Heart&Slash

Imagine... The “Robolution” happened 100 years ago and androids have seized control of the Earth, wiping out mankind. One of said androids is Heart, a “happy robot” who’s not quite like all the rest, what with not being under the control of the game’s baddie, “QuAsSy” (short for Quality Assurance System). His mission? To escape the factory where he was built. And that’s where things get tricky, because standing in his way is an army of hostile robots eager for a scrap. Fortunately, you’ll run into Slash, a rebel military robot, who will help you by assigning you missions (71 in total!). But you’re not out of the woods yet!

Financed through the crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter, this indie 3D rogue-like adventure game is for expert gamers or adults in desperate need of a release. Just like in any rogue-like worthy of the name, every time you die (and that will be lots and lots of times) you will be taken back to the start of your adventure, to do it all over again in a world procedurally generated just for you. You’ll need plenty of patience to make it to the end of the 3 game worlds, and a lot of skill to beat the 91 different enemies you’ll encounter along the way. Otherwise, you’ll be sent back for reassembly time and time again! It’s almost an endless game.

Developed by A heartful of games and published by BadLand Games, Heart&Slash will definitely find its audience thanks to its old-school graphics – somewhere between pixel-art and cel-shading – and its frenetic gameplay that’s all about the fighting. On the menu are 75 overpowered weapons, ranging from sword to laser, some of which have an elemental power that makes them more effective against particular enemies. If you’re more of a brawler, you’ll like pulling off combos and dodges to clear a path to the end of your quest. You can also customise your little robot (and five other characters) with a selection of 135 different parts, pieces of equipment, and accessories.

If you think that your android is looking a bit worse for wear, you can also improve its defence and attack by collecting as many boxes of nuts and bolts as you can. Just remember that life points are very rare in Heart&Slash, but you can always recycle some of your equipment and convert it into energy. Sure to come in handy!

So, this is a game for those who want to let it all out and don’t mind starting again and again. Once again from the top!