Slasher's Keep
- November 19, 2020
- Damian Schloter
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam"Slasher's Keep" is a roguelike dungeon crawler where players must navigate through procedurally generated levels filled with traps, puzzles, and monsters. Choose your character class, collect weapons and gear, and fight to survive while uncovering the mysteries of the keep. Permadeath and randomized elements ensure a unique experience with each playthrough.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique art style and charming graphics that enhance the overall experience.
- Engaging combat mechanics with a focus on timing and strategy, including a parry system.
- Satisfying progression system that allows players to retain skills and items for future runs.
- Significant difficulty spikes after the first boss, making later levels frustratingly hard.
- Mandatory platforming sections that feel out of place and can lead to cheap deaths.
- Bugs and collision issues that can result in getting stuck on objects or soft-locking the game.
- gameplay335 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating elements, with many players appreciating the unique art style and addictive dungeon-crawling loop. While combat mechanics and progression systems are generally well-received, issues such as lack of enemy diversity, clunky movement, and a steep difficulty curve detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game offers a rewarding experience for those who enjoy roguelite elements and are willing to navigate its quirks.
“The gameplay is smooth and a blast to play.”
“Fantastic fighting mechanics, sound design, and quirky yet unforgettable art style -- all made by one developer!”
“The gameplay loop is so much fun and new elements keep popping up.”
“The gameplay is sluggish and punishing, the build variety is disappointing, and the UI seems to be missing a couple of modern quality of life features, such as item comparisons and quick slots for consumables.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay feels bland, and the difficulty feels too high for how basic the combat is.”
“The rooms get repetitive quite soon, which makes the gameplay stale and boring.”
- graphics265 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Slasher's Keep" are widely praised for their unique and charming art style, which combines retro 2D and 3D elements reminiscent of classic games. Many players appreciate the colorful, cartoonish visuals and the nostalgic atmosphere they create, although some note that the simplistic graphics may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature that enhances the game's appeal, despite occasional issues with hitboxes and performance.
“The art style is fantastic and really helps with the atmosphere.”
“Amazing artwork and style :)”
“I love the unique graphics, the weapons, the sound effects, and the combat.”
“The graphics aren't anything fancy, so it will have no problem running on older systems or not very powerful systems.”
“While the graphics are probably the most polarizing aspect of the game, the combat, gameplay loop, and overall feel of the game is truly an achievement!”
“My graphic card is GTX 1080, but the game is still laggy for me, making the enemies 'teleport' from time to time and impossible to block.”
- music72 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its charm and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others find it repetitive or lacking in variety. Some players appreciate the relaxing and engaging qualities of the soundtrack, noting that it complements the gameplay well, while a few express disappointment over its minimalistic nature and low volume. Overall, the music is generally seen as a positive aspect, contributing to the game's unique character and experience.
“The music, gameplay, and the feel of the game is right; just need to get a sense of balancing as you progress.”
“The soundtrack is filled with these plucky, mellow guitar strums that create this weird mix of coziness and tension, and each area has its own themes and instruments that really come together to create engaging environments that you won't forget.”
“I love the music for this game; it knows exactly how to set the mood.”
“Good mechanics, great levels and obstacles, combat is a little boring at first (not very unique I mean) but once you get into the groove of it becomes fun, aesthetics are really good but the music sucks if I'm being frank, just boring guitar strumming and picking.”
“The music is very quiet even turned up and isn't all that good.”
“There's basically no music, apart from an incessant little lute/guitar solo that is just about catchy enough to prevent complete insanity.”
- story61 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by its unique character-driven narratives, with each playable character offering a distinct backstory that unfolds as players progress through the dungeon. While the overarching plot is relatively simple and often secondary to gameplay, the fragmented storytelling through journal entries and environmental details adds an intriguing layer to the experience. Overall, the story enhances the game without being overly complex, providing enough motivation for exploration and character development.
“I absolutely adore the aesthetics and the plot (at least of the characters I played as, every character has a different story that unlocks as you progress) is surprisingly good for a dungeon crawler.”
“The story (told in notes between levels) is intriguing enough to keep going, and you keep enough progress (via experience levels and skills) every death to still feel like you're making progress.”
“Each character has a story that is revealed to you as you progress in the game.”
“Story is meaningless; in my 20 or so runs, I have 0 idea why I'm in a dungeon or why I need to go up instead of out.”
“The story itself is told through basically journal entries that are given to you in the loading screen between levels, which are character specific depending on the race you are playing as.”
“I imagine that many people would feel that the gameplay lacks depth, that the mechanics and story are too shallow to allow for any replays, or that the level layout gets tiring quickly.”
- grinding54 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, often detracting from the overall enjoyment. Many players find the gameplay loop frustrating, as it requires constant backtracking and farming for upgrades, leading to a sense of monotony. While some appreciate the challenge and potential rewards of grinding, the overwhelming sentiment is that it becomes a chore rather than an engaging mechanic.
“Unfortunately, due to the tedious grind the game wishes you to perform, your best bet is always dumping the best gear you can find at a chute, going back and killing every monster, rinse and repeat ad nauseum.”
“To be clear: this game gets extremely repetitive, grindy, boring and frustrating very, very quickly.”
“It's extremely tedious and repetitive; it's not like many other roguelike games where you are pretty much guaranteed to win based on your skill level.”
- humor48 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its humor, which is described as cheeky, subtle, and often hilarious, enhancing the overall experience of dungeon crawling. Players enjoy the funny weapon crafting system and amusing environmental details, such as humorous posters and quirky sound effects. While some reviews note that the humor may not be consistently strong, the unique art style and comedic elements contribute to a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
“I adore the weapon crafting system and love making a funny face-on-a-stick and then bashing enemies with it.”
