“Fortnite, a rogue-like? No, it’s a Battle Royale game.”

“Fortnite? Isn’t that the thing which Blackout’s supposed to kill?”

“OMG, you still play that game? Destiny 2/Overwatch/PUBG is where it’s at!”

"Thus, I would like to posit that Fortnite is similar to a rogue-like if not the real deal. In fact, Battle Royale games share a lot more in common with the genre than we realize."

But Fortnite – or at least Fortnite: Battle Royale – can’t be a rogue-like, right? After all, rogue-likes are all about exploring a sequence of areas, which may or may not be procedurally generated, and gathering tools to make it to the end. The Binding of Isaac is all about navigating different sections, garnering more items and passives to beat the bosses and emerge victorious. Rogue Legacy is about exploring a massive castle, gathering upgrades and hoping your randomly rolled descendant can brave the final encounter. Dead Cells is about progressing through a castle with shifting rooms and tough bosses while picking up random weapons and creating an overpowered build to hopefully make it to the end.

Each of these games has their own unique hooks, whether it’s The Binding of Isaac’s sheer range of items and disturbing story; Dead Cells’ combat that belies its loot grinding and environmental story-telling; Rogue Legacy and its family tree of strangeness birthing weird new ways to experience the same slightly different rooms; and so on. They all have a few things in common though and those few things share more than a few similarities to something like, say, Fortnite: Battle Royale.

Firstly, death is the end of a run but not a permanent end. There’s usually some form of overarching progression that’s being tracked through multiple playthroughs.

Secondly, they’re all about rolling the dice and hoping that the odds play out in your favour. Maybe you won’t rack up a ton of negative passives. Maybe you’ll save up enough health to help out in tougher areas. Maybe you’ll discover the right weapon to compliment your awesome build. At the end of it all, victory can feel elusive but the sheer number of shifting factors combined with the satisfying gameplay keeps you coming back for more.

"Death, as it so happens, can come from anywhere at any time. You have a general idea of ways to stave off death but inevitably, you either complete the run or die."

Thus, I would like to posit that Fortnite is similar to a rogue-like if not the real deal. In fact, Battle Royale games share a lot more in common with the genre than we realize. While the map is relatively static throughout a single season, you can choose where to drop. The drop location is influenced by a number of random factors, namely the number of people who dropped with you, their skill levels, the loot present at the location, how that plays into what you’re comfortable with, the materials you can scrounge up and the overall positioning of your foes.

Throughout the course of a match or “run”, you’re constantly trying to preserve your health. However, it’s also being augmented thanks to items like Shield Potions and Slurp Juice. Over time, you may come across higher tier weapons by either getting lucky with loot drops or defeating more skilled opponents. Either way, there’s a constant sense of danger in these encounters and a randomness to the rewards. Another element of environmental danger exists with the storm constantly closing in on you…which isn’t all that different from the number of environmental hazards in a typical Dead Cells run. However, a rogue-like such as Enter the Gungeon, Dead Cells, The Binding of Isaac and so on also share this common theme of not being able to go back to previous levels until a run is over.

Death, as it so happens, can come from anywhere at any time. You have a general idea of ways to stave off death but inevitably, you either complete the run or die. The only option then is to start over, rolling the dice again and hopefully getting lucky. There’s an overall sense of progression as you level up and unlock new items.

Obviously, Fortnite: Battle Royale – and most Battle Royale titles in general – diverge significantly from rogue-likes in a number of ways. Fortnite is a third person shooter with building elements and as such, luck can play as big of a part as gun skill in many cases like the skill level of opponents, weapon pick-ups, and so on. The map, though changing significantly with each season, has huge portions which remain the same for a long time. You’re not going through a new procedurally generated map with each playthrough. Finally, though there is long-term progression courtesy of the leveling system and seasonal Battle Passes, the rewards are cosmetic and have next-to-no influence on gameplay.

"Of course, the most obvious difference is that rogue-likes tend to be single-player. At most, you could be competing for the fastest run and gaining items which offer a significant power advantage."

However, is the leveling system all that different from a rogue-like? Inside of a match, you’re (usually) becoming stronger whether it’s through killing other players with better loot or discovering some for yourself. As for the Battle Pass, is it really all that different from the unlocks in a rogue-like? The main difference here is that in Dead Cells, the items unlocked offer a gameplay advantage whereas in Fortnite: Battle Royale, they’re cosmetic.

