Loot River

To say Loot River is a game mechanically and visually enticing would be to downplay just what makes a game of this stature such a treat to repeatedly explore. Unusual a pitch it might’ve sounded, the eccentric implication that “Dark Souls meets Tetris” isn’t entirely unwarranted. In a game whose novel implementation of movement alone is one with a plentiful amount of offensive, defensive and tactical potential, let alone a mere tool for traversal that can be as equally costly as it is a helpful aid. Just like its technical niceties that add so much to the pixelated aesthetic, it’s what the game doesn’t reveal at the outset — and thus, that desire to figure out the true path to success — that is by far the most impressive thing about Loot River. One that not only justifies its quirky alternative to run-based progression, but through it transforms the game from that of a humble roguelite into one that, strangely enough, is just as much puzzle-platformer as it is grueling dungeon-crawler.

Loot River from Slovakia is proof that the souls genre can still be refreshed with something new and unconventional. This time in combination with Tetris and rougelite elements.

Dark Souls meets Diablo and spices it up with a bit of Tetris in this original “shifting” action-roguelike that will test both your combat skills and your wits.

It took me a little over six hours to get my first victory screen, but that wasn’t the end of the game. Unlocking everything, uncovering secrets, and piecing together the lore are all a part of the almost inexhaustible experience. It can be acutely irritating to fall victim to a first-level foe after nearly making it to the last boss in the previous run, but the game is hard to put down. Loot River reimagines some of its inspirations' best elements, offering players a chance to sail cleverly through each environment, grow powerful enough to slice up once-impossible threats, and unravel a story that smartly weaves into its gameplay.

An entertaining roguelite that will start to hook you up with the original "Tetris" mechanic, and then with its great soulslike vibes, the beautiful pixel art and all the runs you'll have to conquer to uncover all the secrets and lore. If you love the genre you probably love it, even if it needs a little bit more polish on controls and bugs.

Loot River has a lot of good features. Controls, artwork, music are all very nice. The combat, while not bad, does nothing to move the genre forward. The unique Tetris-like platform moving is enjoyable, but nowhere near the complexity or difficulty of Tetris. I can see the potential for a great experience, but it just isn’t quite there. Occasional difficulty spikes that knock me for a loop and put me out of the mood to make another run leaves Loot River as a good, not great, game.

Loot River offers a challenge for the most sadistic of players. While the combat elements are enjoyable and the moving platforms give it a new spin that really works, I just always felt cheated with the lack of progress I was making.

At times, Loot River shines like the burning platform that you just trapped all your enemies on, but that flame gets extinguished pretty quick. Loot River‘s creative mechanic keeps it afloat, but its final presentation feels like it landed short of its full potential.

Loot River has addictive gameplay and you’ll want to play it again. However, there isn’t much story, which is a shame for the interesting world I found myself in.

Puzzle element infused in action rogue-like genre stimulates the interest in many ways. The level design built on the core system such as manipulating Tetris-like scaffolds was also okay. However, the game gets dull pretty quick except for the puzzles because the only differentiator is just stepping stones.

Loot River is not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination; it, like many new IP’s just needs some tweaking to iron out some of its technical issues and I have no doubt that with its truly unique blend of traditional roguelikes with a dash of a block puzzler, that Loot River will quickly carve out a place for it on the ever-growing roguelike mountain.

In light of Loot River’s shortcomings, it’s still a worthwhile title to play. Flicking Tetris blocks through an astonishingly fluid river is so satisfying. And while I have issues with the combat, the weapons and spells are fun to use when they work. If Loot River gained a roadmap of good changes and content to add to the pile, it could stand toe-to-toe with some heavy-hitters leading the genre. Though, if it stays the way it is, it will remain a good entry but miss out on becoming better at implementing its inspirations.

The technical problems that surround Loot River are undeniable. Yet, it is fascinating how we keep thinking about getting back in those flooded corridors as soon as possible. Facing a game that forces you to restart your run because the boss got stuck between platforms and now is, somehow, invincible, one would think that that game will be soon uninstalled. Yet, perfection is overvalued nowadays. We prefer those who dare.

A strange mix of various different types of games. If you are looking for something unique and different you might find some solace in this little game, but beware the less than ideal graphics and enemies that are lacking in the uniqueness department.

Loot River feels like an unfinished product as some mechanics don't work probably on many occasions, and the content doesn't do much to encourage beginning another cycle.

Perhaps the game should have stayed in the early access format as long as possible, rather than rushing to release in the Xbox Game Pass collection. Probably, after a year of patches it will be a completely different game.

Moving blocks and traversing pixelated waters of Loot River is fun, and I hope the developers will show the game’s full potential in the future. But right now, they need to fix it and make the gameplay more diverse.

For all the promise that Loot River held with its amalgamation of gameplay features, they, unfortunately, don't gel together well. This is compounded by the technical issues making for an experience that is more frustrating than it is fun.

Loot River has a lot going for it with precise fluid combat and methodical progression. It has had some technically hiccups, many of which have been ironed out with quick fixes, though their presence in the original release is a disappointment. The progression feels stunted with only a slight variation to each map to keep players coming back for more. Loot River‘s mileage will vary, with refreshing timing-based combat it can feel like a fun distraction or a listless drift down the river.