The Ouroboros King

About

"The Ouroboros King" is a challenging precision platformer where players control a mysterious snake-like creature. Traverse through neon-lit, geometric levels filled with deadly traps and obstacles. The game features a unique mechanic that allows you to rewind time, adding a strategic element to the fast-paced gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 288 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique twist on chess with a variety of new pieces and mechanics, making it engaging for fans of both chess and roguelikes.
The adjustable difficulty settings allow players to tailor their experience, making it accessible for both casual players and those seeking a challenge.
The game has a fun and creative concept, with many interesting interactions between pieces and relics that can lead to unique strategies.

The AI can be frustratingly unbalanced, often leading to situations where it makes poor decisions or gets stuck in infinite checks, detracting from the overall experience.
The game lacks substantial content and replayability, with many players feeling that it becomes repetitive after a few runs due to limited variety in encounters and upgrades.
Some pieces and mechanics are overpowered or poorly balanced, leading to situations where certain strategies dominate, making the game feel less strategic and more reliant on luck.

gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
58%
12%
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of strategic mechanics and roguelike elements, offering a variety of units and interactions that can be engaging, though some players find the experience short-lived and lacking in cohesion. While the game provides a satisfying challenge with a learning curve and encourages experimentation with different strategies, it suffers from balance issues and can become repetitive after a few hours. Overall, the mechanics are enjoyable and rewarding, but the gameplay could benefit from additional depth and replayability features.
- “I really like the strategy-based gameplay.”
- “The gameplay makes you think but is also very rewarding.”
- “Enticing gameplay, wide variety of units allows for replayability with different strategies.”
- “The gameplay loop of collecting pieces and upgrading them is so short-lived there's no time to get invested, and pieces are balanced by changing the enemy's composition, not in comparison to each other.”
- “There's a lot of cool ideas here like the rocks and how pieces interact with them, but there's no cohesion; so few of the game mechanics interact with one another.”
- “I think it could do with some more replayability, however, as the mechanics begin to get a bit stale around the 3-5 hour mark.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's story is generally perceived as simplistic and forgettable, with many players expressing a desire for more depth and content. While some appreciate the cute art and potential for replayability, the narrative elements are often described as bland and lacking complexity, leading to a sense of disappointment. Overall, players hope for future updates that could enhance the story and gameplay experience.
- “The game has a nice yet extraordinarily simple storyline, cute art, and lots of replayability.”
- “I love the game, it's amazing; sadly not much content at the moment, but I'm strongly hoping to see some more pieces and some more to the story. This is a great experience, I can't wait to see what the developer has planned.”
- “Fairy chess with a story.”
- “The presentation is serviceable at best, the soundtrack gets grating quickly, and the story is boring.”
- “It doesn't look like there are complex strategies worth discovering, and the game's story (which was pretty forgettable to begin with) would just repeat itself.”
- “Lastly, I think I expected a story of some sort, but it was kind of just PNGs; this made me kind of sad, but I understand not wanting one.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
Overall, the game offers good replayability with various strategies and content, appealing to players who enjoy exploring different approaches. However, some users note that the experience can feel limited after a few hours, particularly due to the absence of an endless mode and a finite storyline. While many appreciate the replay value, there are suggestions for further enhancements to maintain long-term engagement.
- “The game has a nice yet extraordinarily simple storyline, cute art, and lots of replayability.”
- “Simple and effective game with a ton of replay value considering the price.”
- “On the other hand, it is rather short and replayability is limited.”
- “Enticing gameplay, wide variety of units allows for replayability with different strategies, but does not have an endless mode.”
- “I think it could do with some more replayability; however, the mechanics begin to get a bit stale around the 3-5 hour mark.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the pleasant soundtrack and its alignment with the game's vibe, others find it repetitive and grating over time. Overall, the presentation of the music is considered adequate, but it may not enhance the gaming experience for everyone.
- “The vibe and style of the game are very nice in my opinion, with a lovely soundtrack to go with it.”
- “I don't know why I can't move any pieces or turn off the music.”
- “The music is repetitive and gets annoying after a while.”
- “The soundtrack feels out of place and doesn't match the game's theme.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing character designs, such as funny chess pieces and quirky robots, which add a lighthearted touch. However, some players find that certain overpowered units, while initially entertaining, can lead to repetitive gameplay and diminish the humor over time.
- “The chess pieces are hilarious!”
- “Haha, the funny robot just goes brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!”
- “Some units are really overpowered and can defeat every enemy easily, like the martyr. It's funny at first, but it gets boring quickly. I usually just reset until I get the rook, viking, and leper, and then I win every time.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with users noting a few glitches and bugs but reporting that it runs well for the most part, including on the Steam Deck. Players are advised to adjust settings for optimal performance.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck; just make sure to go into settings and select full screen.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
- “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which makes for a very stable gameplay experience.”
- “Very cool game, a bit buggy but works very well for the most part.”
- “Very good, a few glitches.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, often feeling that a significant portion of gameplay is spent on drawn-out matches that should have concluded earlier. Achieving all accomplishments can take considerable time, with some achievements requiring luck and extensive grinding to obtain the necessary resources.
- “It's hard to blame the team for not making an AI that can recognize when it should surrender since that is an incredibly difficult challenge, but without it, this game feels like 80% of the time is spent tediously trying to mop up a game that should have ended a dozen turns prior.”
- “It took me about 14 hours to get all the achievements, though most of that was simply grinding for the hardest one, since it relies largely on getting lucky enough to get enough good pieces to stand a chance.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are described as simple yet visually appealing, effectively fitting the game's theme and making it suitable for chess players.
- “The graphics are nice and fit the theme.”
- “Graphics are simple and pleasant to view, recommended for players of chess.”