In some way, those cosmetics are a badge of honour, telling me how many deaths I’ve suffered or many enemies have been slain to achieve these rewards. It tells of the horrors I endured to earn it and my time invested in the game, much like the number of deaths or weapon unlocks that a typical rogue-like would dole out. At the end of the day, Dead Cells will unlock different items for me to discover depending on how I approach a run – if I hoard Cells and pour them all into blueprints, then the weapon selection is higher but if I save Cells and use them for upgrading weapon rarity tiers, I increase the chances of better quality loot in future runs. This doesn’t sound too different from partaking in various Battle Pass challenges, altering the way I play (if only slightly), to make progress.

Of course, the most obvious difference is that rogue-likes tend to be single-player. At most, you could be competing for the fastest run and gaining items which offer a significant power advantage. Fortnite: Battle Royale is a competitive multiplayer game and you’re competing to deny power advantages as much as manipulate the environment and outsmart foes to win.

There are similarities between the two genres – that can’t be denied. It’s something worth being skeptical about but is it really all that weird to see the influence of rogue-likes on other genres? What is Thumper if not a game about achieving the perfect run? Dark Souls is all about losing your Souls and having to respawn with a clean slate, though it’s a bit more relaxed since you can retrieve those Souls and keep whatever equipment, upgrades, map progress and so on that’s been been unlocked. Hollow Knight features a few elements and even handicaps you if you don’t retrieve your “Soul”, providing less Soul Energy to utilize.

"Once again however, rogue-likes can be considered the same. Even if they’re not multiplayer like a Battle Royale title, they’re not typical single-player games with a properly laid out story either."

Whichever way you look at it, it is somewhat surprising that Battle Royale titles have achieved this level of replayability. Even if the esports scene for Fortnite: Battle Royale and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s Blackout are making headway, the games themselves don’t lend to typical competitive tournament standards. Story-telling gleaned from Fortnite: Battle Royale is mostly environmental and evolving, inciting discussion in the community (which isn’t too different from how the lore in rogue-likes can spark discussions). But these aren’t traditional stories that you’ll keep coming back to. They’re rollercoasters and you’re essentially part of the big long ride. It’s not something that non-rollercoaster riders would really be able to understand.

Finally, for all the “rewards” earned from a Battle Pass, the matches themselves function on a different economy of earning upgrades as they progress. Compare this to other competitive shooters where your best gear and unlocks are available from the get-go. None of this is to demean the Battle Royale genre, by the way. It’s only to point out that by most traditional single-player and competitive multiplayer standards, a game like Fortnite: Battle Royale and even Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 shouldn’t have this level of replayability. But alas they do and it’s something you’re either a part of and understand or you don’t (which itself is an oversimplification since both titles feed into the demand for games-as-a-service titles with longer-term investment).

Once again however, rogue-likes can be considered the same. Even if they’re not multiplayer like a Battle Royale title, they’re not typical single-player games with a properly laid out story either. The only real competitive aspect of a rogue-like is the speed-running aspect. And once again, despite the meta progression, an actual run sees all progress and upgrades lost when the player dies. Whether it’s taking less time to die or more, the ultimate goal of victory through survival or pure skill is in both types of genres.

Regardless, I think that the hardcore nature of a rogue-like, the desire to understand and learn more about the systems, earning some degree of mastery with the more time invested is what keeps people coming back. I also believe that Battle Royale games recognize this and, despite all the randomness and how much is taken out of the player’s hands by the influence of other players, harness that same degree of mastery to hook a larger player base.

"It may seem impossible to compare these types of games but different systems are influencing different genres all the time. How developers utilize these systems and iterate on the to cater to their respective audiences is the real key."

With Fortnite: Battle Royale constantly adding new items, new map sections and new mechanics, it keeps players coming back, eager to learn the new interactions and how to master them. Which again, isn’t all that different from a whole bunch of new rooms, items and buffs that are added to rogue-likes like Enter the Gungeon and The Binding of Isaac.

If nothing else, the common factors between both genres only highlights how certain gameplay aspects can be repurposed for different purposes. It was already intriguing to see titles like Dead Cells and Rouge Legacy incorporate aspects of the Metroidvania genre into their gameplay. Seeing Fortnite: Battle Royale and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 having their own systems of meta progression, especially the latter which is bringing that seasonal approach to multiplayer and Zombies as well, is exciting in its own way (even if the Battle Pass was originally a Dota 2 system. Things would probably come full circle if someone managed to combine the Battle Royale and rogue-like genres and that would be a spectacle in its own right.

