Backpack Hero

Backpack Hero makes Deck Building easy by replacing a deck of cards with a backpack, and has some seriously unique ideas.

84%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

stability, grinding

90% User Score Based on 3,411 reviews

Critic Score 76%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $2.50

Buy NowGet on Steam €18.99

About

Backpack Hero is a single player casual role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Jaspel and was released on August 14, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Backpack Hero" is a roguelike game with a unique twist on deck-building, where inventory management and item arrangement in your backpack significantly impact your combat abilities. Explore diverse dungeons, meet colorful characters, and engage in battles while organizing your backpack for optimal power. Outside of adventuring, rebuild your hometown, Haversack Hill, by creating a prosperous village to attract new residents, unlock content, and restore the world of Orderia.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,411 reviews

gameplay332 positive mentions

stability67 negative mentions

Unique and engaging gameplay that combines inventory management with roguelike mechanics.
Variety of characters and builds that keep each run fresh and interesting.
Charming art style and soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.

Game suffers from numerous bugs that can disrupt gameplay and cause loss of progress.
The town building aspect feels underdeveloped and can be tedious to navigate.
Difficulty spikes can feel unbalanced, leading to frustrating encounters.

gameplay
783 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The gameplay of "Backpack Hero" is characterized by its innovative inventory management mechanics, which serve as the core of the roguelike experience, allowing for diverse builds and strategies across different characters. While many players appreciate the engaging and addictive gameplay loop, they also note significant issues with bugs, balance, and the town-building mechanics, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game offers a unique blend of puzzle-solving and combat that keeps players returning for more, especially as new characters and mechanics are introduced.
- “Quests and unlockable characters give some much needed variety, with quests encouraging you to play in a different way and each character has its own spin that has significant changes on the gameplay.”
- “I love how different all characters are, and how they keep reinventing the gameplay over and over with different twists for each of them, and the great variety of builds each of them can have.”
- “The gameplay is easy to understand and I find trying new strategies is exciting and rewarding.”
- “Unfortunately, that element of inventory management gameplay has failed to evolve since it was first experienced as a demo.”
- “The gameplay is clumsy, you get little to no agency, the map system is a joke that might as well not exist, the art style is inconsistent and often ugly, every run takes much, much longer than would be necessary/fun for the very simple gameplay loop.”
- “The town building mechanics feel equally thrown together, and it just isn't fun to have to do.”
story
537 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
72%
6%
The story mode in "Backpack Hero" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its charm and the added depth it brings to gameplay through quests and character unlocks. However, criticisms focus on its grindy nature, lack of polish, and various bugs that hinder progression, making it feel half-baked and at times tedious. While some players find the narrative engaging and a good introduction to the game's mechanics, others feel it detracts from the core dungeon-crawling experience, suggesting that quick play remains the more enjoyable option for those seeking a less convoluted experience.
- “The story mode, while a little janky, has a ton of heart put into it and it's a blast.”
- “The amount of content and cute storytelling makes this game a perfect purchase.”
- “The story mode really brought the game together with a proper narrative and goals to work towards.”
- “The story mode is a bit easy for the runs and there's enough to do but it's very frustrating when you get into a run and you crash.”
- “The story mode, community management mini-game is a complete waste of time and a drag on the game.”
- “The story mode feels mostly unnecessary, and locks all interesting progression behind repetitive quests.”
replayability
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
41%
3%
The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, with players praising its diverse mechanics, numerous character options, and a wealth of content that encourages experimentation with different builds and strategies. Many reviews highlight the unique inventory management system and the variety of challenges as key factors contributing to its enduring appeal. Despite some performance issues, the overall consensus is that the game offers a fun and engaging experience that remains fresh across multiple playthroughs.
- “Amazing game with tons of replayability between the different builds, characters, challenges, and mods.”
- “This game is one of the best I've seen in the genre in terms of replayability and sheer amount of content, and that's on top of polished and unique core mechanics.”
- “The replayability is through the roof, highly recommend.”
- “The above points of critique make the replay value a lot less than it ought to have given the genre.”
