When your bread and butter is a procedurally generated first-person shooter with mining and tense subterranean action, there’s only so much the “rogue-lite” label can do to mix things up. Right? Well, that doesn’t stop Ghost Ship Games from trying with Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core – a spin-off to the phenomenon that arguably inspired so many others to try their luck (and fail) at co-op titles.
But wait: it isn’t like the base game, insists the developer, despite featuring so many of the same weapons, tools and even some similar enemy types. That said, any fan of the original will tell you it’s about more than the sheer array of available content or the twerking Dwarves. Tweak a handful of factors, and you change the vibe into something else entirely (and potentially less agreeable).
The premise involves Hoxxes, a planet laden with precious Expenite that’s suddenly gone dark. After several failed attempts to take back its core, DRG decides to send in the Reclaimers, a crack squad of operatives who succeed at any cost. Or, as is usually the case, die, die, and die again until the enemy buckles under the attrition (or dies of boredom).
"When you’re playing solo, it even throws in some upgrades for ELIS, your little floating droid companion that provides cover fire. But in co-op, the game will randomly assign the pick order. This is where the rogue-lite structure meets co-op in annoying ways."
You have five classes to choose from, from the Falconeer, who can deploy a drone that automatically seeks out enemies and creates a barrier granting electric damage to those within, to the Slicer, who focuses on melee damage with his Plasma Blade while dashing around. Then you have wildcards like the Retcon, who can be kind and rewind to negate incoming damage (and then convert it to Rage to hit twice as hard for a period of time).
But aside from their kits and unlockable enhancements, which serve as equippable modules, like more health, increased carrying capacity, and so on, they don’t have weapons or ability upgrades to start with. Instead, you need to unlock supply caches before each run, selecting from one of three available choices, or hunt down Bio Boosters and choose one of two ability modifiers. Workbenches require locating toolkits and then selecting one of two upgrades for a weapon, equipping something else entirely – either as a backup or replacement – or further enhancing your own ability. Improving your Clearance Level will unlock additional stations for grenades and other tools.
Further to the procedurally generated levels – they’re less like the sandboxes of the base game, offering more structure and notable points of interest. Can you mine and drill in any direction? Sure, but the rallying cry of rock and stone is often more focused. Some liberal note-taking from its predecessor results in side objectives like scanning a dig site for nodes, then digging through every surface to find and deposit the ores. The Pickaxe is also essential for mining Expenite, which can be deposited into the REPD to unlock character upgrades, from flaming steps to more armor and improved ability recharge depending on damage dealt.
When you’re playing solo, it even throws in some upgrades for ELIS, your little floating droid companion that provides cover fire. But in co-op, the game will randomly assign the pick order. This is where the rogue-lite structure meets co-op in annoying ways. Any general upgrade could work for the Falconeer – play as the Slicer, however, and seeing teammates take any of the melee-focused perks can be a downer. Sure, you can tell them what you’d prefer, but that doesn’t mean they have to listen to you.
"You won’t truly know a rogue-lite without spending enough time with it – like a mineshaft, ironically enough – but just after a few hours, it’s clear that Ghost Ship Games has to dig deeper."
Furthermore, everyone needs to be present within the little circle around the REPD to receive their upgrade. What if they split up, covering more ground because that’s the most optimal strategy to net all the different upgrades (and one of the pitfalls of solo play)? Or if someone just spawned in? Have fun waiting for them, or drop whatever you’re doing and meet them en route to summon the REPD. You can – and most likely will – just keep depositing Expenite until you’re all forced together, likely at the next lift to receive your upgrades. While I appreciate how this creates friction, it’s already annoying enough when it comes to build-crafting. I don’t need the added element of trying to herd my team together.
“Well, it’s a co-op game, so what do you expect?” Remember how I mentioned that everyone splitting up is the most optimal strategy? That’s because there’s a timer. Think Risk of Rain-style, where the level becomes more challenging in terms of enemy spawns as you go along. Hit the red, and it’s a never-ending onslaught with only so much healing and armor to go around. On the one hand, I kind of like this because it encourages actually understanding the map and marking things for your teammates rather than mucking around; mastering the traversal tools and knowing whether that Expenite on the ceiling is worth the trouble.
However, it’s certainly more stressful, especially if you’re used to exploring at your own pace, Deep Rock Galactic veteran or not. The increased difficulty floor also makes solo play much more difficult because you’re forced to make tougher choices about what to prioritize (or, at the very least, dying repeatedly until you master the overall flow).
Each run comprises different floors, and you can choose a modifier for the next, either making the Corehead Creepers deal tons of melee damage in exchange for different rewards. You can spawn tons more Barnacle-like enemies that can ensnare and damage you unless rescued by a friend. Keeping all this in mind before eventually going toe-to-toe with the boss is also important, since dealing with tougher Creepers or faster tanks is hardly ideal. At least the timer resets on each floor.
You won’t truly know a rogue-lite without spending enough time with it – like a mineshaft, ironically enough – but just after a few hours, it’s clear that Ghost Ship Games has to dig deeper. The ability to equip any weapon and not be restricted by class is nice, and there are some pretty cool elemental synergies. But it currently feels like a solid foundation more than anything else.
"As it stands, you’re either going to like Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core because of its tension or ultimately reject it for the same reason."
Despite these complaints, especially when solo, I had fun with Rogue Core. When things really hit the fan, whether you’re trying to take down a boss or proceed to the next level, it can make for some hectic battles, especially as foes crawl on walls, leap from afar and throw increasing amounts of firepower at you. The responsiveness of each weapon is also on point, be it a satisfying headshot with the Bulldog Revolver or the satisfying ping of a Garand Sniper, especially when executing charged shots.
For a game preoccupied with subterranean breach and clearing, each biome feels distinct enough in its aesthetics and hazards to feel notable, especially when dealing with more complex jobs, which can have glowing crystals that emanate damage, or nodes that explode when shot. Each run also feels distinct enough between the experimental Expenite creatures that can explode and dot entire surfaces with the material, or the hostile Surveyor Drones, which provide data for a worthwhile node when shot down.
Granted, it doesn’t take long for the same set of staircases and corridors to become familiar, but it’s a small thing in the grand scheme of the level design. And of course, performance is on point while ensuring that the voxel-like composition of biomes looks as endearing as ever.
As it stands, you’re either going to like Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core because of its tension or ultimately reject it for the same reason. The rogue-lite elements, REPD upgrade nags, timer, and whatnot can all be adjusted accordingly as early access proceeds, and there’s a pretty hefty amount of content to be had. But unless you’re on board with the core gameplay, it may be hard to really embrace. If nothing else, you have to credit Ghost Ship Games for attempting something new – even if its biggest hit is most notable for the exact opposite gameplay flow. Here’s hoping it can hone a strong identity for Rogue Core throughout early access because while “rogue-lite DRG” sounds intriguing, the execution may leave some wanting.
This game was reviewed on PC.
