Rob reviews Crown Trick on Xbox Series X...
Roguelikes and Roguelites seem to be gaining in popularity over the last couple of years. With so many being released, a few of these have diluted the true meaning behind what being a Roguelike(lite) is. Thankfully Team 17 and NEXT Studios' Crown Trick knows exactly what the genre is - and more importantly brings something new.
Much like the initial Roguelikes of the late 80's early 90's, Crown Trick perfectly replicates what made these games great. It's fully played via a turn-based system that incorporates both movement and combat. Throw in the complete random factor of procedurally generated maps, and a punishing difficulty setting, Crown Trick is certainly worthy of being part of the cluttered game type genre.
The story sees you play as a mysterious character who finds herself trapped within a dream-like world. To escape this world you'll team up with a talking crown that'll grant your hero plenty of abilities to combat the many foes that await. Like other Rogues, Crown Trick isn't deep in its narrative and relies on you picking small bits of information up during gameplay, or via the games vast encyclopedia.
There isn't too much handholding as the game heaves you straight into the thick of it. Thankfully Crown Trick is one of those games that has some deceptively simple mechanics, that hides an incredibly in-depth system underneath.
Roguelikes are famed for their "just one more run" style of gameplay and Crown Trick is no different. Each run plays out differently from the last and you'll inevitably have some that are far tougher than before - sadly it's all down to RNG. There's plenty here that'll kill you as each dungeon features a myriad of traps and enemies across its grid-based surface. This grid system also acts like a turn-based RPG in which every move you make also moves the enemies too. There's a certain degree of planning involved as you'll have to weigh up each step before you take it. Crown Trick certainly favours a calm and collected approach to playing and those of you who favour the "guns blazing" tactic will be sadly disappointed.
To make runs easier you can equip various weapons and familiars. These familiars start of life as the dungeons tougher hostiles but upon beating them you can utilise their strengths for some pretty strong elemental attacks. There's plenty of weapons, familiars, and equipment to use which offers plenty of experimentation to find the optimal set-up. There isn't any right or wrong way to play Crown Trick and the game doesn't punish you for choosing something wrong - well not too much.
Crown Trick isn't a game that is particularly "easy". The difficulty borderlines on being unfair if you don't adapt to what it subtly wants you to do. While you are given the tools to work with the game doesn't tell you how to use them. Utilise your weapons and skills the wrong way and you'll find your next run incredibly difficult to compete. There is a lot of repetitiveness involved which can frustrate on occasion, but it all boils down to one big learning curve. If you allow things down and plan then Crown Trick becomes a rewarding adventure.
If the unfortunate does happen and you die, you're sent back to the world hub to try again. Much like other games of the genre - your progress is lost - but your abilities and some collected experience remains. This allows you to at least progress the character, even if you've had a particularly terrible run.
Visuals throughout the game are superb. The opening cinematic is great and is filled with some fantastic animations. This also filters down to both the characters and the overall world with both featuring plenty of memorable subjects. Characters also move pretty fluidic which gives a natural feeling to everything. When the action kicks in, visual effects will often fill the screen, which can feel a bit daunting but it does a great job in building the atmosphere.
All in all, Crown Trick is a great Roguelike title. It perfectly captures the manic randomness of the genre with plenty of depth and rewarding - yet punishing - gameplay. The turn-based system offers a rich strategy element that can be as structured as you want it to be. It's certainly a game that requires a lot of planning and overall patience, but underneath this is a gorgeous title that's full of charm. With plenty of Rogue titles fighting for your time - Crown Trick is one serious contender for that top spot.
Rating: 9/10
Crown Trick is out now and can be purchased via the Microsoft Store by clicking here. Also available on Xbox Gamepass.
A code was kindly provided for this review.
Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev
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