Game: Elsie
Genre: Action, Adventure
System: Nintendo Switch (also available on Steam (Windows), PS5 and Xbox)
Developer | Publisher: Knight Shift Games | Playtonic Friends
Age Rating: EU 3+ | US Everyone
Price: US $24.99 | UK 19.99 | EU € 24,99
Release Date: September 10th, 2024
A review code was provided, and many thanks to Mark Allen PR.
Elsie: A Familiar Yet Engaging Cyberpunk Action Roguelike
Elsie is a platforming run-and-gun game that channels a lot of Mega Man X energy but adds its own twist with roguelike elements. The game provides a highly entertaining and addictive gameplay loop, offering fast-paced action, tight platforming, and the thrill of randomization that roguelike fans love. However, while it delivers a solid and enjoyable experience, it doesn’t deviate too much from the well-worn path of the action roguelike genre. If this happens to be your first venture into this type of game, or if you have enough space left on your Nintendo Switch to squeeze in one more roguelike, Elsie is definitely worth your time.
The Quest to Find the Guardians
Set in the cyberpunk world of Ekis, Elsie introduces players to a futuristic environment filled with natural resources and cutting-edge scientific discoveries. However, Ekis faces a serious problem: it’s vulnerable to catastrophic natural disasters. To address this, a brilliant scientist named Dr. Grey creates multiple androids known as Guardians, whose sole purpose is to prevent these disasters. Everything is going well until one day, the Guardians vanish without a trace, leaving the world defenceless. In their place, hordes of aggressive robots begin ravaging the land.
In response, Dr. Grey crafts another android, Elsie, who is tasked with locating the Guardians and saving the world from chaos. The story is gradually revealed as you progress through multiple runs, with new details unfolding as you meet friendly NPCs and encounter the Guardians. While there’s an impressive amount of depth to the game’s narrative for those who are interested, the story is easy to skip if you’re more focused on the action. You can dive straight into the gameplay without needing to fully immerse yourself in the plot, though world-building is available for those who care to explore it.
Gun and Jump: The Core Gameplay
If you’ve played any action roguelike, you’ll recognize the core structure of Elsie’s gameplay. The formula is a familiar one: you traverse through multiple 2D levels, moving from room to room in search of the exit while shooting down hordes of robotic enemies. As you progress, you collect currency and various upgrades that enhance your abilities. Some rooms lock the doors, forcing you to defeat every enemy before proceeding, while others present platforming challenges where you shoot at targets to unlock rewards.
True to its roguelike roots, Elsie is designed to be a game of repetition. Defeat is inevitable as the difficulty ramps up with each level. However, every time you die, you have the opportunity to unlock new weapons, abilities, and features, which gradually improve your chances in future runs. The levels are procedurally generated, meaning no two runs are the same. This randomness keeps things fresh, providing new combinations of enemies, hazards, and power-ups on each playthrough. The constant push for progression, even in defeat, makes Elsie a highly addictive experience, offering that “just one more run” feeling that keeps players coming back for more.
One unique feature that sets Elsie apart from other games in the genre is the ability to level up during gameplay. As you defeat enemies, you’ll gain experience points and eventually level up, allowing you to choose from a variety of perks. These perks can enhance your damage or provide other helpful bonuses that persist for the rest of the run. This gives the game an additional layer of strategy, as you can tailor your abilities to suit your playstyle.
Flexible Gameplay Mechanics
From the very start, Elsie does a fantastic job of making you feel like a powerful android. Your basic weapon is a gun that runs off an energy meter, which recharges quickly, meaning you need to be strategic about when to fire. You can’t simply hold down the trigger endlessly, as you’ll need to manage your energy to ensure you’re always ready for the next wave of enemies. Throughout the game, you’ll unlock a variety of new weapons, giving you plenty of options to suit your preferred style of combat.
In addition to shooting, you have multiple movement abilities at your disposal. You can dash (which damages enemies in your path), wall jump, slam into the ground, and even parry enemy attacks. The parry system is particularly interesting, as it’s essential for defeating certain enemies that are protected by shields. While parrying in some games can be difficult to master, Elsie makes it accessible by giving you a generous window to trigger the move. When executed correctly, time slows down, allowing you to hit a marker in a circle for a damaging shockwave. It may take a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, it feels incredibly rewarding.
What makes Elsie’s combat stand out is the sheer flexibility it offers. You can choose to focus on parrying, or you can rely more on dashing and shooting. The game gives you the tools to experiment and find the approach that works best for you. If you prefer a more defensive playstyle, parrying is the way to go. If you’re all about speed and aggression, dashing and gunplay will carry you through most encounters. This flexibility ensures that players of all preferences can find a way to enjoy the game.
While the controls are generally tight and responsive, they do take some getting used to. The game tries to ease you in by introducing a new move or mechanic in each run, but this gradual tutorial system can cause some frustration. For instance, on my first few runs, I didn’t realize I could bounce off floating orbs because the game hadn’t taught me that mechanic yet. A simple digital manual or control guide could have alleviated this issue, but it’s a minor complaint in an otherwise smooth experience.
Cyberpunk Pixel Aesthetic
Elsie uses a familiar pixel art style, but it’s executed effectively. The world of Ekis is a vibrant, colourful cyberpunk landscape that feels alive with mechanical wonder. You’ll explore familiar locations like cities, forests, and ice areas, but each environment has a unique technological twist. The attention to detail in the backgrounds and animations is impressive, and the overall aesthetic fits the game’s futuristic theme perfectly.
Performance-wise, Elsie runs smoothly on both handheld and TV modes on the Nintendo Switch. The game’s fast-paced action and tight platforming are complemented by quick load times, ensuring that the experience remains seamless and frustration-free.
Accessibility
The game offers solid accessibility features, including colour sliders and character/enemy borders, to assist players with colour deficiencies or visual impairments. However, one area where it falls short is in adjusting gameplay for broader accessibility. While it includes the common “invulnerability” option for players who are really struggling, this can make the game feel too easy.
Given how hectic the game can get, especially during boss fights with bullet hell mechanics, it can be hard to keep track of everything happening on screen. A slider to slow down the game would have been a more balanced option, especially for players who find it difficult to manage all the on-screen chaos. A feature like that would benefit older players or those who struggle with visual overload.
Conclusion: A Cyberpunk Roguelike Worth Playing
Elsie is an excellent action roguelike that deserves the attention of any fan of the genre. Its tight controls, flexible gameplay mechanics, and addictive progression system make for a highly enjoyable experience. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it executes its familiar formula with enough polish and flair to keep players engaged.
The game’s only real drawback is its adherence to the well-trodden path of the action roguelike genre. If you’ve already played your fair share of these games, Elsie might not offer anything new enough to rekindle your enthusiasm. However, if you’re still hungry for more roguelike action, or if this is your first time exploring the genre, Elsie is well worth your time.
In the end, Elsie delivers a fun and fast-paced experience that’s perfect for short bursts of gaming or longer sessions. It’s a solid addition to any roguelike fan’s library, and while it may not push the genre forward, it’s undeniably fun. Keep it on your wishlist; you won’t regret it.
Final Verdict: I Like It a Lot
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