“The combat is satisfying and at times hilarious.”
“Thematically, Slasher's Keep knows not to take itself seriously; everything about it is funny and strange.”
- replayability38 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, largely due to its procedural generation, character progression, and varied gameplay experiences. Many players appreciate the randomization of dungeons, enemies, and items, which ensures that no two runs are the same, contributing to a fun and addictive experience. However, some reviews note that the replay value may diminish after reaching certain milestones, indicating a potential lack of depth compared to other roguelikes.
“This game is incredibly fun with tons of replay value.”
“The floors of the dungeons, enemies you encounter, perks you get, and weapons you come across are always randomized, giving the game a ton of replayability.”
“In combination with procedural generation, looting offers replayability by ensuring you will never have the same loadout twice.”
“There's not a huge amount of mechanical depth or level and enemy variety like you'd find in other rogue-like dungeoners (Binding of Isaac or Gungeon), so replayability is much lower in comparison.”
“Once you beat floor 10, there isn't much replayability.”
“Typical dungeon crawler with 0 replay value.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its fantastic art style, engaging music, and unique blend of humor and nostalgia, creating an immersive experience that keeps players returning. Many reviewers highlight the combination of stylish graphics and sound effects that contribute to a captivating dungeon environment, although some note that certain areas may lack depth. Overall, the atmosphere is described as vibrant, entertaining, and integral to the game's appeal.
“The art, music, voices, sound effects, atmosphere, and occasional silliness all come together to deliver a truly unique and entertaining experience that keeps me coming back.”
“The atmosphere is top notch, and it's satisfying to gather the various pieces of gear.”
“The dungeon lacks any kind of atmosphere.”
“I really like the game, I haven't played that much of it but from what I've played I can't help but say that the art style and atmosphere are fantastic; however, I am not a fan of the side swinging attack movements. To elaborate, I don't like the fact that your whole body moves with the swing; just something about it doesn't feel right, and besides, what's the point when you can just block, attack, block, attack? At that point, it kinda seems redundant.”
“I really love the janky, retro, high fantasy atmosphere of the game that does not take itself too seriously.”
- stability22 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as unresponsive controls, infinite healing enemies, and game crashes. Many users express frustration over the game's mechanics, particularly in challenging scenarios where platforming and combat become nearly impossible due to these issues. While some acknowledge the game's potential, the overwhelming consensus is that its current state is too unstable for a smooth gaming experience.
“I'm supposed to run to avoid bullets but I can't run, I can't open the inventory for the invincibility potions, and I can't open the pause screen to quit the game to reload, so I die and get punished for playing permadeath on a buggy game.”
“The number of bugs and balancing issues that exist in the game's current state make progression touch-and-go at best, and genuinely impossible at worst. Force closing the game every time you get stuck because of buggy platforms or falling through floors during challenge rooms is... well, it's not fun.”
“It's just simply too buggy and janky to work on a gameplay level.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -14 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues even on capable hardware. Bugs, such as UI misalignment at lower resolutions, and overall choppy animations and gameplay contribute to a frustrating experience, leading many to recommend against the game until improvements are made.
“The progression is neat - previous runs accumulate or hinder you based on your performance.”
“The optimization of the game allows for a seamless experience, enhancing both gameplay and enjoyment.”
“The balance between challenge and reward is well-optimized, making each run feel meaningful.”
“I understand that I don't exactly have a state-of-the-art gaming rig; however, as of writing this review, it is poorly optimized and has a bug where the UI clicks to a different location if you change to a lower resolution.”
“However, I feel like people should understand that this game is not optimized well at all and will strain your hardware way more than you think it will.”
“The game is not optimized well at all, as my computer can run AAA games without breaking a sweat.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of emotional highs and lows in their experiences with the game. The initial excitement of progressing through dungeons is often overshadowed by frustration from vague mechanics and punishing death penalties, leading to feelings of disappointment and a sense of futility, ultimately resulting in some players choosing to uninstall the game.
“Feels great to get through the first dungeon and then you are like, 'Oh my god, there is a new dungeon!' It feels different, it's got different mechanics, and man, it made me feel like I actually progressed somewhere.”
“It's heartbreaking when you die after crafting the ultimate weapon.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is considered fair, as players feel the purchase price aligns well with the quality and experience delivered, matching the expectations set by its advertising. The game effectively combines engaging roguelike elements with a distinctive art style, enhancing its overall value.
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in "Slasher's Keep" is highlighted as a significant aspect, offering a more fleshed-out RPG experience compared to typical FPS roguelites. Players appreciate the inclusion of crafting and inventory management, which adds depth to the gameplay, even if the action is less intense. Overall, it appeals to fans looking for a balance between rogue-like mechanics and character progression.
“I was looking for a distraction and this was on sale. I saw that each level was randomly generated, and it had a rogue-like flavor, but included some character development and even crafting.”
“Overall, I would definitely recommend Slasher's Keep to fans of FPS roguelites, as long as you know it is a little less action-packed in terms of high-octane combat and more fleshed out in RPG elements like the inventory and character development.”
“I was looking for a distraction and this was on sale. I saw that each level was randomly generated, and that it had a rogue-like flavor, but included some character development and even crafting.”
“So overall, I would definitely recommend Slasher's Keep to fans of FPS roguelites as long as you know it is a little less action-packed in terms of high-octane combat and more fleshed out in RPG elements like the inventory and character development side of things.”
