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The Rookery

98%Game Brain Score
gameplay, humor
graphics
98% User Score Based on 112 reviews

Platforms

Mac OSMac OSPCPCWindowsWindows
Buy Nowfrom $9.99
Buy NowGet on Steam$9.99

About

"The Rookery" is a roguelike game that combines army-building challenges with chess. You can craft your army by collecting pieces, boosts, relics, and consumables, and face off against 10 different bosses with unique abilities. The game features a wide range of difficulty and unlocks harder levels and crazier items as you complete runs. No information available on the release date or developer/publisher.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
The Rookery screenshot
The Rookery screenshot
The Rookery screenshot
The Rookery screenshot
The Rookery screenshot
The Rookery screenshot

98%
Audience ScoreBased on 112 reviews
gameplay8 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • The Rookery combines chess with roguelike elements in a fun and engaging way, making it accessible for players of all skill levels.
  • The game features a variety of unique mechanics and abilities that enhance traditional chess gameplay, providing a fresh and entertaining experience.
  • The customizable difficulty scaling and clever design choices allow for strategic depth and replayability, appealing to both casual and competitive players.
  • Some players have reported issues with game balance, particularly regarding the difficulty of certain bosses and the overall pacing of gameplay.
  • There are technical issues on platforms like Steam Deck and Linux, with long startup times and occasional crashes.
  • The game could benefit from improved clarity in abilities and more visual indicators for piece-specific effects, as well as a desire for longer runs or an endless mode.
  • gameplay
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "The Rookery" is a unique blend of chess and roguelike mechanics, offering a fun and engaging experience even for those less skilled at chess, thanks to its "ascension level" system and combo-building features. Players appreciate the variety and challenge presented by unique bosses and clever mechanics, while the game successfully highlights the most enjoyable aspects of chess without the burden of memorizing complex strategies. Overall, it is highly recommended for fans of challenging gameplay and innovative design.

    • “The gameplay is really fun in a way that feels to me like it picks out exactly the most fun parts of chess.”
    • “The gameplay itself is incredibly engaging and quite challenging.”
    • “For anyone who loves challenging roguelikes, clever writing, or unique game mechanics, The Rookery is a must-play.”
    • “The gameplay of the Rookery is basically repeatedly doing the first thing without worrying about the other things, which detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “Relics are a mechanic similar to those in Slay the Spire, but in the Rookery, you only have around 3 relic slots, which can feel limiting depending on the difficulty level and during each run.”
    • “I was convinced that adding a mechanic to choose your route through the map instead of a fixed layout would make the game more interesting, but I'm starting to realize that it might just add more complexity without achieving the intended effect.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its clever and engaging humor, featuring witty interactions and amusing achievements that stand out in its genre. Players appreciate the abundance of creative ideas, likening their gameplay experience to humorous memes, which adds a delightful layer to the overall experience. The humor is described as both adorable and overtly clever, enhancing the game's appeal.

    • “If you've ever seen the Stockfish vs. ChatGPT meme and thought it was hilarious, well, often it can feel like you're ChatGPT wreaking havoc on the board - making their queen into your queen, spawning knights out of the aether, and teleporting pawns across the board to do your bidding.”
    • “There are literally hundreds of clever and adorable ideas packed into every corner, from unique effects like Draco's to hilarious achievements like 'Vegan' (win without killing a donkey).”
    • “The game has a humor and wit that jumps off the screen, more overtly clever than many of its genre peers.”
  • replayability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, with each run lasting about an hour and featuring a variety of opponents, relics, and boosts that enhance the experience. Its elegant design and customizable difficulty further contribute to its status as a standout title in the roguelike genre. Overall, players find it offers ample incentive to return for multiple playthroughs.

    • “A single run of the game (about 20 chess matches) takes me about an hour, but the game has enough different opponents, relics, and boosts that it has good replay value.”
    • “The rookery has a combination of elegance, customizable difficulty, and replay value that makes it a gem of the roguelike genre.”
    • “As with many roguelikes, this game has a lot of replayability.”
  • graphics
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics are considered basic and align with the screenshots, lacking in detailed animations and coherent visuals for actions like teleportation and explosions. However, the user interface is functional and user-friendly, allowing for easy navigation without a keyboard.

    • “The graphics are as basic as the screenshots suggest, but the UI is functional and easy to navigate without a keyboard.”
    • “The visuals could benefit from more coherent animations for elements like teleportation and explosions.”
    • “It's as graphically basic as the screenshots make it look, but the UI is functional enough and easily handled without keyboard use.”
    • “A tad more animations or more coherent visuals for things like teleportation and explosions would be appreciated.”
    • “It's as graphically basic as the screenshots make it look, but the UI is functional enough and easily handled without keyboard use.”
  • music
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is consistently praised as fantastic, contributing to a high level of production quality. Additionally, the user interface is noted for being responsive, cohesive, and polished, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The music is fantastic, the UI is responsive, cohesive, and polished, and overall, the production quality is top-notch.”

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