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Backpack Hero

Backpack Hero makes Deck Building easy by replacing a deck of cards with a backpack, and has some seriously unique ideas.
Backpack Hero Game Cover
88%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
stability, grinding
89% User Score Based on 4,727 reviews
Critic Score 85%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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Backpack Hero Game Cover

About

Backpack Hero is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by GangsRobin and was released on August 15, 2022. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

Backpack Hero is the inventory management roguelike! Collect rare items, organize your bag, and vanquish your foes!

Genres & Tags
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Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
Backpack Hero screenshot
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89%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,727 reviews
gameplay481 positive mentions
stability129 negative mentions
  • Unique and engaging inventory management mechanics that add depth to the gameplay.
  • Charming pixel art and a delightful soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
  • Variety of characters and items provide numerous strategies and replayability.
  • Bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, including game-breaking issues that may require restarting.
  • The town-building aspect feels underdeveloped and can be tedious, detracting from the core gameplay.
  • Progression can be slow and grindy, especially in story mode, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • gameplay
    1,191 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Backpack Hero" is characterized by its innovative inventory management mechanics, which serve as the core of the roguelike experience. Players enjoy a satisfying loop of dungeon crawling, item collection, and strategic organization, with each character offering unique mechanics that enhance replayability. However, the game is marred by issues such as uneven balancing, unclear tutorials, and a cumbersome town-building feature that detracts from the core gameplay, leading to a mixed reception regarding long-term engagement and enjoyment.

    • “The core gameplay loop is satisfying and it's nice they tried to build barriers so you're not overwhelmed all at once.”
    • “The gameplay loop is fun and different enough each time to where each run feels pretty novel while also not being too difficult to discern.”
    • “The backpack mechanic is a refreshing take on the usual inventory, and the countless items are all really creative and combo in all sorts of neat ways.”
    • “The wands in 'wizard school' add an entirely new mechanic that is just confusing.”
    • “First issue, which affects all gameplay, is that both the tutorials and in-game item/mechanic descriptions are just not sufficient.”
    • “The gameplay loop isn't fun; the dungeon crawling is hampered by how the game progresses, leveling is tied to growing the size of your storage, the overworld is wonked & unfun, and the dialogue appears as if they didn't even try, full of errors and empty of value.”
  • story
    928 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story mode of "Backpack Hero" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it clunky, grindy, and lacking depth. While some appreciate the cute characters and the town-building aspect, others criticize the writing as silly and the overall narrative as underwhelming. The gameplay is often described as more enjoyable in quick play mode, where players can bypass the tedious story progression and focus on the core mechanics of the game.

    • “The new story mode adds a lot more depth and makes you really want to try those runs where you only have a fish sword.”
    • “The story mode is a fantastic addition to the base game, and there is tons of variety in gameplay.”
    • “The story mode really brought the game together with a proper narrative and goals to work towards.”
    • “The story mode is a bit ho-hum and I can't say I was ever invested in it, and even the unlocking process of the various items was a bit bland.”
    • “The story is tied to an overworld base-building aspect of the game that feels very unfinished, and the writing is simply uninteresting.”
    • “Now the story mode has been out a while now, and it's buggy, the story is boring and bloated with bland characters, the town system is convoluted, and the story mode drip feeds you content at the agonizingly slow rate akin to Chinese water torture.”
  • music
    218 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its catchy, nostalgic tunes that enhance the overall experience, with many players noting its ability to evoke feelings reminiscent of classic SNES titles. However, some reviewers pointed out that the limited variety of tracks can lead to repetitiveness during extended play sessions, causing the music to become tiresome. Overall, while the soundtrack is celebrated for its charm and quality, a desire for more diverse tracks was a common theme among feedback.

    • “The soundtrack complements this vibe with catchy, upbeat tunes that keep the energy high during tense encounters.”
    • “The charming and immersive soundtrack is incredibly catchy and will have you humming the tunes long after you're done playing.”
    • “The music is gorgeous.”
    • “The sound effects are solid and satisfying, but fair warning: if you’re playing for long sessions, the music can start to drive you a little bonkers.”
    • “The music selection is rather small and becomes repetitive very quickly.”
    • “Right now it's all the same music and I found myself turning off the music and throwing on my own as I played for any extended period of time.”
  • replayability
    204 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game "Backpack Hero" is widely praised for its high replayability, attributed to its diverse characters, unique mechanics, and a plethora of item combinations that create varied gameplay experiences. Many players report enjoying endless possibilities for builds and strategies, with some noting that the game can provide over 50 hours of engaging content. However, a few critiques mention that the difficulty scaling and some repetitive elements may slightly diminish long-term replay value for certain players.

