StarStruck Games was kind enough to send me a copy of Roguematch: The Extraplanar Invasion on PlayStation 5, and I have to admit I am normally not a fan of these puzzle-matching games, but I am known to dabble here and there. But we all know how I feel about rogue-likes and RPGs, so when I had the chance to check out one that filled all those boxes, of course, I wanted to try it.
The gameplay is very basic: match the gems, which are colored by elements. Green is wind, red is fire, and so on and so forth. As you match these, you collect them to cast spells, and if you do this next to enemies, you damage them. You can also just move into enemies to damage them with your base attack, but doing this allows them to do the same to you, so be careful. It has its uses, but it is safer to use elements.
Certain areas will require you to step on switches or activate crystals, or simply defeat every enemy to move on to the next room. Some of these rooms have items to collect that work as spells. Some marked doors lead to a floor boss as you attempt to get to the bottom of the pyramid. You can attempt to speed run the boss; it is a viable strategy or you can find items and level up.
The story is pretty straightforward, but it’s nice. Three friends attempt to investigate a temple and discover that only one at a time may enter. The wizard goes in first, trying to find a magic tomb, and gets lost. The paladin rushes in to save him once the shield comes down, and also gets lost. And now you control the final member on the rescue attempt. Once you find them, you will be able to control them on later attempts, with each character, of course, having different abilities and play styles. During the rescue attempt, you will discover more about this temple, but I won’t spoil this for you.
This is going to be a very niche title; fans of games like this will enjoy this 7/10 title, but I don’t see it bringing new fans into the fold. At $20, it has a nice amount of replay value, is free of any glitches or problems, and looks nice. Don’t expect it to wow you, but it will entertain you for a few hours. Best wishes, and may the gaming gods bring you glory.
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Savior Gaming 