… Not much, but it’s funny that there were two. MeinMMO editor Lydia spent the weekend with two new action games on Steam.
Since the success of Vampire Survivors, about as many busy roguelites are spawning on Steam as there are enemies in the indie favorite. However, only a few manage to stand out from the crowd with truly cool mechanics. So I was delighted to discover two titles this weekend that come around the corner with a similar, yet pretty cool twist.
Surviving in the radioactive post-apocalypse…
Ground Zero Hero is from solo developer Rowan Edmondson and calls itself “Vampire Survivors meets Rick and Morty”. After I played the revamped demo on Steam, I might also add “with a pinch of Fallout Shelter”.
The game places us in a radioactively contaminated post-apocalypse and throws countless mutated monsters at us. If we take down enough of them and collect their radioactive remains, we can unlock new mutations. The trick: These mutations not only grant us new abilities but also change our appearance. Suddenly, we grow a tentacle to swat away enemies, or a third leg to sprint away from them.
So far, so familiar, one might think. And then night falls. When the sun sets, the wasteland is suddenly overrun by vampires. Then it’s essential to quickly locate an unopened bunker where one can heal and survive the night – or start hunting the bloodsuckers to farm even more radioactive slime.
With its charming comic look and outrageous humor, Ground Zero Hero could particularly appeal to players who couldn’t get into the minimalist pixel aesthetics of Vampire Survivors. It also features a catchy soundtrack that one can vibe to while slicing monsters.
Personally, I found the character a bit too sluggish at the beginning, which is why I directly invested my collected caps from the first run into a permanent speed upgrade. My initial mutations weren’t quite convincing either. It really took off with the “Bonkers” mechanic.
If you choose a mutation often enough, it can go “bonkers”: The attacks hit harder and reward you with huge rainbow numbers. According to Steam, the absurd post-apocalypse should start soon, and I’m already curious about what irradiated and overpowering combos will be possible in the full version.
… to rapid evolution
With Everything is Crab, another roguelite launched on Steam on May 8 that immediately hooked me – not just because the premise is based on the evolutionary phenomenon of carcinization or “crabbing”, which is one of my favorite “fun facts”.
We start as a blue blob and immediately begin to consume our way through the ecosystem. For this, we can hunt other creatures or make use of the abundant fruits. Once we’ve eaten enough, we can choose from a range of adaptations (or mutations) that will boost us both visually and gameplay-wise – close enough, welcome back Spore.
Choices include attacks to defend ourselves against the less peaceful creatures – and bosses that appear after a certain time – as well as protective mechanisms and various abilities that make our lives easier: for example, we can stay longer in inhospitable terrain, eat food faster, or move more efficiently.
Like in Ground Zero Hero, there is also a day-night cycle here that restricts visibility and affects the behavior of certain creatures. Another commonality: There are holes in the ground that resemble bunkers, where we can briefly hide from enemies.
Everything is Crab also features a mechanic I found cool in Balatro: challenges that can turn gameplay upside down. I only find it unfortunate that mostly no new genetics can be unlocked here.
The fact that there is currently only one map has not bothered me so far, as you tend to start a few runs in between rather than sitting down for an 8-hour marathon. At least not intentionally, because the “Just one more run…” effect kicks in mercilessly.
Despite the pixel aesthetics and roguelite tag, Everything is Crab is not a typical survivor-like: attacks are manually triggered and you have to aim. However, there are not overwhelming hordes of enemies. You still get that satisfying “overpowered” feeling when you take down an enemy in one gulp, one you initially ran away from.
Whether you’re drawn to the post-apocalypse or the gene pool: Both games show that the genre is far from over when you have the right ideas (and a tentacle or two).
Have you tried either of the two games or are they on your wishlist? Share your roguelite recommendations in the comments!
Speaking of roguelites. The studio behind the original Vampire Survivors has recently released the spin-off Vampire Crawlers. I initially thought the new Steam hit was cheap ripoff, then it ate my weekend. You can read about what the game is about here on MeinMMO.
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