Rogue Stormers
- July 17, 2015
- Black Forest Games
- 4h median play time
Rogue Stormers takes place in a fantasy action setting with a run and gun tint. If you think "Contra meets Metroid" you'll get the gist.
Rogue Stormers is a run'n'gun game with roguelike elements for up to four players in local and online multiplayer mode. Dying in a mission will allow you to keep earned perks which allow your character to grow stronger with each new raid. You'll delve further and further with each session until you finally defeat the final boss.
Reviews
- Fun and challenging gameplay that combines platforming and roguelite elements.
- Great graphics and character designs, with a variety of unlockable characters and perks.
- Solid couch co-op experience, making it enjoyable to play with friends.
- Frequent crashes and bugs that hinder gameplay, especially in multiplayer.
- Lack of a proper save system, forcing players to restart levels upon death.
- Controls can be unresponsive and the game can feel grindy without enough variation.
- gameplay53 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally praised for its solid roguelite mechanics, smooth controls, and engaging platformer/twinstick shooter style, reminiscent of classic titles like Contra and Metal Slug. However, some players express concerns about mandatory farming mechanics, a lack of save options, and occasional bugs that can disrupt the experience. Overall, while the gameplay is fun and varied, it is marred by some technical issues and design choices that may detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Solid roguelite gameplay in a platformer/twinstick shooter package.”
“The gameplay itself feels reasonably smooth; the jitters and frame jumps are very rare, if not non-existent.”
“Gameplay: there is a good bit of risk/reward in choosing whether to continue exploring the map and risk dying/excess damage, or to simply move onto the boss at the risk of being underpowered.”
“Where Rogue Stormers falls short is in its save mechanic--or lack thereof.”
“Due to the groundhog day nature of the game's mechanics and the lack of a healthy online population, I cannot recommend this title at full price.”
“Boring gameplay with little of interest to focus on.”
- graphics51 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and artistic design, with many reviewers noting the refreshing and nostalgic aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience. However, some players have pointed out issues such as graphical anomalies and difficulties in distinguishing elements on screen due to the small size of graphics. Overall, while the visuals are appealing, there are suggestions for further refinement to improve clarity and polish.
“I love the graphics, I love the character concepts, and story snippets...”
“For a game that works on low-end hardware, the artwork is beautiful.”
“The graphics are amazing, the enemies are varied and fun to kill, and the boss fights are suitably intense.”
“Graphical anomalies.”
“Tiny graphics; I love the design choice, but at the same time, it's hard to tell what is what on the screen.”
“Had the devs taken a few extra months to clean up the visuals, sounds, and quality of life improvements, it would feel a lot better.”
- story34 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered forgettable, with some players noting that it lacks depth despite having a fun thematic presentation and extensive lore. While there are unlockable story snippets that provide context, many reviewers feel that the gameplay and replayability take precedence over a compelling narrative. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the arcade-style action rather than a central focus.
“Thematically, it's fun - I love the character designs, all characters play rather differently, and the game has some bit of attitude in its rather extensive lore. Though I feel like with the way you unlock pieces of lore, I would hope there is a deeper rooted backstory.”
“Arcade rogue-like platformer with an excellent backstory and refreshing, almost nostalgic, graphics.”
“There is a little bit of story flavor included as unlockable scrolls phrased as newspaper articles which explain what's going on between the good guys and Baron Von Whatsisface.”
“Truth be told, the story doesn't matter.”
“Characters and story are forgettable, but the gameplay is smooth.”
“Although it might upset players who prefer a storyline campaign, if you like story, you could watch a movie. What a game really needs are surprise and replayability.”
- stability16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game is currently plagued by significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported by users, leading to a generally unoptimized experience. While it runs well on high-end systems, the overall consensus is that it is not recommended in its current state, especially given its early access status.
“It runs great on my Lenovo ThinkPad T440p that operates on Ubuntu.”
“It runs great on my desktop PC with an i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a GTX 1050 Ti.”
“I wouldn't recommend it at present due to it being incredibly buggy.”
“Terrible unoptimized and buggy co-op roguelite shooter.”
“Was a buggy mess when I played it.”
- grinding15 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively repetitive and tedious, particularly when pursuing 100% completion. While some accept grinding as a necessary mechanic, the lack of variation and the need to repeatedly restart missions contribute to a frustrating experience. Overall, the grinding for XP and upgrades is seen as a significant drawback that detracts from the game's potential enjoyment.