It may seem impossible to compare these types of games but different systems are influencing different genres all the time. How developers utilize these systems and iterate on the to cater to their respective audiences is the real key. It’s easier said than done for sure, and not everyone will get it right on the first, second or tenth try. But like the rogue-likes and Battle Royale titles that we sink so much time into, it can inevitably lead to victory for all involved.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Rogue Legacy, the roguelike sensation that went on to become one of the defining indie games of the previous generation, has now made the jump to Nintendo’s Switch. It is available on the Nintendo eShop right now, and can be bought for a price of $15.

Rogue Legacy is a roguelike, meaning you end up going into procedurally generated dungeons, so each death effectively “resets” your progress. Traditionally, this has been one of the biggest barriers against roguelikes becoming popular, a problem Rogue Legacy addressed with its genius inheritance system, where each death sees you play as the descendant of your previous character, accumulating skills, experience, and loot over time, and so never quite feeling like you actively wasted your time. Given that it lends itself equally well to longer sessions, as well as short, spur of the moment runs, it is also a game that is extremely well suited to the Switch.

Rogue Legacy is also available now on PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, and Xbox One, in addition to now being on Nintendo Switch. If you’re still not convinced on the game, make sure to check out our review for the PS4 release.

Bloodborne

Veterans of From Software’s Dark Souls series were in for something different with Bloodborne. Though combat was mechanically similar, it was faster with the ability to side-step along with dodge-roll. Shields were pretty non-essential, Visceral attacks were awesome and sometimes, attacking foes to regenerate lost health was the best option. For those who’ve never played a From Software game, Bloodborne takes time to properly get a hold of (especially the bosses) but it delivers a rich story, fully-realized world and excellent combat.

Cellar Door Game’ most recent effort Full Metal Furies might not have hit all the right notes, but there’s no denying that the developer’s first game, Rogue Legacy, still holds up today. Combining rogue-like elements with platforming and Metroidvania mechanics, Rogue Legacy was fairly well received at the time. To celebrate its five year anniversary, Cellar Door has rolled out a brand new update, four years after the previous one was rolled out.

Along with cloud saves being supported, the new update brings boss remixes to New Game Plus and above only. To better handle them, it’s possible to power up past heroes, though there will be a high price. Two new traits have also been added – Prosopagnosia (unable to see any information about past heirs) and Clonus (the controller will vibrate every few seconds).

Players who finish the game in 15 lives or less will also earn a new achievement- Thanatophobia. If you’ve already earned all Achievements till date, there will be a limited time where Thanatophobia can be unlocked. Check out the patch notes below for more information.

Content Update

• Mac and Linux versions have been updated to the newest patch.
• Cloud saving has been enabled. Now you can play on a plane!
• Boss remixes now only spawn in NG+ and up.
• Donation boxes have been added to the game.
• Having trouble with the Remixes? Power up your heroes from the past and give yourself that extra edge! Be warned, the price is high.
• Prosopagnosia trait has been added to the game. You are bad with faces.
• Clonus trait added. You’ve got the shakes.
• Thanatophobia, a new achievement has been added!
• Complete the game in 15 lives or less to earn this super difficult achievement.
• Achievement Hunters Grace Period has been added: It wouldn’t be fair to take away 100% Achievements from those who’ve already earned it. For a limited time, if you have all achievements except Thanatophobia, at the title screen, hold [L. ALT] + [CAPSLOCK] then press [T] to unlock it.
• Mouse rebinding has been added. 2207 comments later and we finally got the message. I hope you degenerates are grateful!
• Stat drops now scale with NG+ level.
• A new mystery portrait has been added to the game… Spook city.
• Profile card layout has been updated. Pssshh.

Bug Fixes

• Removed the forced aspect ratio from the game.
• Improved graphics stability for Intel Integrated video cards
• Numerous bug fixes to calculating total time played.
• Fixed longstanding bug with dashing forever
• Fixed longstanding bug for being invincible forever.
• Fixed crash bug when being awarded too much money in the elf mini-game

Since the days of Castlevania and Metroid (the latter which is making a comeback with Metroid: Samus Returns, a remake of the second game, and Metroid Prime 4), the Metroidvania genre has seen its share of interesting takes. Dust: An Elysian Tail had a compelling, almost Devil May Cry-like combat system along with a stunning art style and narrative to push players forward. Axiom Verge took a more retro approach with its graphics but was incredibly contemporary in how it pushed exploration, guiding the player along while still making each new discovery feel spontaneous.

