Deflector

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Deflector is a high-octane bullet hell roguelite set in a deadly world. Upgrade your characters with the DNA you find, evolve them further during your runs and explore the farthest reaches of this microcosm… or die trying.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 174 reviews

gameplay26 positive mentions

grinding9 negative mentions

Deflector offers a unique and rewarding deflection mechanic that enhances gameplay, allowing players to turn enemy projectiles against them.
The game features a variety of interesting character classes, each with unique abilities and playstyles, adding depth and replayability.
The visual design and soundtrack are highly praised, creating an engaging atmosphere that complements the fast-paced action.

Some players find the game lacks content and can become repetitive after a few runs, leading to a sense of boredom.
The difficulty spikes, particularly with bosses, can feel unfair and frustrating due to unclear attack patterns and visual clutter.
Unlocking new characters and upgrades can be tedious and grindy, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.

gameplay
61 mentions
43 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique blend of hack-and-slash, bullet-hell, and roguelite mechanics, offering a polished and addictive experience with a strong emphasis on skillful deflection and combat fluidity. While the variety of character classes and abilities adds depth, some players feel that the differences between characters could be more pronounced, and certain gameplay elements may become tedious over time. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging mechanics, beautiful design, and challenging yet satisfying combat, making it a strong recommendation for fans of the genre.
- “With a primary, deflect, active, and passive ability each, as well as a handful of character-specific perks, the classes add a lot of depth to gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is addictive, the fluidity and frenzy in combat immerses you in a dizzying experience.”
- “The mix of hack-and-slash, bullet-hell, and roguelite gameplay elements make for a unique and engaging experience.”
- “The difficulty of the bosses is truly absurd, with you being showered in projectiles that you can't deflect, and you are perpetually being hit by stuff with zero warning and zero projection, which to me is just not enjoyable.”
- “It looks pretty and flashy, but the gameplay simply doesn't hold up for repeated play, and the charm quickly wears off as frustration starts setting in from the questionable at best, downright stupid at worst decisions the development team has made up to the release of the game.”
- “Despite the two new game modes, the core gameplay loop remains the same and is just as tedious as it was before release.”
music
41 mentions
68 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high quality, fitting themes, and energetic metalcore tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. While some users noted a few less favorable tracks, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment, making it a standout feature. Many players expressed a desire for the soundtrack to be available for purchase, highlighting its impact on the game's personality and immersion.
- “The soundtrack is full of metalcore bangers that wouldn't sound out of place on an After the Burial or Unearth album.”
- “The music is fantastic and gives the game so much more personality.”
- “The combat can get pretty intense and honestly the soundtrack does a lot to make that happen.”
- “The music in the robot zone was so bad that it made me want to uninstall, but I can just mute it and listen to Spotify, so that's okay.”
- “Muting the soundtrack feels like neutering the game entirely.”
- “-bad music”
graphics
30 mentions
57 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique and stylish aesthetic, blending biopunk and monster horror elements with a minimalist approach that enhances readability during gameplay. While many players appreciate the vibrant and engaging visuals, some note that the cluttered design can occasionally hinder gameplay clarity, particularly during intense boss encounters. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, complemented by an immersive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- “Plus, the game looks great: the aesthetic style is very cool, being part biopunk and part monster horror, and the soundtrack is full of metalcore bangers that wouldn't sound out of place on an After the Burial or Unearth album.”
- “The aesthetics speak for themselves - I love when an indie game does something different than just pixel art, plus the clearly stylized design helps with readability, which is always a plus in such a hectic game.”
- “Graphics are stellar, no question there.”
- “The art style is kinda minimalist which I think is part of the charm.”
- “The visuals are clearly more important to the devs than the play, and yet both visuals and audio seem like they were designed to annoy and obstruct--boring would be an improvement.”
- “- lack of clear visuals on some bosses (it's 100% certain that you will die to bosses at least a couple of times - some attack patterns are almost too fast to react)”
grinding
9 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while some players find the grinding aspect of the game comparable to other titles like "Dead Cells" and "Hades," many feel it is excessive and tedious, particularly due to the challenging unlock requirements and repetitive boss fights. The metaprogression system is criticized for being low-impact and not rewarding enough, leading to a perception that the grind detracts from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay. However, some believe that future updates may improve the experience and make the grind feel more worthwhile.
- “Metaprogression doesn't feel like it's worth grinding and bosses are the same at the end of each stage.”
- “Quite fun gameplay, but too much content (abilities, characters) is locked behind stupid and tedious challenges, like defeating a boss without using your primary or class skill. That takes an incredibly long time because deflect does low damage and bosses have a truckload of HP, plus it's hard.”
- “Despite the two new game modes, the core gameplay loop remains the same and is just as tedious as it was before release.”
replayability
8 mentions
50 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers high replayability with a wealth of unique gimmicks, unlockable characters, and interesting enemies and bosses. However, some players feel it lacks the addictive hook found in other roguelites, which may affect long-term engagement. Despite this, the easy-to-learn controls and substantial content contribute positively to its replay value.
- “Fun, replayable, and tons of unique gimmicks to use.”
- “High replay value especially because you need to unlock new characters.”
- “There is a mountain of content for an early access title as far as characters and replayability goes to boot.”
- “There is a mountain of content for an early access title as far as characters and replayability goes.”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its innovative character classes and design, which contribute to a rich gameplay experience. Players appreciate the unique mechanics and the depth of character options, making it a standout in the roguelike and dungeon crawler genres. Overall, the game's character development is seen as a significant strength, enhancing both combat and player engagement.
- “The deflection mindset is further baked into all aspects of the game, including character design, and Deflector might have some of the most interesting character classes in recent memory.”
- “Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good roguelike or dungeon crawler, smooth and satisfying combat, good visuals, fantastic soundtrack, great character design, unique mechanics, and responsive developers. I can't wait to see what else this game has coming in the future.”
- “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, lacking the depth and complexity that I was hoping for.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and lacking in meaningful growth throughout the game.”
- “The choices I made during character development seemed to have little impact on the overall story, making it feel like a missed opportunity.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users find the game's humor to be promising and entertaining, with one reviewer highlighting its fun mechanics and engaging soundtrack. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the gaming experience.
- “I'm sorry to write this, because the game seems very promising and funny.”
- “Very fun game! The humor in the parry mechanics is hilarious, and the soundtrack is fantastic.”
story
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The story is characterized as simple yet engaging, complemented by vibrant visuals and enjoyable combat. However, some players feel that it lacks depth, suggesting that it may not fully satisfy those seeking a more intricate narrative experience.
- “Not even 3 hours in and it's a glorious spell of colors, fantastic combat, and an amazing yet simple story, characters, and goals.”
- “I must admit, I am a 'mechanics first' guy, and still, I felt something was missing in terms of the story.”
- “The plot felt disjointed and lacked the depth needed to engage players fully.”
- “Character development was shallow, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is significantly enhanced by its effective soundtrack, which complements the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack works great for the atmosphere of the game.”