Rogue's Tale

About

Rogue's Tale is a single player role playing game with a historical theme. It was developed by Epixx.org and was released on March 28, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In Rogue's Tale, players explore procedurally generated dungeons as a rogue seeking to become a noble. Fight monsters, disarm traps, and acquire loot to build your character and uncover the mysteries of the cursed realm. Permadeath adds challenge, requiring strategic decisions and careful resource management.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 402 reviews

gameplay15 positive mentions

grinding17 negative mentions

A top tier rogue-like game with a clean art style and rewarding gameplay.
Offers a high level of difficulty that provides a satisfying challenge for players.
The heritage system adds good replayability and variety to the game.

Key binds are needlessly unintuitive, making gameplay frustrating.
The game can feel unfairly difficult due to random encounters and instant deaths.
Many players report that the RNG heavily dictates enjoyment, leading to frustrating experiences.

gameplay
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The gameplay of this roguelike title is characterized by a challenging and punishing loop that demands strategic thinking and mastery of its mechanics, which can be both rewarding and frustrating. While the game features a variety of interesting mechanics and a deep progression system, many players express dissatisfaction with the reliance on RNG and certain tedious mechanics, such as traps and searches, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite its steep learning curve and occasional unfairness, those who appreciate intricate gameplay and are willing to invest time in understanding its systems may find it highly engaging.
- “It's a niche title in an already niche genre, so it's relatively unknown, but it has one of the most robust and interesting (as well as punishing) gameplay loops of any roguelike I've played.”
- “It's got a highly addictive gameplay loop, and really compels you to get further with each attempt.”
- “While there is a little bit of a learning curve, once you understand the mechanics behind the four stats, you will realize that this game has an impeccable amount of balance and opportunities for unique playstyles.”
- “The search/trap mechanics are tedious and infuriating.”
- “It has potential, but much of the gameplay boils down to completely unfair RNG at times, and without a proper wiki other than some stuff the dev has on their website, you've got no clue what you're doing.”
- “Hours passed, and more hours of gameplay passed, and eventually I found that while I could learn some new tactics, ultimately I would be defeated by any random monster that landed a few lucky hits, no matter how conservatively I played.”
graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
67%
8%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet charming, with a clean art style that enhances gameplay without overwhelming the player. While some reviewers appreciate the minimalistic visuals for their clarity and character, others feel that the graphics could benefit from more detail and variety. Overall, the visuals are considered decent for a roguelike, contributing to the game's atmosphere despite some criticisms regarding graphical bugs and a lack of polish.
- “I like the clean art style and the overall feel of the game.”
- “The graphics are simple, but full of character and it's very clear what everything is.”
- “Don't be put off by the simple art style - this game is surprisingly deep and polished.”
- “Unsure whether graphical bug, simply extremely poorly implemented graphics, or both.”
- “Extremely watered down roguelike with terrible gamepad integration, confusing controls, and migraine-inducing visuals.”
- “It was challenging, but oddly addicting and I actually had a great time losing... but then they decided that the minimum resolution for this graphically non-demanding game would be 1920 x 1080 and literally can't display within the confines of my laptop screen.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game, where it often feels tedious and frustrating due to random deaths and the need for repetitive tasks, such as searching for traps. While some players appreciate the roguelite elements that encourage grinding for unlocks, many find the overall experience to be overly grindy and lacking in challenge, leading to a sense of boredom. Despite these criticisms, some players still find enjoyment in the game, albeit with the caveat of significant time investment for progression.
- “The game is fun for a while, then it becomes tedious and boring getting killed due to random encounters, random traps, and just plain random deaths.”
- “This one is too grindy and frustrating for a recommendation, even though I keep coming back to play it.”
- “All in all, the game can be fun if you get really, really lucky, but the heritages seem mostly impossible to unlock right now unless you want to spend 40+ hours grinding and starting over.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and content, with players noting that it feels minimal and underdeveloped compared to other titles. While there are quests that provide some narrative elements, many reviewers express a desire for a more engaging storyline, similar to other games they recommend. Overall, the consensus is that the game prioritizes mechanics over storytelling, resulting in a less satisfying narrative experience.
- “In between dungeons, you can undertake a quest, which is itself a kind of dungeon, but with a bit of story to it.”
- “I understand that if you can reach level 20, then you will have the opportunity to undertake a quest that will see you facing the boss of the game, but I haven't managed to make it that far.”
- “At first, getting experience was hard, but now there are a few quests that you can do, and there are several new types of monsters to add variety, and even have elemental alignments, and therefore, weaknesses.”
