Emberdrift

wow, what a pleasant surprise to find. a creative roguelite that isnt a survivors clone and feels amazing to play. love the movement, racking up combos and almost speedrunning through the levels. i only have to get good at it.

This game is what would happen if Dead Cells and Sonic had a baby. If that sounds appealing to you, you'll love it, after giving it a few runs to figure out the control (and upgrading your damage once if you're on hard mode) The actual gameplay is less random than most roguelikes, so you'll quickly start seeing a pattern of "bottleneck rooms", most of which are quite large with many side-halls, some random some not. Still, each run you're forced to pick one of two banners and one of three weapons (out of 10 total for both) and each one requires a slightly different playstyle, meaning the runs do keep feeling fresh. And thanks to the semi-predictable layout, you can really master the different areas and go absolutely ham through them, as a good momentum-based game should let you. That being said, the game is a little bit shy of perfection. There are some launch bugs, most of which are minor, but pressing Esc while in a chest (in hopes of checking my inventory) resulted in a freeze, forcing me to quit out of a pretty good run :( There is also some visual oddities in 4k (House of Cards deck and the credits sequence), but I think the think that irked me the most were various animations (mainly main character slow movement/final boss a bit too). They do their job, but probably the weakest of the overall amazing audio-visual experience this game is. Cause yes, the soundtrack has no right going this hard That being said, I love how unlocking different skins actually changes the boss dialogue to fit the 'character' you're playing as. It's a little thing, but it adds so much to the replayability, where I actually want to finish the game with each character. Though whether I'll succeed is another thing entirely, cause this thing can get quite hard if you don't snowball your way into having 18 minions obliterate bosses in <5 seconds. But it's a good kind of hard, a challenge to overcome and learn, not a fake wall to annoy you. Aside of maybe the second major boss, that one's a bit of a pain in the tail. Overall fantastic game, one of my favorites of the year. Now just gotta figure out how to actually manage to get 1000 combo for the 100% achievements...

If you love roguelikes like I do, let me tell you—Emberdrift is something special. It’s a fast, wild, and creative platformer that takes speed and movement to the next level. Every run feels like an adrenaline rush as you zip around the screen, chaining combos, pulling off insane stunts, and battling through some seriously tough challenges. Gameplay: Movement That Feels Alive This game isn’t about just jumping or running. You’ll be grappling, sliding, jetpacking, grinding,. The movement mechanics are smooth, crazy fun, and make you feel unstoppable when you get it right. At the start of every run, you grab a weapon that changes how you play. Each weapon keeps things fresh and makes every run a new challenge. Combat: Pure Chaos, Pure Fun The combat? Oh man, it’s chaos in the best way possible. Pulling off massive combos feels so satisfying, and you’re constantly upgrading your abilities to turn into an even bigger powerhouse. The bosses are wild, tough, and over-the-top, but they push you to think strategically and use every trick you’ve got. Sure, the difficulty is high, but that’s what makes victory feel so good. Graphics: A Colorful Roguelike Wonderland Visually, Emberdrift is a treat. Every level is bright, detailed, and full of life. The art pops with color, and even when the action gets hectic, it’s all so clean and smooth. This game is just as fun to look at as it is to play. Music: Keeps You Pumped The soundtrack fits perfectly. The beats are fast and intense, matching the speed and energy of the game. When things get tough, the music drives you forward, making every boss fight and close call even more exciting. Final Thoughts: A Roguelike That Stands Out Emberdrift is tough, no doubt about it. The learning curve might make you sweat at first, but when it clicks, it’s one of the most rewarding games out there. The movement, the combat, the upgrades it’s all designed to keep you hooked and coming back for "just one more run." If you’re into roguelikes and love fast-paced action, don’t sleep on this one. It’s challenging, creative, and an absolute blast to play. Grab your weapon, dive in, and enjoy the chaos. Emberdrift is worth every second. [quote]Thank you for reading my review. If you enjoyed it, please follow[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/] [b]IndieGems[/b] [/url] for more reviews like this one. We also have a [url=https://www.youtube.com/@IndieGems2][b]YouTube channel[/b][/url] if you would rather see game play footage with reviews. [/quote]

Loved this game! Fast-paced but easy to learn, and I'm not even that great at video games. Really intriguing story line and beautiful graphics. Plus the soundtrack is epic. Addictive!! Highly recommend this game.

This game is like Sonic if Sonic chugged 10 energy drinks and whipped out a laser rifle. It's insanely fun to blast through the levels, build up huge combos, and get crazy builds going. There are lots of mechanics here to interact with between the pets system, banner system, and weapon upgrade forges. Plus some secret levels which I haven't been able to explore much beyond the first one. The one complaint I have is that builds can get a little too snowbally leading to destroying bosses extremely quickly later in the game. So hopefully that gets balanced out. Overall highly recommend!

Emberdrift is amazing! The gameplay is unique but easy to pick up. The art is great and the music is really fantastic- it creates a really cool and distinctive mood. Definitely recommend!!

You should try this game! It's easy to get into, but also challenging. The chill difficulty is perfect for me lol. The emberdrift mechanic is really satisfying once you get the hang of it, and I can't wait to get more skins and pets! The music is perfect- really gets your blood pumping. I had to buy the OST too! Crazy that this was made by one dev.

Emberdrift is like a good book – you just can’t put it down. This roguelike game sports a well thought out keyboard/trackball interface, complex and entertaining scenarios, a wide array of weapons and excellent graphics. Unique is the “emberdrift” movements which require some practice to master but are really very clever. The game is configurable to accommodate everyone from beginners to masters. I installed Emberdrift, started playing, and before I knew it, several hours had passed. I would definitely recommend this roguelike game.

This game is a hoot and a half. There are areas where you really need to plan, and there are areas where things happen really intense. This game can **MOVE** fast! The sountrack was ***KILLER***. Very innovative on how the game played. I LOVED the graphics - It was really fun how Ember slid! Totally fun! Definitely recommend!! Wow!!

I've never really played a roguelike games outside of something like sonic (my favorite game growing up after zelda). This game starts off and gives you a really handy tutorial right out of the tank. I really appreciated having an area to get a feel for the controls before going into the bulk of the game. First off, the music is dope! I really wish more devs would give the option to buy the OST, but honestly, most don't slap like this. The colors, bots, and textures really come alive with the music pumping in the background. You can tell a lot of love was put into the game from front to back. I don't have really anything bad to say because I haven't played enough to find egregious bugs or the like--my only hangup was getting used to the controls, but that's a spacial awareness thing on my end and not on the game. I'm excited to move through all of the new levels and see how the story unfolds. Emberdrift is a fun, fast, beautiful game! To know that it was made by one singular dev, when there is such trash on the market with whole teams, is an impressive accomplishment that deserves to be celebrated. I hope that people will see the love that was poured into this game.