Similarly, there are games like Ori and The Blind Forest, Hollow Knight, Guacamelee, Strider, Valdis Story: Abyssal City, Salt and Sanctuary and so on that have provided the well-crafted, expertly honed gameplay that’s to be expected. Whether it’s amazing combat or hand-crafted gameplay loops set to beautiful pre-defined stages, each game offers an excellent experience.

However, a new type of Metroidvania title has been gaining traction for some time. In a way, it’s completely changing what we think of the genre. What if – and this is a bit crazy but – what if a large portion of the stages were randomly generated as well as hand-crafted? What if the RPG-like progression was more rogue-like, focusing on more long-term upgrades but effectively starting you at the beginning with each run? What if such a Metroidvania title tried to balance between rewarding you for discovery while attempting to kill you and send you back to the beginning?

Rogue Legacy was the first Metroidvania title to experiment with this, featuring a large castle with randomly generated areas but four key “zones” with the same four bosses. Each time the player would die, control would be passed on to his heirs who would have unique traits and abilities. Some were positive, like being small and able to fit through tiny gaps, while others – like colour blindness – could trip you up if you weren’t careful. Gold gained through a single run could be used to upgrade your heirs, thus providing potency down the line. However, the thrill of trying to complete the entire castle with one single heir was addictive, to say the least.

"There’s no back-tracking to previous stages and whatever permanent abilities are gained simply serve to diversify the beaten paths you can travel down."

Nowadays, games like Dead Cells and Sundered provide a different motivation. Dead Cells is perhaps one of the more popular new titles in this rogue-like sub-genre (it’s currently in Steam Early). Its long-term progression can be fairly slow however. In Dead Cells, you gain random weapons/equipment and stat buffs and battle enemies to progress. Sounds simple enough but each enemy can dole out some pretty lethal damage if you’re not careful. The game starts scaling damage very quickly to the point that a single hit from a particular enemy can kill you.

However, it also has the Bloodborne mechanic of being able to regain lost health by attacking an enemy. Dead Cells’ player damage also isn’t entirely reliant on buffing weapon stats. You could invest in your Balanced Blade or Dual Daggers doing more damage with Cells or you could discover random weapons with status effects that inter-play with each other. For instance, pick up an Assassin’s Dagger which crits enemies from behind and deals 100 percent extra damage to burning enemies, pair it with a Teleport ability for dealing extra damage from behind (while also dropping oil and igniting the floor) and throw in a Freeze grenade for good measure.

The satisfying and responsive nature of Dead Cells’ combat combined with the utter diversity of item builds and constant worry of taking even a shred of damage in certain situations makes the game highly replayable. This is despite the fact that even if you’re vigilant, you can die incredibly quick. Furthermore, exploration often involves traveling off the beaten path to potentially discover Elite enemies, Cursed Treasure chests, stat boosts, items, merchants and so on.

It’s risk vs. reward at times as you neither know what enemies will try to kill or what kind of boons can be expected (random generation of these beaten paths helps keep them fresh each time). Still, there’s no back-tracking to previous stages and whatever permanent abilities are gained simply serve to diversify the beaten paths you can travel down. You’re not going to find a brand new area or story progression by doing so. And in many ways, despite how powerful certain items and combinations may be, it comes down to your own skill when pulling them off.

"The Metroidvania crowd hasn’t been decrying Dead Cells as a twisted version of the genre that shouldn’t be."

Now I’m not going to tell you that everyone is in love with Dead Cells (though the praise for Rogue Legacy was very strong). I’ve read plenty of criticisms about its cheapness. Some believe that many of the combat mechanics and difficult mirror Dark Souls, thus attracting that more hardcore subset that also happens to like pixel art and platforming. However, the Metroidvania crowd hasn’t been decrying Dead Cells as a twisted version of the genre that shouldn’t be. In fact, it’s received praise for doing something different. In a way, many of the core aspects of the genre emerge in unorthodox ways throughout Dead Cells like the aforementioned exploration, using certain abilities to unlock previously inaccessible areas, unlocking more weapons and powering up players enough to explore further and so on.

