Previously a hit on the PC, Rogue Wizards is quite the delight. It’s a roguelike of sorts, backed up by a love of collecting gear that the likes of Diablo III has taught us all about. Substantial in length, it’s …
Previously a hit on the PC, Rogue Wizards is quite the delight. It’s a roguelike of sorts, backed up by a love of collecting gear that the likes of Diablo III has taught us all about. Substantial in length, it’s a bit of a bargain too, given you don’t actually need to spend a single cent.
Following a similar structure to mostly all roguelikes, Rogue Wizards is an appealing one. It looks pretty cute and stylish, with a choice of characters to get you started, and an immediately classy premium kind of quality to it. The game eases you in gently before demonstrating the various parts of the world you can explore. While you’ll be spending a lot of time traversing dungeons, a key part of Rogue Wizards is also going to various shops and buying relevant stuff. Rogue Wizards eases you into this without feeling like it’s holding your hand too much.
Of course, the dungeons are the fun part. A tap here or there takes you around the grid based layout and you can always see what’s nearby. Spot something on the ground and you can go pick it up. See an enemy ahead and, well, you get the idea. An inventory means you can use more than just your trusty sword. You can soon learn magic spells or find a bow to cause some long range damage. Potions are also available to restore your health and help you along your way. It’s simple yet effective stuff.
There’s also the benefit of finding companions on each floor, keen to help you in some way. You can enjoy a brief chat with them before they follow you around, hopefully providing you with some much needed backup. Like the rest of the visuals, the companions are well animated and far superior to a lot of games within this genre. It might not be essential to your enjoyment but it helps.
Rogue Wizards isn’t just all looks and no substance though. You can spend tens of hours exploring the randomly generated dungeons. There’s a lot to do here. You can also spend a long time juggling your equipment. Much like a lighter form of Diablo, there’s always some new gear for you to equip. You can craft your own stuff too, giving you a real sense of satisfaction. You can create reagents too, as well as work on improving your magic skills. Essentially, you’re creating the hero you want to control rather than following any cookie cutter layout. In all cases, you always feel as if there’s something new to aim for.
For many games, this would be backed up by some kind of hefty freemium component that would slow you down — but Rogue Wizards is pretty generous. You can watch videos if you choose to and gain gems, but you can simply enjoy the experience too. A gem multiplier is available for $5, giving you an advantage, but it’s one that merely helps rather than feels essential. It’s all pitched well, ensuring nothing is made unfair by a payment scheme.
Feeling like a premium experience at a free-to-play price, Rogue Wizards is an excellent conversion of a PC based roguelike. Ideal for dipping into, it’ll scratch that itch on the commute while also fulfilling your needs when you want a longer session in the evening.