- “I think it is really fun, but for a roguelike, it has shockingly poor replay value in my eyes, considering you don't really get much out of new runs.”
- “Still all love for this game though, there isn't too much replayability besides trying out other characters so I think I'm gonna put it down for now.”
music
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
44%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and catchiness, often evoking nostalgia with its retro-inspired soundtracks reminiscent of classic titles. While many players find the tunes enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere, some note that the limited variety can lead to repetitiveness over extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, enhancing the overall experience despite calls for more diverse tracks.
- “The charming and immersive soundtrack is incredibly catchy and will have you humming the tunes long after you're done playing.”
- “The music is the icing on top of it all, and it has a compelling story with a lot of lore about the game lore.”
- “The game has a very charming art style, and the music fits it all so well.”
- “The art style and music are really bland, with the exception of some cool character costumes.”
- “The music selection is rather small and becomes repetitive very quickly.”
- “Even the music is quite simplistic and repetitive, to the point that it starts to get tiresome to listen to.”
graphics
117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The graphics of "Backpack Hero" are characterized by a charming pixel art style that evokes nostalgia, with many players appreciating the cute and colorful visuals. However, opinions are mixed, as some find the art bland or simplistic, particularly in the town areas, while others celebrate its endearing aesthetic and cohesive design. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's fun and engaging atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding their polish and variety.
- “Backpack Hero is genuinely fun with cute, adorable animal characters that have charming dialogue and pleasing, pixel-style graphics that keep the game looking good and performing well simultaneously.”
- “The graphics in the dungeon crawling portion are fantastic, and I like the backpack mechanic (for the most part) as it's very polished.”
- “The graphics, mechanics, and score are all excellent and fit in extremely well with the overall theme of the game.”
- “I wanna like this game, but the art style leaves so much to be desired.”
- “Was really hoping the full release of the game would replace the artwork, but it didn't, and it just makes the game very unpleasing to look at.”
- “If you're sensitive about graphics, though, this game is a bit rough around the edges.”
stability
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game has received widespread criticism for its numerous bugs and glitches, significantly impacting gameplay stability. Many players report issues such as soft locks, disappearing items, and unresponsive menus, leading to frustrating experiences that detract from the overall enjoyment. While the core mechanics are praised, the game's current state feels more like early access than a polished full release, with ongoing stability concerns that developers have yet to adequately address.
- “It's everything modern gaming isn't: great gameplay loop, great value for your money, no microtransactions, bug-free, and feature complete at launch.”
- “Runs great.”
- “An amazing game held back by numerous bugs, glitches, and poor optimization.”
- “The game is fun, but unfortunately it's a buggy mess.”
- “It's buggy; I've had items disappear on me that shouldn't have, some descriptions are extremely vague, and it's a rogue-like, which means any and all of these have the potential of breaking a multi-hour long run.”
grinding
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
1%
97%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling forced to engage in monotonous tasks to unlock new characters or progress in the story. Many reviews highlight frustrations with inventory management and the lack of meaningful progression, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction despite some enjoyment in the gameplay. While some appreciate the variety in runs, the overwhelming grind for resources and upgrades detracts from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You will be grinding for resources to build your town, grinding for specific items to upgrade other items, grinding for villager quests, doing inane, horrible, boring, and annoying quests on the side to unlock the things you want to unlock.”
- “The story mode is really bad: unappealing story, grindy, cramped city building, optimization is not better than just going for another run, shorter runs... the only good thing is that you are in control of what items you unlock for future runs so you can skip all the bad items to be sure to hit only the good stuff (which makes the runs even easier).”
- “The tedious building management and NPC hunting to pick up quests certainly weren't helping me get into the game.”
optimization
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
72%
12%
The game's optimization aspect is a mixed bag; while players enjoy the engaging inventory management and strategic planning required for effective gameplay, many report significant performance issues, bugs, and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Despite these challenges, the potential for deep optimization and the fun of mastering the backpack system are highlighted as standout features, making the game enjoyable for those who appreciate roguelikes. However, the balance between item performance and gameplay mechanics remains a concern, with some players feeling that the game is not fully optimized.
