'Godbreakers' is a sci-fi indie 'hack 'n' slash' action game with rogue-lite genre elements. It focuses on cooperative play for up to four players. The game is set to release on October 23 for PlayStation 5 and PC, and we have already played the PlayStation 5 version. For those who want to play it now, a demo version is available. The developers are 'To The Sky', an ambitious team from Gothenburg, Sweden.
The game is based on fast, chaotic combat where coordination is crucial. The best gameplay of this game is based on online play, up to 4 players, where you collectively defeat opponents. And as we found out, the game is much easier that way. Because when you start playing solo, you soon realize that this game is quite a hefty challenge for 'solo' play. To get through any level, high concentration, focus on opponents, and great skill on the controller are required. But let's start with the story. Humanity has vanished. It was erased by the artificial intelligence Monad. It was created by humans to improve the world, but the plan went awry and the AI destroyed humanity. Players (us) are vessels of humanity. We were brought back to life by a mysterious being called Coven, with the goal of destroying Monad and reigniting the spark of human life. And we do this by fighting countless opponents – monsters and various alien beings. The combat, although similar to some older rogue-lite games, is still innovative. A new feature is the 'godbreak' system – a mechanic that allows us to weaken opponents and then absorb their powers. When we weaken an opponent, or bring their health down to a certain level, our 'godbreak meter' fills up and then we can take their power and unleash a 'godbreak' – a devastating attack that uses the enemy's strength against them. The absorbed power can only be used once and cannot be reused in the same fight. In battle, every second counts. The controls are precise and the combat is fluid. Innovation also lies in interrupting movements during fights. This allows for lightning-fast real-time control, as well as avoiding danger during enemy combos. In combat, we can chain attacks, dodges, and their combinations. Discovering new weapons allows for constant development of combat tactics. It is evident that the developers spent a lot of time on movements and animations, as the combat is fluid, playable, and highly addictive.
The character we use can be modified – both in appearance and abilities. Different types of fighters in this game are 'Archetypes', each with its own special weapon and move set. The colors of the outfits and types of helmets can be changed at any time, as well as the weapons that our Archetype uses. In online play for up to 4 players, it is best to create a team where abilities complement each other.
The game takes place across six unique, visually striking biomes – e.g. the poisonous swamps of Sabooatha and the colorful Kar-Aj. Each biome is a creation of the artificial intelligence Monad. Visually, each world is different and contains its own unique opponents. As we progress, the opponents become stronger.
At the end of each biome are 'bosses'. They are multi-phase. We must defeat them in multiple phases, during which they summon or create warriors (monsters) that we also need to destroy along the way. Few games in 'boss' battles require such reflexes as 'Godbreakers'. In each biome, there is a 'shopkeeper', a mysterious character from whom we can buy 'heals' as well as moves, and upgrade our abilities. The biomes are simple and straightforward. There is no exploration or puzzles, just linear movement forward and destruction of the opponents that appear. Like every roguelike, when we die, there is no returning to a 'checkpoint', but we go back to the beginning. However, this is not bad at all in this game. After I 'died' for the first time (which happened a lot, a lot of times), I discovered that I could still progress and unlock things in the lobby where we start the game. From that lobby, we set out again into a world that is as much sci-fi as it is 'cartoonish'. The whole thing works, and the game visually amazed me.
In the end, we can conclude that 'Godbreakers' is a fun game with fluid combat, featuring several innovative combat elements ('godbreak' and 'cancel' elements). The biggest plus of the game is the multiplayer mode, which is, unfortunately, only online. There is no local, split-screen multiplayer. The visual style is colorful, cartoonish, and the music is cinematic, adding tension and action to the environment. Throughout the game, players progress and unlock abilities and new weapons. The movement is smooth and well-animated. One of the downsides of this game is the lack of narrative. There is no clear story in a narrative line that we follow along with the game. Some may also be bothered that the game lacks 'checkpoints', but rogue-lite players will be familiar with this and it won't be a drawback for them. The game, although it has some innovative gameplay elements, may not bring too much novelty, and the linear path of the main character (or characters) could bore players who do not enjoy this type of game. It’s up to you to judge whether this game offers enough novelty to place it among the top rogue-lite games. We found it entertaining, and it visually impressed us.
Game sample provided for review purposes by the publisher Thunderful Publishing AB