“The 100% completion route is very repetitive and grindy.”
“Took me around 18 hours to complete a full run and kill both end bosses...after days and days of grinding.”
“The sheer amount of grinding for XP involved is just stupid.”
- music12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its atmospheric fit and decent quality, others find it repetitive or unappealing, leading them to mute it in favor of their own playlists. Overall, it serves its purpose but may not stand out for everyone.
“I love the art, the music fits, the 5 characters fulfill their role pretty well and I am completely caught in the atmosphere.”
“- decent soundtrack”
“I actually don't remember if there was music in it; it was a dry cut.”
“My only real complaint so far is that the music is somewhat repetitive.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating its quirky elements and clever references, such as the goblins' connection to Gwyneth Paltrow's "Goop." The steampunk art style complements the comedic tone, making the game enjoyable despite its limited features. Overall, the humor adds significant charm, making it a worthwhile experience for players.
“The steampunk-like art and the humor are great, so who says Germans have no humor.”
“One funny detail is that the goblins come from an organization called Goop -- which, funny enough, is the 'alternative medicine' company that Gwyneth Paltrow runs.”
“The whole setting is quite funny.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers strong replayability through its co-op play and roguelite elements, appealing to fans of procedural generation and surprise. However, some players find the replay value lacking due to uninteresting characters and a preference for a more narrative-driven experience.
“A much better Turrican with co-op play + roguelite = a lot of fun replayability.”
“I love procedurally generated games that give you surprises and replayability.”
“Although it might upset players who prefer a storyline campaign, what a game really needs are surprises and replayability.”
“The replay value of the game is somewhat lackluster and the characters are not that interesting.”
“Although it might upset players who prefer a storyline campaign, if you like story, you could watch a movie. What a game really needs are surprises and replayability.”
“I love procedurally generated games that provide surprises and replayability.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its poor optimization, resulting in significant performance issues even on high-end systems, alongside numerous bugs. While players find it enjoyable, they believe it has the potential to be much better if optimization improvements are made.
“Lots of fun right now, could be crazy good when optimized.”
“Sadly, it's not optimized and is therefore heavily taxing very good systems based on community reports.”
“Terrible unoptimized and buggy co-op roguelite shooter.”
“[lacks enemy variety, expensive, poorly optimized]”
- character development4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its fun thematic elements and unique character designs, with each character offering distinct gameplay styles. However, some players express a desire for a more profound backstory, as the current lore feels somewhat fragmented despite its extensive nature.
“Thematically, it's fun - I love the character designs. All characters play rather differently, and the game has a bit of attitude in its extensive lore. Though I feel like with the way you unlock pieces of lore, I would hope there is a deeper rooted backstory.”
“Character designs are interesting.”
“Thematically, it's fun - I love the character designs. All characters play rather differently, and the game has a bit of attitude in its extensive lore.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the captivating art style and fitting music that enhance the experience. The well-defined roles of the five characters contribute to an immersive environment that fully engages players.
“I love the art, the music fits, the five characters fulfill their roles pretty well, and I am completely caught in the atmosphere.”
Critic Reviews
Rogue Stormers (PC) Review
Rogue Stormers takes place in a fantasy action setting with a run and gun tint. If you think "Contra meets Metroid" you'll get the gist.
55%Rogue Stormers Review
Rogue Stormers does an interesting genre mixing of platforming, run-and-gun, and RPG elements. On paper this seems like it could be pretty cool, however, it's all very slow given the genre, and there is not much really going on beyond crawling forward a little at a time and killing trash mobs running forward. There are perks, equipment, and other RPG trappings, but they are just filler that do not get around the main problem that this simply isn't that fun. Its style and ideas are interesting, but each level feels the same, and the very root of the entire system is not interesting enough to really encourage any desire to play for any length of time.
50%Rogue Stormers Review
Rogue Stormers just isn't a package that can be easily recommended. The difficulty is largely unfair, including enemies who don't die when they should, and come at you in groups of 30 strong. While there's nothing wrong with the controls or artwork, there's nothing really noteworthy either. Rogue Stormers is a bland experience when it works, and a hair pulling experience when it doesn't.
50%