GamesRoguelikeThe Steam Next Fest demo of this bullet hell roguelike has big Risk of Rain energy, and some cool tricks of its ownWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesRoguelikeThe Steam Next Fest demo of this bullet hell roguelike has big Risk of Rain energy, and some cool tricks of its ownWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Gravity Lagoon)
I went with the default character for the demo, partly because they have a built-in second life (which I haven’t lost yet, thank you very much), and partly because the vanilla character is always the best way to gauge a new roguelike. My kit also includes a standard aim-and-shoot full auto gun, a fireball AoE, a ricochet shot, and a basic teleport-style dodge. Imagine if Risk of Rain’s Commando and Huntress trained up a bullet hell protagonist and you’re most of the way there.
There’s a good variety of objectives, too. In the time I’ve beaten one miniboss, I’ve defended charging totems from incoming waves of enemies while dancing around fiery hazards, collected and deposited ancient keys, and endured horde modes with set kill counts. The levels are a bit flat, but the design suits the flow of the game and keeps the important stuff – namely items and enemies – clearly visible.
Perhaps most importantly, Gatekeeper has a rather lovely soundtrack. I don’t think anyone can match composer Chris Christodoulou’s synth-heavy lullabies, but there’s a nice set of of drum ‘n bass thumping in my ears even as I write this with the demo paused in the background, waiting for me to dip back in and inevitably die. Gatekeeper isn’t the most original roguelike I’ve ever played, but it’s handling a fun combination of cool ideas pretty darn well. It’s definitely earned a spot on my wishlist ahead of its Q1 2024 launch. (You can also try thefree prologue version, which has nearly 3,800 “very positive” reviews on Steam and seems to be the same experience.)
The co-op roguelike from indie powerhouse and Don’t Starve dev Klei Entertainment is even better than I’d hoped, and a must-play Steam Next Fest demo.
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”