Then there’s a game like Sundered from Thunder Lotus Games, the developer of Jotun. Sundered is arguably more Metroidvania then Dead Cells. There is a central hub but it mixes a heavy degree of crafted areas with random generation. The kicker is that the randomly generated areas can be fairly repetitive with each success run through them. Though Dead Cells does the same thing, it’s core repeating area is pretty straightforward – the randomly generated branching paths are fairly unique each time but in smaller ways (that become more obvious as time goes by).

Sundered has plenty of back-tracking with its unique abilities, allowing you to access previously unreachable areas and bosses. There’s also a lot more lore inherent as you learn about the Valkyries, this strange Eldritch being that’s helping you and how certain icons were seemingly driven mad. When you die, you don’t lose all of your collected currency (referred to as Shards) and they’re pretty valuable.

These provide your permanent upgrades and are pretty much what will get you through latter game portions unlock with the perks you equip. Sundered does have a way of being decidedly rouge-like though. You may set a goal, say, traversing to a certain area that could potentially be open with your new ability. However, the longer you stay alive, the more hordes of enemies the game will throw at you. You might be strong enough to resist them, maybe even dominate them.

"It’s like withe every death, the game is testing you and telling you to go back with whatever Shards have been earned to become stronger."

Battles can move from skill-based running, jumping and attacking to simply standing around and whacking enemies, regenerating health and shields accordingly while avoiding environmental traps. If you die, then maybe you gathered enough Shards for more upgrades to make you sturdier. Wash, rinse and repeat. The process of progressing through Sundered feels a bit like survival initially – the stronger you get, the more comfortable you feel exploring and back-tracking through the world. You can still die if you let your guard down though.

This approach has been met with somewhat of a mixed response despite how gorgeous Sundered looks. The enemies can spawn in droves and cutting down your HP bit by bit until you’re dead – and at times, that can irrespective of trying to escape or standing your ground. The game’s appeal of “changing” areas doesn’t really offer much that’s different from what you traversed before. This in itself is interesting because it brings to mind the back-tracking that occurs in a normal Metroidvania title.

It’s not like Sundered is creating impossible environmental situations for you to cross – those lazer trip-wires and escape through poisoned clouds can be traversed with enough practice. It’s the hordes that can strike at almost any time, even when you’re upgrading skills, that can wear on the player. The longer you stay alive, the more difficult enemies you’ll face until even the Elites join the party. It’s like with every death, the game is testing you and telling you to go back with whatever Shards have been earned to become stronger. Of course, there’s no enemy level scaling so it’s more like the game’s way to telling you to make the same run again, probably not die because now you’re strong enough, and thus progress.

Make no mistake though. This is a Metroidvania title. Seeing the response to it is interesting. Remember – even Jotun was fairly divisive among people. Sundered will either make you obsess over its world and grinding to become stronger and pushing forward. The hordes may be a nuisance but overtime, they can either be destroyed very easily or avoided because of your tankiness. Perhaps the biggest oversight to me is the real lack of randomly generated sub-paths or unique discoveries like Dead Cells. Randomly generated areas will become repetitive eventually and really, to offer the player some semblance of assistance, it’s a good idea to not come up with some truly bizarre combination of areas. But that’s another matter entirely.

"I do wonder at times if these games can capture the same sense of wonder we had when fighting Mother Brain for the first time."

When I look at the history of Metroidvania games, it’s easy to see what made them click. Games like Sundered and Dead Cells take many of the same tropes but are seemingly more “run” driven, benefiting those who don’t want to spend hours figuring out where to go next or testing certain items for certain puzzles. They’re seemingly meant for those who want to beat things up with powerful attacks and if they die, become potentially more powerful in the next run and thus, the feedback loop continues.

However, there’s a certain charm to this mix of rogue-like, hand-crafted and random generation, as they prompt exploration and that urge of what lays around the next corner. And really, when you consider how many Metroidvania games were completed and moved on from, a game like Dead Cells can prompt the player to come back and test their mettle. Because who knows what weapons, statuses and overpowered builds they’ll have this time? Of course, this doesn’t quite apply to Sundered which doesn’t dole out weapons and stat buffs on an RNG basis.

