TombStar

Roguelikes have become an incredibly popular genre over the past decade or so. It’s a genre of game that is almost as difficult to balance as it is to play, but the ones that are successful resonate incredibly strongly with the communities they are made for. One new, notable roguelike is TombStar, a top-down shooter developed by Andy Sum and Marcus Grambau, and published by No More Robots. TombStar combines classic cowboy Western stylings with high-concept sci-fi tropes and storylines. Take on gangs of alien bandits as intergalactic peacekeepers in this action-packed roguelike. If that got your attention, then here is everything you need to know about TombStar.

Old Western Style

Choose from a roster of three unique heroes to take on the infamous Grimheart Gang. These infernal aliens have driven out the peaceful citizens of the planet TombStar (a play on Tombstone) and claimed all of the livable surface for themselves. Your goal as the hero is to defeat the Grimheart Gang and return TombStar to its rightful owners. The only people strong enough for this job are Jack Galloway, an aspiring galactic hero, Benson Gara, a no-nonsense alien environmentalist, and AJ Starchild, a decorated sniper who has gone rogue. Each character has their own weapons, skills, and abilities which have been designed to fit many different kinds of playstyles. All you have to do is find the one that best suits your needs. Whoever you choose, you’ll have a cowboy hat-wearing, gunslinging warrior who is bent on delivering justice.

Sci-Fi Setting

TombStar’s setting is a colorful sci-fi universe full of aliens, technology, and robots. This juxtaposes with the old west aesthetic in an interesting way that makes the game feel entirely unique. It leans more in the sci-fi direction than the western direction, unlike a game like Steamworld Dig. The sci-fi inspiration is more clear in one aspect of the game than anywhere else: the game’s arsenal. Instead of six shooters and rifles, you’ll have access to an array of blasters, explosives, and other creative sci-fi weaponry like the Armageddon Expander. As you progress through the game and clear outposts of Grimheart scum, you’ll find even more weapons to add to your collection and upgrade your villain-blasting potential. And when your opposition varies from common thugs to death laser-equipped kill bots, you’re going to need all of the firepower you can get!

Roguelike Mechanics

The gameplay of TombStar leans heavily on its deep roguelike mechanics. Each stage is randomly generated so you won’t be able to rely on your knowledge of the layout of a level to survive it, and enemies hit harder and harder as you progress. Each death is a lesson, whether that be to use your hero’s abilities more effectively or to avoid one enemy’s specific attack.

Pros

• Classic top-down shooter gameplay
• Colorful cast of characters with endearing stories
• Awesome weaponry that makes fighting the Grimhearts a ton of fun

Cons

• Randomly generated levels can feel unfair at times
• Steep difficulty curve for casual players