It’s been a while but I managed to steal back my place on the throne from Jason (big shout out to his help while I was away though, of course) and can now serenade you with another Indie Spotlight. And boy do we have an amazing game to shed some light on this week. Looking for something that has a lot of bang for your buck? Hours of replayable content? A slew of characters and trait combinations? Maybe even some online co-op to gang up on some slum dwellers? Then it sounds to me like you want Streets of Rogue.
Streets of Rogue is an interesting top-down, procedurally generated experience where every run will feel different. Think of what it would be like if you mashed up The Binding of Isaac, Hotline Miami, and Nuclear Throne. Sounds interesting right? Your main objective is to traverse through each world’s generated map and complete random quests that can range from retrieving an item from a locked safe to taking out a specific target. Now, this is where you might say, “but Josh, we already have Hotline Miami to run in and gun.” Well first off, stop interrupting, it is very rude. Second, my actual comment is that this game is much different by using a combination of traits, characters, items and random scenarios that can occur. You can even enjoy this experience with up to 3 other friends online.
With over 20 different characters, each with their own unique style, this game has a little something for everyone. Yes, you can pick a straightforward character where you go in and focus on melee strength to take on foes. But maybe you want to be a zombie who creates an army of followers. Perhaps you’re more of a pacifist and want to be a hacker to break into computers or fridges (you read it correctly) to turn the tide in your favor. You can even be a bartender and simply walk around offering drinks and yes, they can be spiked with poisonous substances. All of these characters come with their own perks and cons but if that isn’t enough, you can also build your own characters based on the various traits in the game (with limits, of course, to stop you from creating an OP class).
Next, we have items. With any RPG, you have your normal items that restore health or weapons for you to attack with. But this game shines with some of its less conventional options. From a boombox that causes your foes to break out into dance to a book that can raise zombies to do your bidding, this game equips you with an expansive arsenal. That being said, with many other parts of this game, you will need to keep playing to get the in-game currency of chicken nuggets (the game just keeps getting stranger) to buy unlocks that might be available in your subsequent runs.
Lastly, we have random events that will occur on the third and final level of each world. Sometimes the whole town will be at war with one another and fight in the streets, whereas other times you will have nuclear bombs dropping every 20 seconds where you need to be indoors whenever they drop. These can make or break a good run, especially when you get that infuriating killer robot with a rocket launcher who follows you for the whole level. That said, each one adds just another element of uniqueness to each run and keeps the game fresh.
Keep in mind that this game has been in early access since 2017 but with a sole developer on this project, it is amazing how much has gone into this already. The game also has bi-weekly updates so rest assured, this is not a project that has been forgotten about.
If you’re looking for a brand new game that can keep you playing for hours, then Streets of Rogue is waiting for you. You can get it on Steam for $15 and to consoles sometime later this year. For more on the game, check out the link below of the developer explaining all the ways you can solve missions in the game.
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