I do wonder at times if these games can capture the same sense of wonder we had when fighting Mother Brain for the first time. That same charm of playing as Alucard in Symphony of the Night or the revelations behind Soma Cruz in Aria of Sorrow, not to mention the intricately mapped areas of Metroid Prime series with some of its frustrating but creative bosses. Granted, these games do have their own bosses but they seem to emphasize moment-to-moment gameplay more heavily, with Sundered doing a somewhat better job of building to a boss fight.

Those games will still continue to be made, which is great, and developers will branch of into newer things which is also great. Regardless and despite the criticism that games like Sundered are currently facing, the Metroidvania is alive and well. Even better, it’s a genre that’s grown into its own without having to rely on solely Metroid and Castlevania to exist.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to GamingBolt as an organization.

Cellar Door Games, known for Rogue Legacy and its quirky take on the roguelike 2D platformer genre, has announced its next game: Full Metal Furies.

It’s an action RPG with four player co-op that will be releasing for Xbox One and PC this year. It also comes with Xbox Play Anywhere support, meaning you can purchase a digital copy for either platform and receive it for free on the other.

Full Metal Furies offers four different characters with their own roles and skills. If you play solo, you can swap between two characters and explore a large map with different objectives to clear. There are tons of little details like gold to collect, mid-battle switching, boss battles, levels that build before your very eyes and so on.

What are your thoughts on Full Metal Furies, especially given how big of a departure from Rogue Legacy it is? Let us know in the comments below.

Cellar Door Games has confirmed on Twitter that indie platformer Rogue Legacy will be releasing on the Xbox One in 2015. There’s no exact release date but the studio assures us that “It’s coming”.

Rogue Legacy was released way back in 2013 for PC. It was eventually ported on to the PS4, PS3 and PS Vita last year after Sony signed several indie properties in preparation of the PS4’s launch.

For those unaware, Rogue Legacy plays a lot like Castlevania. You’ll explore a large castle full of puzzles, bosses and enemies, venturing deeper and deeper until you unlock the final boss. The twist is in the rogue-like elements – each time you die, a descendant of your family takes your place and you march into the castle once more. Each heir has his own strengths and weaknesses though so you have to account for the same.

Thoughts on Rogue Legacy for the Xbox One? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Rashid Sayed: For those who are unaware, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your studio?

Kenny Lee: We’re two brothers that started a game development studio in 2009. We’ve dabbled in a bunch of things, but for the most part we worked on Flash games. We did that for a little while until we saved enough money and gathered enough experience to work on something larger, which ended up being the PC game, Rogue Legacy.

Rashid Sayed: What was the inspiration behind bringing a year old game to the PlayStation platforms?

Kenny Lee: Well, when we first started development of the PlayStation versions the game hadn’t been quite that old. The porting work took a little longer than expected, and we ran into a number of bumps along the way. The initial inspiration was just this idea that it would be really cool to see Rogue Legacy running on a console. Sony thought so too, and was very pro-active in getting it on their platforms.

"We decided early on not to add too much additional content for other platforms. We felt it might alienate those who supported us when the game first came out, because then they’d have to shell out more money to get the ‘definitive’ version."

Rashid Sayed: Rogue Legacy was first announced for the PlayStation platforms back in April 2013. Was there a specific reason behind the delay especially since the PC version was available since June 2013?

Kenny Lee: I don’t think we made any confirmed statements that it was coming out for PlayStation that early. If there was, it might have been misconstrued or we stated ourselves incorrectly. The actual official announcement was made by Sony during Gamescom 2013, which was in August. Even then though, we hadn’t even started work on the PlayStation versions.

Rashid Sayed: Are you shooting for any exclusive content for the PlayStation platforms?

Kenny Lee: We decided early on not to add too much additional content for other platforms. We felt it might alienate those who supported us when the game first came out, because then they’d have to shell out more money to get the ‘definitive’ version. The PlayStation versions do have all the content, including the free DLC, along with some unique trophies (like an awesome platinum) and a small number of additional traits. It also takes advantage of things specific to Sony platforms, like the light bar for the PS4 controllers.

Rashid Sayed: Is it safe to assume that Rogue Legacy will be running at 1080p and 60fps on the PlayStation 4?

Kenny Lee: That is a safe assumption to make, yes.

Rashid Sayed: The PlayStation 4 comes packed in with several features like Share Button but what is it about the PS4’s architecture that you liked and did not liked about?