    • “This game probably has the most replay value of any similar game I've played in the last several years.”
    • “The replayability is through the roof, highly recommend.”
    • “With so many secrets to uncover, items to find, and levels to complete, the replay value of this game is incredibly high.”
    • “Unfortunately, the replayability is a bit lacking.”
    • “This reduces replayability and build variety.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics
    160 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming and cute pixel art style that evokes nostalgia, though opinions vary on their overall quality. While many players appreciate the colorful and imaginative visuals, some criticize them for lacking polish and clarity, particularly in certain areas like town graphics and item differentiation. Overall, the art style is generally well-received for its cohesion and appeal, complementing the game's quirky mechanics and gameplay.

    • “The game’s visual style is colorful and pixelated, evoking a nostalgic yet fresh aesthetic that complements its quirky characters and imaginative item designs.”
    • “The graphics in the main portion of the game are lovely refined pixel art with a lot of charm.”
    • “Backpack hero is a charming game with stylized visuals and a solid rewarding game loop.”
    • “Paths not lining up symmetrically to the buildings, bridges looking wildly out of place, invisible boundaries causing aesthetic issues that are completely unnecessary; the list goes on and makes this section feel like an oversight.”
    • “The graphics make it hard to differentiate between some enemies or items, it lacks a lot of polish, some mechanics are superfluous or so convoluted to use that you ultimately won't, progression is way too grindy in story mode.”
    • “The graphics in the dungeon are decent, but the graphics in town are horrifyingly poor and the audio is so simple and repetitive that I just turn off the game's audio and play something else - not a good sign.”
  • stability
    134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues that can disrupt gameplay and lead to lost progress. While some players have managed to enjoy the game despite these problems, many describe it as a "buggy mess" that feels unfinished and unpolished, particularly in its story mode and user interface. Overall, the game's stability issues detract from the experience, making it difficult to recommend without caution.

    • “Its everything modern gaming isn't, great gameplay loop, great value for your money, no microtransactions, bug free, feature complete at launch.”
    • “Runs great.”
    • “Not very buggy; some things could be worked out to be smoother, maybe a setting to skip dialogue for those who don't care for it.”
    • “The game is buggy and explains itself poorly.”
    • “It's a great game but it is very buggy and has been abandoned.”
    • “A beautiful, buggy mess that's strangely addicting.”
  • grinding
    110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the story mode excessively tedious and repetitive, often requiring long hours to unlock content. While some enjoy the meta-progression and town-building elements, they also note that these features can feel like filler tasks that disrupt the pacing and enjoyment of the core gameplay. Overall, players appreciate the potential for fun and variety but are frustrated by the grindy nature of unlocking characters and items, which can detract from the overall experience.

    • “My only complaint is that on Steam Deck, or I assume controller, you have to rely on using a mouse or finagling with the joysticks as items may overlap. The town hall lets you look at the research, but hitting interact does nothing. A few quality of life improvements for controllers in general would be nice since it is a little tedious putting all the slime in my sack.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “No idea if the devs walked back their policy of nerfing any fun combos because I'm not grinding out easy enemies for hours.”
    • “The story mode locks away fun items behind grinding out runs, so you end up doing a whole bunch of runs with the same exact build (or very slight iterations on that build) because a lot of builds don't actually work well enough to win.”
    • “The core game loop is a bit tedious, and the meta-progression between games is simplistic and unsatisfying.”
    • “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.”
  • humor
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is frequently highlighted as one of its most appealing aspects, featuring whimsical characters, clever item descriptions, and amusing situations that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone and the comedic elements woven into the gameplay, making it both charming and engaging. The humor, often centered around funny animal characters and absurd scenarios, adds a delightful layer to the challenging mechanics, contributing to the game's replayability and enjoyment.

