[REDACTED]

About

"Black Iron, a moonward penitentiary, is overrun with infected inmates. As a prison guard, escape via the last pod, but rivals including a custodian, gangster, and lunch lady are also vying for survival. Each death is a learning experience, allowing you to build up your loadout and purchase new weapons, suits, and skills. Only one can escape - make sure it's you."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 192 reviews

gameplay19 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game offers a refreshing take on the action roguelike genre, with a fast-paced rival system that encourages quick play and adds an exciting layer of competition.
It features a stylish art direction and engaging combat mechanics, with a satisfying variety of weapons and upgrades that enhance replayability.
The writing and humor add a fun element to the gameplay, making each run enjoyable and filled with personality.

The game can feel overly punishing, especially with the rival system and the difficulty scaling, which may frustrate players who prefer a more relaxed experience.
Melee weapons are often seen as less effective compared to ranged options, leading to a lack of variety in combat strategies.
There are complaints about the game's progression system being convoluted, with too many currencies and a slow meta-progression that can hinder the overall experience.

gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
59%
6%
The gameplay is often compared to "Hades," featuring a fast-paced, skill-based roguelike experience with a unique "rivals" mechanic that adds depth and competition. Players appreciate the satisfying combat, diverse weaponry, and engaging core mechanics, though some feel the introduction of game mechanics could be improved. While the game excels in action and polish, concerns about replayability and a lack of storytelling elements have been noted.
- “A surprisingly fun and fast roguelike with a satisfying amount of weapons to unlock, builds to try, and gameplay that relies more on skill expression than getting exactly the right RNG options.”
- “The core gameplay is fantastic, but the meat around that needs work.”
- “I love the rivals system they've implemented where an AI rival adds traps to rooms to hinder your progress, really interesting mechanic that adds depth.”
- “The game could do a slightly better job at introducing you to the game mechanics that they push as you start to settle into the core gameplay loops, but I didn't personally struggle with picking up on this.”
- “Really, I think the core problem is that all of the gameplay elements are bog-standard genre affectations without any real unique spark to them.”
- “Awful mechanic, easy uninstall.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
31%
8%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning, comic book-inspired art style, which is described as colorful, flashy, and polished. Players appreciate the unique visual effects and the overall aesthetic, which enhances the gameplay experience, although some express mixed feelings about the over-the-top nature of the art. Overall, the visuals, combined with engaging sound and controls, contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The graphics are beautiful to look at, like a comic book kind of style.”
- “Second, despite this being a smaller, less triple-A endeavor, the graphics here are absolutely stunning. They move fast, the particle effects are really cool looking, and there are a lengthy list of stylistic touches that I've never seen in a game before...it's probably the closest to playing a comic book.”
- “The art style is so fun with a professional and polished finish.”
- “I also hate the art style for the same reasons I listed above.”
- “Graphics look [spoiler]redacted[/spoiler] come on.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
35%
18%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and dynamic rock soundtrack, which enhances the fast-paced gameplay and vibrant art style. Many reviewers noted its punk rock influences and compared it favorably to other titles like Hades and Hi-Fi Rush, while some mentioned minor repetitiveness. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature that complements the game's unique mechanics and engaging atmosphere.
- “Its all accompanied by an excellent rock soundtrack and emphasis on speed clearing rooms and making progressively more overpowered builds.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and fresh, the dialogue is nice and not cringe.”
- “Fast paced action, tons of upgrades, excellent soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is okay, a bit repetitive and synthetic.”
- “It's as if Striking Distance looked at Hades and said 'forget it, let's do that' and took what they had, put some punk music in it that sounds right out of Sunset Overdrive and crafted a pretty unique action roguelike.”
- “Music is [spoiler]redacted[/spoiler] serious.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
13%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players initially finding it off-putting but later appreciating its evolution throughout gameplay. While the writing features a blend of cartoonish and occasionally genuinely funny moments, it can feel repetitive and dated over time. Overall, the humor adds a fun layer to the chaotic roguelike experience, complemented by engaging dialogue and character interactions.
- “Lastly, the dialogue is hilarious as the cherry on top.”
- “A fun roguelite action game with a decent infusion of humor.”
- “Fun combat and hilarious dialogue, but has a difficult learning curve.”