- “The game allows for a huge amount of optimization and a high skill ceiling, because the more time you play the game, the better you get at optimizing and knowing what you want, and like in all roguelikes, playing to the odds.”
- “Think Resident Evil style inventory management in a roguelite playground where the items you find can only reveal their true strength through careful optimization and placement.”
- “No amount of explanation can describe how engaging and fun it is to have this inventory Tetris figured out and optimized to the point of destroying the final boss while taking zero damage.”
- “An amazing game held back by numerous bugs, glitches, and poor optimization.”
- “Partially contains essential game bugs, making the game impossible to play, also performance drops.”
- “The game feels very unoptimized.”
humor
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and wit, featuring funny characters, engaging dialogue, and absurd situations that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the delightful blend of humor with gameplay mechanics, such as inventory management and strategic planning, making it both entertaining and replayable. The whimsical graphics and lighthearted storyline contribute to a joyful atmosphere, appealing to those who enjoy quirky adventures and comedic elements.
- “Delightful, rogue-like with a funny and engaging plot.”
- “The game is hilarious, from the witty dialogue to the ridiculous situations you find yourself in.”
- “Backpack Hero is like a combination of a puzzle game and a platformer, with a healthy dose of humor thrown in.”
character development
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs are praised for their charm and personality, contributing to an endearing aesthetic, the overall writing and depth of character development are considered lackluster, leading to a loss of engagement over time. The art and character designs stand out as highlights, but the plot and character growth do not significantly enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The character designs are full of personality and incredibly endearing.”
- “The character design is equally stunning, with Matti being especially memorable, cute, and likable.”
- “I love the character designs, I love their names, and I love the OST (someone really liked the Chrono Trigger/Cross games, I see).”
- “The game loop gets repetitive very quickly, and the writing and character development are lackluster, so after just a few hours I lost all sense of engagement.”
- “The character design and plot hasn't added a lot so far, but it's not horrendous either.”
- “The difference in character design is astonishing considering that the basics of the game have remained the same.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of sweetness and frustration, evoking feelings of joy and rage through its engaging gameplay and charming setting. Players appreciate the wholesome simplicity of the story and the variety of character builds, which contribute to a fulfilling and enjoyable experience, making it a perfect break from daily routines. Overall, the game successfully balances lightheartedness with moments of challenge, creating a rich emotional landscape.
- “10/10 amazing game; made me feel rage and joy just because of that specific quest.”
- “The setting is lovely and wholesome.”
- “The story plot: very wholesomely simple, yet effective.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its charming pixel art and nostalgic animations, creating a retro vibe that resonates with players. Coupled with beautiful, relaxing music, the overall ambiance fosters excitement and immersion, making it a delightful experience for fans of dungeon-crawling and puzzle mechanics.
- “The pixel art brings the retro vibes and adds to the atmosphere of the game really well.”
- “The amazing music and the immediate exposure to a charming atmosphere upon launching the game for the first few times instantly got me excited to dig further in.”
- “The lovely animations bring me back decades; there is something nostalgic about it alongside the lovely sprites. Let's not forget the music—it's beautiful, chill, and relaxing, giving this game an easy atmosphere to fall in love with!”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game relies heavily on ad views, allowing players to gain significant in-game advantages by watching numerous ads, which raises concerns about the balance between gameplay and advertising. Additionally, the presence of real-life merchandise promotions on the title screen feels misplaced given the game's unfinished mechanics and persistent bugs, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience.
- “For that reason, and only that reason, I find it concerning that effort and attention is put into advertising plushies of its characters (real-life ones for sale with real money) on the title screen, when both the central mechanics and the UI feel unbaked.”
- “I wouldn't refund the game if I had the opportunity, but as much as I love this game, I cannot 100% recommend it due to not just how buggy it is, but how the devs ignore the bugs (despite advertising their Discord as an opportunity for live feedback bug reporting).”
- “By just watching dozens of 30-second ads, I could max out my backpack and take as many items as I wanted.”