Worth Checking Out - Risk of Rain

With the never ending influx of roguelikes (can the majority of them even be considered rogue-likes?) it's hard to pick out one that's right for you. When the trailer for Hopoo Games' Risk of Rain first dropped I was certain I found my next time sink after the 100+ hours I dropped into The Binding of Isaac, unfortunately I was correct.

Risk of Rain is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up with a ridiculously difficult twist, the longer you play the harder it gets. This doesn't mean the further you get the harder it gets (although that is true as well), instead the more time you put into your session the more enemies will spawn and the more powerful they'll become. The way the game's difficulty is presented adds an interesting layer of complexity, forcing you to manage your time while also leveling up and collecting powerups for the next level. 

Of course, no roguelike would be complete without massive amounts of randomization, which Risk of Rain does right.

The game features over 100 different items, each giving your character different power ups and weapons to help push you a little bit further. As to be expected, the items you find are randomized, giving each playthrough a chance to completely screw you over. Even when the game seems to stack you with the best items, getting to next level is no easy feat and you'll often find yourself dying in between blinks.

To put it simply the game is hard, very very hard, but with each playthrough you'll find yourself getting further and a little bit better than before. Risk of Rain is a rewarding yet challenging experience and completely worth your time and money, with the mass-influx of roguelikes it's great to see a developer throw a little bit of spice into the mix. You can pick the game up today on Steam for $9.99