3/5 ★ – Kalle_Deimos's review of Vagante.

TLDR: I like this game, but I can't do it. Between the difficulty and lack of variety there is just nothing for me here. Gameplay: Vagante is Spelunky's younger brother who really likes cozy fantasy settings. Spelunky is ingrained in this titles core DNA, but Vagante actually does a lot of make it unique. It's an RPG, with equipment, combat, magic, damage numbers, stats; the whole package. Combat is weighty and the caves you traverse are very dark, making it a much slower and deliberate experience. I love RPG's, so I was ready for Vagante to overtake my love for Spelunky. Unfortunately I believe Vagante is a weak rogue-like. There is simply not enough here to entice players after a couple of hours. A strong rogue-like to me has a different experience each time you launch it up. The path you take, upgrades and what you encounter should be different with plenty of opportunities for secrets and discovery. And when you're done with a run, some progress should be made. Maybe you unlocked a new item or upgraded something else that you will see in a new playthrough. Vagante has none of these things. Vagante does not change up enough between runs and there is no progression to strive for. You can level up to unlock "backgrounds" for your character which starts then with a small perk or different stats, but thats it and I unlocked them all quickly. The only thing that changes between runs really are your equipment which only influences your stats and minor abilities. These changes always felt like a bonus, and not a substantial change to the gameplay. Combat is enjoyable but it is not enough to carry the gameplay. Just a lot of poking and retreating. Mechanics are also poorly explained to players. You can burn books / scrolls at the bonfire for extra healing and I only found that you through a loading screen tip. Trying to figure out exactly HOW to dump it took some time too. A mage skill allows you to supposedly mix potions together and I can't for the life of me figure out how to do it. I know I can do these things, but HOW. I feel bad for being harsh on Vagante but it just didn't capture my interest. Suprisingly tho, it does have a certain quality to it. Besides it's lack of variety, it's fun to occasionally jump into it and see how far you get. The only thing that changes between your runs is your skill level. And while I'm giving up on my journey for now, I think one day I may try to beat it. Maybe. Story: You're exploring a cave because uhhhhhh? No explanation. No real story. No characters to speak to. Just go and explore the dungeons. Graphics: The one thing I really enjoyed from Vagante is it's visual style. I like the cutesy pixel art of all the characters. Changing between the four different characters for each class was a fun way for me to cope with the lack of variety. Sound: Sound is minimal. Of course there's music which services the atmoshphere and location but it's your standard affair. Sound effects are short and quiet. I don't really know how to explain it but there's a certain charm to it. You're all alone in these caves, and sometimes the only thing that breaks the silence is the sound of you picking up gold or attacking an enemy. Extra: Nothing. And that's the problem. There's a couple of secret areas which I find no real reason to explore because they're much more difficult and don't contain much loot. Favorite Thing: One of the mage characters looks like the Final Fantasy White Mage and that made me happy. There's a Red Mage too! Not My Favorite Thing: There was several times where I would drink a poison potion by accident and immediately turn off the game.