s present basis and the builders’ roadmap, it’s shaping as much as be one of many extra charming, considerate roguelites accessible.
Umigame Trailer
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The sport was supplied to us for the categorical objective of reviewing.
