Beyond the Long Night

Despite the endless number of action roguelike titles released regularly, occasionally, one pops on the radar for being a tad obscure. Beyond the Long Night is one of those games, offering a contrast between a bizarre, colorful character set paired up against deep dark dungeons. Rarely will I take notice of games that follow the standard indie genre art style and gameplay, but here we are.

Beyond the Long Night, on initial impressions, will follow that typical action roguelike, the twin-stick formula of intense combat, a dark game world, and a progression system that makes your character superpowered. However, I'm more intrigued by the narrative, explanation behind these characters, and setting contrasts. I'm not expecting much gameplay-wise, but something interesting could be in store here.

Profound, Dark, and Happy

Beyond the Long Night immediately catches the player's attention with its atypical setting for an action roguelike narrative. The characters set in the game world are charming little blobs that generally seem content, bar the chaos caused by an endless time loop. It's the irony of almost circus-like inhabitants residing in a dark mountain, fending off evil like a daily chore.

It separates Beyond the Long Night from similar indie titles, a plus in my book. However, that oddball setting also fires the engine for some entertaining gameplay. Players are tasked with exploring and conquering the Dark Mountain setting to escape a time loop and reach the overworld. They'll have to battle monsters, solve puzzles, and level up to break free of this ancient kingdom successfully.

It's standard action roguelike gameplay, and hardly anything original comes into motion. But players can spend time enjoying the seamless execution of mechanics with intriguing themes and a large game world to explore. You'll be guaranteed a colorful visual feast in combat. Despite control frustrations, victories are satisfying and even more so as you upgrade your skills.

Beyond the Long Night manages to find some success in the genre, clearly where developers know what they're doing to develop a decent action roguelike. Even though some nuances, like the procedurally generated environments and the time loop mechanics, can become burdening, there's a splash of quality in almost every aspect of the game.

We're Going to Dark Mountain, Charlie!

Finally, we have an action roguelike on the indie spectrum that's not a total copy-paste job or doesn't descend too far into obscurity. Beyond the Long Night is a testament that you can still make a compelling game for the genre with some thought, polish, and originality. It's no Dead cells, but it will satisfy players who enjoy a challenge.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Fascinating characters and game setting
• Intense combat that's bound to please
• A charming narrative that doesn't weigh on the mind

Cons:

• Controlling characters can become frustrating
• Procedurally generated maps seem unnecessary
• Playing with a keyboard isn't recommended