When I was first introduced to Roudguard, I was on my way to an appointment with The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild at PAX East. We had appointments to preview Freshly Frosted and Sail Forth; however, when we got to the booth other PAX East Attendees were patiently waiting to preview the demos. So, instead of asking the developers to put us onto the scheduled stations, we asked the studio head what other titles he would recommend and he guided us to Roundguard. For those who have not read our PAX East coverage of Roundguard, Sail Forth, or Freshly Frosted, you can read up on those here.
My first impression of Roundguard was that of neutrality. Yes, the concept of Peggle with RPG elements was enticing, however, a lack of character customization before a dungeon crawl left us feeling underwhelmed, causing a neutral balance. For a quick sit down and play, Roundguard was a fun experience but not one I planned on actively seeking out further. Not because of any bugs in the game, but rather, it did not match my preferred genre of game. Fast forward to the middle of May and The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild asked us if we would like to review Roundguard. Since we had a decent experience with it, we agreed to review it and give it a second try.
Roundguard is described as, “a bouncy dungeon crawler with pinball physics, lots of loot, and a randomized castle full of oddballs. Press your luck against hordes of dangerously cute monsters and challenging roguelike elements in this all-round bouncy adventure!”
Gameplay
The description of the game is pretty accurate but does not truly prepare you for what you are about to experience. At the start of the game, the player has the option to choose between the warrior, rogue, and wizard. Each character has their own unique abilities which are randomly chosen whenever you click Start a new run. The player has the ability to change which slot the ability is in but not which one they start with; this can make clearing a dungeon rather difficult and infuriating.
In addition to unique skills, each character has a different set of stats. The Warrior starts with a high Hp stat but almost no mana. The Wizard on the other hand has the lowest health, highest mana, and their attack stat is only 1 point lower than its Rogue and Warrior counterpart. This difference in stats makes the Wizard feel like the strongest character. The final option the player has to choose is their relic. Each relic comes with a unique ability that will alter the way the dungeon forms.
The RNG
Each dungeon is randomly generated. This means you can not always predict what kind of enemy you will face at the beginning of the dungeon. Because of this, players must choose their character wisely. Upon clearing a room, the player is rewarded with either a new spell, armor, or weapon. This is determined based on which slot the player lands. The game randomly generates an item based on that slot. This typically results in the player getting a better item than they currently have. If the player decides they do not want the item, they have the opportunity to sell it. After collecting their reward for clearing the room, the player can choose which way they want to go, however, the pinball mechanics can cause the player to miss their desired room.
In each room, the player earns gold for each golden pot they smash. Experience is earned by killing monsters or completing objectives. By gaining experience the player levels up, increasing the character’s health and mana pool. At the beginning of some levels, random challenges will be given out. If completed, new stats will be unlocked for the character. On each map, the player can see where each unique room is in addition to the intermission line and the boss level. The intermission line indicates when the player will have the ability to spin the Wheel of Wonders. The Wheel of Wonders is comprised of multiple slats that are unlocked based on the amount of gold acquired by the intermission line. If the player lands on a slat that has been unlocked they get a reward; if they manage to land on a covered one then no reward is unlocked.
The Downside
Roundguard‘s RNG system can be a harsh mistress. If you are unlucky, your run can end quickly. The random items dropped can increase your stats but ruin your build completely. Like any pinball inspired game, you can never fully predict where you might bounce too. Each enemy that you hit hits back, damaging your character. Hitting the bottom of the stage and not the landing mat will also damage the player. Once the player’s health reaches zero or critical, they must land on the mat or they will die. Death brings the player back to the Wheel of Wonders where they will get a new trinket skill. That skill is applied to the player’s next run.
Sadly, all the abilities and equipment unlocked during the previous run is lost outside of that last trinket skill. This lack of carryover is similar to Dungeons & Dragons but kills the motivation to do another run. During our playthrough, we did not find any weird bugs, however, the game did crash crash twice on us. Luckily, we were able to continue where we left off.
Controls
Roundguard’s Controls are really easy to utilize. The left trigger allows the player to launch to a precise location. The A button shoots the catapult. The B Button shows the player what kind of enemies are on the level. The LB shows what equipment, skills, items, and artifacts the player has. The RB allows players to look at the map and plan their dungeon route. Finally, the X and Y buttons activate the player’s skills so long as they have mana to cast it.
Music/Sound
The music in Roundguard is rather basic. The game has a limited soundtrack but sets a cute and fun atmosphere. Each monster and object has its own collision noise with similar monsters having the same sound or one that’s almost identical. Roundguard‘s soundtrack doesn’t wow you with its aesthetic but it does the job it was tasked with, setting a feel-good environment outside of death.
Graphics
Roundguard‘s graphics give off a wholesome, cartoonish vibe. The game feels as if it is inspired by some late 2000s games with fun being the primary focus. The game is not meant to be a visual experience; it is just meant to draw you into a fun atmosphere. Each level has a different design to make most rooms feel different. Each monster family has its own design, with monsters within the family looking similar but not identical. The random generation of pots mixed with the enemies makes each level unique.
Replay Value
This indie game may not win Indie Game of the Year, but it still has a lot to offer. Roundguard offers multiple classes for the player to play as with different spells to cast to alter how the game plays. With the game resetting after each death, each new journey is different than the one before. During our playthrough, the farthest we got was the stage 3 boss fight. The game offers multiple stages after Stage 3. Try out new builds and bounce your way to victory!
If not for those busy lines at PAX East, we might have never given Roundguard the chance it deserves. Roundguard gives players who love pinball and dungeon crawlers a 2-in-1 combination, unlike any game before it. Hopefully, in the future, Wonderbelly Games will release a DLC pack offering new content to expand the game’s skills, classes, and monster types. Overall, Roundguard can be a lot of fun depending on the mindset you go in with. If you go in determined to complete all the stages you will probably leave feeling exhausted and disappointed. If you go in just looking for a good time and a fast playthrough, then you will come out smiling.
For $19.99 on Xbox, Roundguard is definitely worth its retail price. If money is a bit tight, you can pick up Roundguard on Steam for $14.99. Roundguard helped relieve my feelings of anxiety during this global pandemic and satiated my desire to play D&D. This game could be even more fun with a co-op element or game mode. Complete bouncing mayhem!
More information about Roundguard can be found on the official website. A digital Xbox One copy was provided for the purpose of review. Roundguard is also available on Switch, PS4, and the Apple Arcade.