Kenny Lee: Honestly, for a game like Rogue Legacy it’s hard to find things not to like about the hardware. It’s not like it’s pushing any hardware boundaries, and all the features that the PS4 has adds to the experience in positive ways. For us, sharing videos was a very big one. When RL released on PC last year, videos of it lit up on Twitch and YouTube, which is something we weren’t expecting at all. So it was really awesome to know that that sort of feature, which was impossible on last-gen systems, is now available for the current consoles. It was terrific timing for us.

"Honestly, I thought having a Kinect included in the Xbox One was a great idea. Not so much the always-on, creepy privacy invasion though."

Rashid Sayed: As an indie developer, how difficult or challenging is it to present your games to the consumer, when compared to AAA studios?

Kenny Lee: It’s tough to compare because we don’t know the process for AAA studios. For us, we had to do a lot of guerilla marketing because we didn’t have the budget or the access to things like TV commercials. We were also very fortunate because Rogue Legacy had a few talking points that really helped its word-of-mouth. Things like the Rogue-lite concept and the traits allowed fans to easily explain what made the game unique to their friends. A lot of people have come to us asking for advice on how to market their game, and it makes us feel uneasy because it heavily depended on the game’s content.

Rashid Sayed: You guys have worked across gaming PCs and now the PlayStation 4. Is it safe to assume that PS4 is a high end PC or is it more of marketing term that is loosely used by developers and publishers alike?

Kenny Lee: We couldn’t really answer to that because the game we made is not a massive resource hog. Maybe if we had to really push the power of the PS4 we’d be able to give more insight.

Rashid Sayed: Rogue Legacy has been announced for a number of platforms but not for the Xbox One. Is there a specific reason for the same?

Kenny Lee: Yup. That’s because we have an exclusivity agreement with Sony.

Rashid Sayed: What are your thoughts on the Kinect Less Xbox One SKU, do you think that will help regain some of the good will that Microsoft have lost since the launch?

Kenny Lee: Honestly, I thought having a Kinect included in the Xbox One was a great idea. Not so much the always-on, creepy privacy invasion though. As a developer, it’s fantastic to work on hardware that you know everybody has. And the Kinect is an incredible piece of technology. But now that the market is fragmented, it’s harder to justify investing in this tech. So when I heard the news it sadden me a bit, although to be fair I don’t think developers were jumping on it as readily as Microsoft had anticipated.

To answer the question, yes I do believe it will help regain lost ground with consumers, which in turn strengthens developer confidence in the platform. The biggest problem is the Kinect came out of the gate with a bad rep. It was always watching you, there were rumours of companies exploiting the tech, and it made the Xbox One cost more than the PS4. Getting rid of that solves a lot of problems.

"The game is fully cross-buy and cross-save enabled between the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita."

Rashid Sayed: Are there any plans to support cross buy and cross save between the PlayStation platforms?

Kenny Lee: Yup, the game is fully cross-buy and cross-save enabled between the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita.

Rashid Sayed: Are you guys working on any other projects at the moment?

Kenny Lee: We’ve been trying for a while now. Unfortunately it’s been on and off, because work on the ports for Rogue Legacy keeps coming up. Hopefully once it finally releases we’ll have more time to work on the fun stuff, actual game development.

Rashid Sayed: Is there anything else you want to say before we take off?

Kenny Lee: As always, just to thank fans of Rogue Legacy for the incredible support they’ve shown us for the last year. And we hope the PlayStation versions don’t disappoint!

Rogue Legacy is a rogue-lite game which means that character death is permanent and the dungeon changes each time you re-enter. Equipment carries over to the next playthrough, however gold collected must be either spent or forfeited before entering the dungeon again. Gold is used to upgrade your estate in the form of permanent stat bonuses, class upgrades, and shop enhancements. The goal in each run early on is to gain enough gold to be able to purchase some of these things and improve your chance of success next time.This makes for an interesting mechanic in that if you have a bad run, you won’t be able to improve anything for your next one, so there is an inherent encouragement to getting better at the game. You can later upgrade your estate to make the percentage gold forfeited lower, but it is never really enough to matter.

" Equipment carries over to the next playthrough, however gold collected must be either spent or forfeited before entering the dungeon again. "

Every time you die you get to choose between 3 random “Heirs” to play as, each with different classes, skills, traits, and stats. Classes are mostly similar outside of base stats until they are upgraded to their second levels, in which case they gain specific abilities that differentiate them more. Stat differences can include more MP for Mages, better defense for Knights, etc. As you upgrade your estate you can unlock new classes that will be added to the pool of randomized heirs.