- “This game has almost no story content.”
- “It has, similar to The Binding of Isaac and Spelunky, simple mechanics and no real story.”
- “The development was slow, and almost seemed non-existent.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a mix of tongue-in-cheek humor and absurdity, providing a lighthearted experience that contrasts with more immersive roguelikes. Players find the humor both exhilarating and frustrating, with moments of comedic failure, such as dying unexpectedly, adding to the overall enjoyment. While the early game is described as silly and funny, the humor is ultimately seen as a source of entertainment rather than mockery.
- “There is plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor, so it's not as truly immersive of a title as some roguelikes, but seeing a successful character build truly take off is always enjoyable.”
- “Each adventure is different, exhilarating, and hilariously frustrating.”
- “Early game is very specific, funny but silly, like in Android games.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
28%
29%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, largely due to its heritage system and procedural dungeon generation, which keeps each playthrough fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the challenge and variety, with many noting they have died numerous times while still eager to return. However, some suggest that additional themes could enhance the experience further, though the existing content is already substantial.
- “The heritage system gives the game good replayability.”
- “Punishing in a good way, and lots of replay value!”
- “Because it is a roguelike and has procedurally generated dungeons, the replayability is through the roof.”
- “Like most games in this category, it's got replayability, and a lot of it (unless you get cornered by a demon and stabbed to death).”
- “There are nice touches, like little torches on the walls and campfire lighting being important, but it needs more themes to make it more replayable. Although this is very minor, there is a lot of content here.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is described as atmospheric but sparse, with some players noting the repetitive sounds during combat as unobtrusive. However, the use of the same royalty-free music as another game has disappointed some users, leading to a desire for more variety in the soundtrack. Overall, while the art style is appreciated, the music has been a significant point of contention for players.
- “+ nice art style and music.”
- “Although I wished there was more variety in the music.”
- “That is very sad; I know it is royalty-free music, but the exact same playlist?”
- “Although I wish there was more variety in the music.”
- “The sounds and music are fairly sparse, but quite atmospheric, and the repetitive sounds of things like combat are kept unobtrusive.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game's stability has been criticized for buggy controls and difficulty spikes, particularly with the end boss mechanics, which can lead to frustrating experiences. While some players do not view it as a cash grab, the lack of a tutorial and the overall gameplay feel reminiscent of an unfinished product detracts from the experience.
- “It's not buggy or some cash grab or anything like that.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or major issues.”
- “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it allows me to fully immerse myself in the experience.”
- “No tutorial, buggy controls, and too difficult even on 'Don't Kill Me' difficulty level.”
- “It felt to me like playing an old, buggy version of Rogue where the end boss can spawn one step from you when you enter the dungeon.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model is generally well-received, with users noting that it is fair and not exploitative, avoiding issues like bugs or cash grab tactics.
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I feel pressured to spend money to enjoy the game fully, which is frustrating.”
- “The in-game purchases are way too expensive for what they offer, making it hard to justify spending.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in this game is heavily influenced by the randomness of the map, which guides players down specific paths and limits their choices. This design choice creates a unique experience but may feel restrictive for those seeking more freedom in character progression.
- “What this game does is guide your character development along specific paths, influenced by the randomness of the map.”
- “What this game does is force your character development into certain paths using the randomness of the map to do it.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by sparse yet immersive sounds and music, complemented by unobtrusive combat noises. While the graphics are minimal, they effectively enhance the overall ambiance, making for a highly recommended experience that keeps players focused and engaged.
- “The sounds and music are fairly sparse, but quite atmospheric, and the repetitive sounds of things like combat are kept unobtrusive.”
- “Highly recommended, the graphics are minimal, but it is very atmospheric in the sense of being immersed and focused.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, highlighting feelings of loss and frustration due to the inability to recover old accounts, which represents a significant investment of time. Despite these challenges, there is a sense of hope and anticipation for the emotional payoff that comes with completing the game.
- “Wiping out old accounts without the possibility to directly renew them made me feel the loss of almost 79 hours.”
- “I've put up with this constant heartbreaking depression because I know when I finally beat this game, I might just 'glaze my cinnamon bun' right there at that moment.”