Warlander (2020)

Overall, Warlander is a lot of fun, and the combat system really is unlike anything else you’re likely to have played. While it doesn’t always shine in each individual fight, it does a good job of escalating as you play through it, and the difficulty curve straddles the line between forgiving and “oh lord why is this happening to me” very well. It’s certainly worth your attention if you’re looking for something visceral to sink your teeth into, and it’ll treat you well if you’re willing to master the nuances of the combat system too.

Warlander offers a very interesting spin on the Dark Souls formula, featuring a deep stamina-based combat system featuring limb cutting mechanics, interesting setting and progression mechanics inspired by roguelike games. Sadly, the general lack of polish and low amount of content damage the experience in the end, making Warlander a game that can be recommended only to the most die-hard fans of the Souls series.

Warlander is a souls-like rogue-lite that has a lot of great ideas, but so little of them are done well.

Warlander is a rogue-like developed by Clock Drive Games. You play Bruce, a resurrected warrior who is out for vengeance. The game has quite a bit of potential but is held back by clunky controls and small bugs. However, between the precision targeting mechanics and base game loop Warlander does have an addictive quality that keeps me playing.

Every genre has a mechanic that a game has to nail. For a roguelike, it’s that tantalizing feeling of almost getting to the end and being just short of the power or skill to do so that makes it so fun to try again. While Warlander has a decent core combat system, it’s surrounded by frustrating mechanics, dull writing and a story that goes nowhere. Like its empty environments, Warlander above all feels like missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential.

All things considered, Warlander almost feels like it doesn't want to be a roguelike. The permadeath mechanic isn't particularly interactive, and individual runs don't feel as memorable when they leave no impact on the rest of the game.

After a few patches, Warlander may well be able to stand at least in line with other mid-tier roguelites and action adventures, but right now... not so much.