Traits are specific characteristics of your heir, and they will often be unique and quirky. For instance when your character has the vertigo trait, the game must be played completely upside-down. Or when your character has gigantism, they are twice the size of a normal heir. There are many of these traits and they are randomly inherited. Some can be a hindrance like vertigo, or some can be like gigantism, which gains a strength stat bonus and the chance to knock enemies back. It will become prudent to know which traits you want to look for or avoid when choosing an heir, as some will be better suited to certain tasks than others.

As I mentioned before the castle layout will also be different every time you parish. You may occasionally get a bad roll and have your first room be filled with enemies just waiting to serve up a quick death. This randomization keeps each run fresh as you won’t know what to expect when you enter. In the first room of the dungeon there will always be a portal, final boss door, and a roughly sketched map. The map isn’t completely accurate however, as it only shows the general direction in which the different areas may lay. These areas correspond with one of the 4 bosses you must defeat before entering the final boss door.

" You may occasionally get a bad roll and have your first room be filled with enemies just waiting to serve up a quick death. "

The path you must take to get to each of these areas will be different every time, as well as the rooms within. If you unlock the architect at your estate you can choose to keep your previous castle layout in exchange for gaining less gold than you did before. This is useful when unlocking portals right before boss encounters, which you will use the portal in the first room to get to quickly. I often found myself speeding through trying to find these portals before dying just so I could come back with a character at full health and better stats in order to properly fight the boss.

The base controls are extremely tight. The jumping arcs, the sword swinging, and the magic/sub-weapon usage all feel precise, and your character does exactly what you expect them to do when a button is pressed. Depending on stats and classes there can be small variances (For instance the unlockable Shinobi class has a much faster movement speed than the others) but overall they never hinder how the game feels. Most of the movement enhancements will come from runes collected in the dungeon and applied to armor, such as dashing, double/triple jumping, and flying. This adds a layer of customization to the game, and will help you choose the play style that’s best for you.

" The jumping arcs, the sword swinging, and the magic/sub-weapon usage all feel precise, and your character does exactly what you expect them to do when a button is pressed. "

As an added bonus, when you buy the Playstation 4 version of the game, you get complimentary Playstation VITA and Playstation 3 versions as part of Sony’s Cross-Buy system. These versions are pretty much the same game at a lower resolution, and in the PS3’s case, lower frame-rate. Like most Cross-Buy games, Rogue Legacy also features a persistent cloud save of your progress ensuring that no matter which system you are playing on, you always have access to your playthrough.

Ultimately Rogue Legacy is a worthy addition to the revival of sidescrolling action games that indie development has ushered in. This modernized take on rogue-lites is easily accessible with simple to learn/difficult to master controls and concepts. If you are looking for a challenging sidescroller with interesting enemies, meaningful character growth, and a quirky sense of humor, you can’t go wrong with Rogue Legacy.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Ever since the E3 2013 debacle, Microsoft have been listening to consumers and have been making drastic changes in their policies. Perhaps the most drastic measure they have taken to combat the rocketing PlayStation 4 sales was the introduction of a Kinect-less SKU at $399.

Speaking to Kenny Lee, co-founder of Cell Door Games, GamingBolt asked about his thoughts on Microsoft’s latest Xbox One SKU and whether it will help regain some of the good will that Microsoft have lost since the launch of their console.

“Honestly, I thought having a Kinect included in the Xbox One was a great idea. Not so much the always-on, creepy privacy invasion though. As a developer, it’s fantastic to work on hardware that you know everybody has. And the Kinect is an incredible piece of technology. But now that the market is fragmented, it’s harder to justify investing in this tech. So when I heard the news it sadden me a bit, although to be fair I don’t think developers were jumping on it as readily as Microsoft had anticipated,” he said.

“To answer the question, yes I do believe it will help regain lost ground with consumers, which in turn strengthens developer confidence in the platform. The biggest problem is the Kinect came out of the gate with a bad rep. It was always watching you, there were rumours of companies exploiting the tech, and it made the Xbox One cost more than the PS4. Getting rid of that solves a lot of problems,” Kenny said to GamingBolt.

Cell Door Games are currently working on Rogue Legacy for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. Stay tuned for more coverage.