The role playing games in the iPad are hit and miss. Luckily, 100 Rogues is one of those games that succeeds brilliantly in getting the hard core RPG gamer’s attention.
100 Rogues ($0.99 via iTunes) is not a typical RPG, though. It is a variation, dungeon crawler game… The difference? Dungeon crawlers are usually shorter and you are given a few random maps and loot as well as the challenges are much more harder, usually causing death to the character. (The game is beatable, though.)
The game is gorgeously presented in pixel-art style, which fondly reminds me of the old Final Fantasy games in the SNES.
To start the game, you are to choose from one of the four main characters (a fairy wizard, a crusader, a skellyman scoundrel and a dino-man) or six monster class. After selecting, a funny, tongue-in-cheek cutscene reveals that that character will be given an assignment to eliminate a certain pest — Satan.
Each character is given eight to ten different skills that are unique to one another, like the scoundrel being able to augment her archery skills, the fairy wizard calling a crystal familiar that bludgeons enemies and quite possible the funniest skill I’ve ever seen, the crusader’s ability to call on God himself. These skills, while not great at first glance helps the strategy a lot, like the skellyman’s quick step makes her unapproachable with a bow, or the fairy’s teleport skill can help her inflict devastating damages by popping behind an enemy and backstabbing them.
Equipment, much like any other dungeon crawler games play an important role in the gameplay. There are a variety of weapons are available at your disposal, including axes, daggers and wands. Different types of armors, as well as accessories and scrolls to raise your character’s health, energy and equipement level are also available.
The game adds depth by adding some sort of a timer, in the form of hunger. When your belly turns zero, your health degenerates once per move until you die. This forces you to find food during your quest or quickly finish the current stage to avoid hunger.
Being a true dungeon crawler, each stage is riddled with unforgiving enemies that need different approaches to defeat. That being said, your character’s death is almost inevitable — make a wrong move or be unlucky or don’t find food or don’t find good equipment and it is game over. If you manage to survive, then maybe the bosses every four levels will kill you. Death is almost inevitable in this game — it is a fact and the game reminds you that — almost is the operative word, though. With careful strategy, incorporating skills and a little luck, you can beat the game by a slim chance. I myself am playing the game for a week now and only managed to beat the game twice.
The game’s music is of the same quality as the rest of the game. The dungeon music reminds me of Castlevania, if that helps.
The game will be more perfect, though if the game did not crash a lot. I am having particularly an issue with the smokebomb skill of the scoundrel as it makes the skill entirely unplayable. But this is nitpicking.
100 Rogues is evidently a well thought, well done game. And games of this quality are really easy to recommend. Buy the game. You will not regret it!
Game Price: $0.99
Download Link: 100 Rogues – Fusion Reactions