    • “One of the game’s most appealing qualities is its sense of humor and personality.”
    • “The characters, enemies, and item descriptions are often whimsical and humorous, adding a lighthearted tone to the challenging gameplay.”
    • “The game is hilarious, from the witty dialogue to the ridiculous situations you find yourself in.”
  • optimization
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging inventory management and the thrill of optimizing builds, while others criticize it for performance issues, bugs, and a lack of satisfying gameplay in certain areas. Many users noted that while the core mechanics allow for deep strategic planning, the overall experience can be marred by unoptimized elements and technical glitches. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy optimization but may frustrate players seeking a polished experience.

    • “Optimization and planning pays dividends when an ideal setup clicks into place and you just start steamrolling baddies, but you also have to be flexible enough to pivot your build if the right items don't drop for you.”
    • “The most addictive and unique element is the optimization of the backpack.”
    • “Truly brilliant concept that manages to make inventory optimization a game in and of itself!”
    • “So many worthless items and builds paired with enemies that punish you for being in any way unoptimized make every run feel identical to the last.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mix of wholesome enjoyment and frustration, with players appreciating its simplicity and charm while also expressing disappointment over unresolved issues and potential that feels unfulfilled. Many find it a light-hearted escape that can evoke both joy and mild anger, particularly through its engaging mechanics and character-building options. Overall, the game offers a balance of emotional investment without demanding deep strategic commitment, making it suitable for casual play.

    • “The story plot: very wholesomely simple, yet effective.”
    • “This is heartbreaking; this game has such potential, but it was abandoned by the dev to work on a new project, and the same save issues being brought up by the community haven't been fixed in over 2 years.”
    • “10/10 amazing game; made me feel rage and joy just because of that specific quest.”
  • character development
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking depth, with many players finding the writing uninspiring and the gameplay repetitive, leading to disengagement. However, the character designs are widely praised for their charm and personality, contributing to a visually appealing experience that enhances the overall aesthetic of the game. While the characters themselves may not be deeply developed, their endearing designs and memorable traits leave a positive impression on players.

    • “The character designs are full of personality and incredibly endearing.”
    • “The character design is equally stunning, with Matti being especially memorable, cute, and likable.”
    • “Great gameplay bundled with amazing art and character design.”
    • “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.”
    • “For now, I'd only ever recommend getting this game on a really good sale, and even then, only if you really like the demo and character designs.”
    • “The difference in character design is astonishing considering that the basics of the game have remained the same.”
  • atmosphere
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its charming pixel art, nostalgic animations, and a beautiful, relaxing soundtrack that collectively create an inviting and cheerful environment. Players appreciate the blend of retro vibes and engaging gameplay mechanics, which enhance the overall experience and draw them into the game world. The combination of these elements fosters a captivating atmosphere that resonates with both new and seasoned gamers.

    • “Its charming pixel art, lovable story, and fitting soundtrack create an inviting atmosphere that immediately draws players 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!”
    • “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, and let's not forget the music—it's beautiful, chill, and relaxing, giving this game an easy atmosphere to fall in love with!”
    • “The pixel art brings the retro vibes and adds to the atmosphere of the game really well.”
  • monetization
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism for its intrusive advertisements, particularly after a recent patch that cluttered the main screen with ads and promoted real-life merchandise. While players can exploit ad viewing to enhance their gameplay, the focus on monetization over addressing bugs and improving core mechanics has led to concerns about the game's overall quality and developer priorities.

    • “Unfortunately, a recent patch modified the main screen to be full of advertisements by the publisher.”
    • “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).”
    • “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.”
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85%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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34h Median play time
70h Average play time
4h Main story
184h Completionist
15-80h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 44 analyzed playthroughs
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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Backpack Hero is a casual role playing game.

Backpack Hero is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Web Browser, Mac OS and others.

The main story can be completed in around 4 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 184 hours to finish. On average players spend around 70 hours playing Backpack Hero.

Backpack Hero was released on August 15, 2022.

Backpack Hero was developed by GangsRobin.

Backpack Hero has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

Backpack Hero is a single player game.

Similar games include Backpack Hero, SpellRogue, Dice & Fold, Dungeon Clawler, Gordian Quest and others.