Arboria

A Souls-like set in a colourful world! Forewarned is forearmed: while the game world is an original one, Arboria is also a rogue-lite and you'll be dying an awful lot. Every run is unique, with every level procedurally generated, and your character will have to find symbiotic weapons they can merge with to become more powerful. We loved the artistic direction.

Fans of a gaming challenge: this one's for you!

Inspired by Dark Souls but with rogue-lite mechanics, Arboria transports you away to a whole new world.

We liked the game's weird and wonderful aesthetic, which is a real feast for the eyes. Twisted roots crisscross the walls, dotted with strange luminescent pods and flaming torches that project an orange light. It might be surprising to realise that the game is inspired by the legends of the Scandinavia: the Father Tree in Arboria is named Yggr, after Yggdrasil, the world tree that supported the universe in Norse mythology, and you play as a warrior named Yotun, a name that is also a nod to the Jötunn giants who built Asgard, the kingdom of Odin.

Myths and legends, then, but also a healthy dose of satire delivered through Rata, a kind of trashy Tinker Bell who accompanies you on your adventures. The game's sense of irony will remind older gamers of Oddworld.

The plot is nothing too complex: you embark on a quest to find the cure to the disease afflicting the roots of the Father Tree, a quest that will take you deep underground. Along the way, you can expect challenging battles with the monsters that call the underworld home, as well as collecting weapons, equipment, and Veri, the game's mystical currency that takes the form of blue crystals.

The dungeons are procedurally generated, which means they'll be different every time you play, and the combat is varied. There are sanctuaries where you can heal, and opening particular chests will trigger special battle events with waves of enemies.

At your disposal you have quick and heavy attacks, as well as some rudimentary spellcasting.

But one thing is guaranteed: you're in for tough time!

The combat can be extremely challenging, and you'll need to learn your enemies' attack patterns if you're to fell them.

Our favourite part? The fresh take on rogue-lite mechanics. Instead of dying and starting again with the same character, each new game begins with you playing as a new character... but one that gets to keep all of the abilities you have unlocked in earlier runs. That makes dying much less painful!

Our advice? Collect as many Veri as you can: you'll be rewarded handsomely with some fine upgrades for your future characters. Veri can be collected in a few different ways: by killing enemies, opening chests, destroying crystals, and more.

One last tip before we go: you'll need to lock on to the monsters to see how many hit points they have left.

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