- “As annoying as it was to hear the voice of a mysterious observer mocking me with unfunny quips for getting hit or dying, the fact that he slowly changes his tune as the run progresses and he gains some confidence in you is actually pretty cool.”
- “Not playing a game like this for the story anyway--but it does take away from the fun when you're metaphorically jabbed in the ribs every two seconds by someone telling an unfunny joke.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The game's story is generally considered weak, with minimal narrative depth and character development compared to titles like Hades. While some players appreciate the charming character designs, many feel that the writing is subpar and that the focus on gameplay overshadows storytelling. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prioritize gameplay over narrative.
- “Great graphics, good story and dialogue.”
- “Nice story works great on deck.”
- “Storywise this one lags behind by some degree but it lacks the charm of Hades; other than that, highly recommendable if you're a fan of the roguelite genre.”
- “The character development and story aren't near the same level as Hades, but it's clear that was no accident.”
- “Very little storytelling; if that's what you dig about Hades, this game is not for you. The gameplay is the core of this one, with everything else sprinkled on top.”
- “Pretty bad writing with its speaking characters, particularly with the shadowy figure who follows you as a sort of semi-narrator for your journey. The other characters are decently charming and have good character design, but luckily this game isn't story-heavy like Hades where you can chat with NPCs, so you can just ignore what the characters are saying.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players find it extremely fun and appreciate the satisfying combat and meta progression, some express concerns about burnout and a lack of variety in boss options. The presence of diverse weapons and upgrades contributes positively to replay value, but not all players feel it sustains long-term engagement.
- “Extremely fun game, very replayable; combat is so satisfying.”
- “The game has very satisfying meta progression, and a good variety of weapons/upgrades that help to keep replayability high.”
- “Loving this game so far, it's got so much personality and is very replayable.”
- “The game offers many cool ideas and mechanics that would make it stand out from other action roguelites, but the replayability factor is not there, unfortunately. I haven't played 10 hours and I'm already burnt out.”
- “Different boss options would help replayability.”
- “So much replay value and I'm not done.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
Overall, the optimization of the game is highly praised, with users noting smooth performance, a lack of crashes or bugs, and impressive polish, especially for a UE title. However, there are mixed feelings regarding controls, particularly for keyboard and mouse users, which may affect the overall experience.
- “I'm surprised how well optimized it is for a UE game.”
- “Performance is fantastic.”
- “Smooth optimization; the polish is S-tier. I never had a crash, bug, or frame dip. The devs should be praised for that in this day and age.”
- “Maybe [redacted] is not optimized for keyboard and mouse, or perhaps I suck at roguelikes, but I am not having a great time playing this game.”
- “Performance is [spoiler]redacted[/spoiler] are you kidding me.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding in this game is considered more tedious than in Hades, lacking the narrative rewards that make the grind feel more meaningful. While the combat is enjoyable and the challenge is present, players may find the resource farming and upgrade system to be overly repetitive.
- “It is more grindy than Hades in its progression, without the added story bits that Hades gives you for your grind (nectar).”
- “I don't think it's objectively bad, but some may find it to be far too tedious.”
- “The loop of each run is farming specific resources to then unlock specific upgrades back at your base.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Character development in this game is considered weaker compared to titles like Hades, with criticism aimed at the writing and the semi-narrative role of a shadowy figure. While the character designs are praised and some characters are charming, the overall storytelling is not a focal point, allowing players to overlook dialogue if desired.
- “The other characters are decently charming and actually have pretty good character design to them as well.”
- “The character development and story aren't near the same level as Hades, but it's clear that was no accident.”
- “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack the depth needed to make their journeys engaging.”
- “I found the character arcs predictable and uninspired, making it hard to connect with them.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
While the game generally runs well and is visually impressive, some users have experienced freezing issues that can result in lost progress.
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
- “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never lags or stutters.”
- “The performance is impressive, providing a seamless experience throughout.”
- “The game freezes for the first time since I've started playing, and I lose all progression.”
- “I frequently experience crashes that disrupt my gameplay.”
- “The stability issues make it nearly impossible to enjoy the game without constant interruptions.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as surprisingly fair, with players expecting a typical cash grab but instead finding a well-crafted and enjoyable roguelike experience.