Publisher: Puppygames
Developer: Puppygames
Platorm/s: Windows/Linux (At the time of writing, the game is free on Linux)/AppleOS
Release year: 2018
Genre: Roguelike
Game Modes: Single Player
Set in the English town of Basingstoke, the game throws players into a deceptively charming yet deeply unsettling environment, where danger lurks at every corner, and survival hinges on both wit and resourcefulness.
As someone who is from not far from Basingstoke, and my family are even closer, I had to play this game. I do feel that there is an extra level of humour and enjoyment that I get out of the game as a local, but the game has truckloads of cute charm and humour even for those less knowledgeable.
At the start of the game, Basingstoke has been turned into a dystopian nightmare filled with zombies and monstrous creatures. I wasn’t really sure what the difference would be if I am honest. The game itself is a stealth-based roguelike. No power fantasies here, you are food to these creatures and your only real option is to sneak, distract, and panic-run your way through levels, slowly aiming to achieve the goal of escaping Basingstoke. An admirable goal indeed (sorry Basingstoke.)
The graphics of the game are my favourite part, cute but polished and with a clear identity, the game was really enjoyable to play, even for an atypical roguelike player like myself. This brings me to the next point, I am not much of a roguelike player but the game was deceptively challenging for me. Don’t let the cute graphics fool you, this game will take some effort to beat!
I read some reviews before playing, and in my opinion, they were excessively harsh. Many criticised how difficult the game was and I find this a strange complaint. There is a market for genuine challenge in games, and I cannot help but view those reviews were just more annoyed that they couldn’t play as some weird power-scaling fantasy as self-professed ‘challenging games’ often let you.
If you want to try the game yourself, you can find it on steam and Itch.io (where you can grab it for free on Linux)