This text is a part of Run, Die, Repeat, gamexplore’s week-long collection exploring roguelikes.
The stream of time lies on the coronary heart of Panta Rhei, the debut mission from Reignite Video games and one of many summer time’s underrated indie gems. It’s a roguelike that has gamers taking management of Phi, a younger Guardian of Time, after their realm is threatened by correct noun Chaos. They wield a sword, certain, however their skill to govern the world round them by pausing and rewinding time is their strongest weapon.
Curiously, the degrees in Panta Rhei are very static, or at the least those I performed by means of throughout my first few hours with the sport. As a substitute of Phi’s path being randomized each time they set off on a contemporary run, they tread the identical ranges. It’s an fascinating departure from most roguelikes, wherein you typically don’t know what rooms you’re about to step into, and helped me higher observe my progress every run. Nonetheless, I might see how preventing by means of the identical stage layouts each run might get a tad uninteresting over time, regardless that there are a couple of off-the-beaten-paths to discover.
Panta Rhei’s fight is so participating, nevertheless, that the moment-to-moment gameplay by no means bores. Phi has gentle and heavy assaults, and combos that blend the 2. All effectively and good there. What units Panta Rhei aside is how rewinding Phi by means of time provides an thrilling layer to fight. I actually like utilizing the whirlwind combo, which is 2 gentle assaults adopted up by a heavy assault wherein Phi lands a number of hits on foes. As soon as the animation is completed, I can rewind and watch the identical assaults play out in reverse for extra harm. That is additionally a nifty option to get out of hazard, by rewinding Phi sufficient that they’re not on high of any enemy.
Rewinding assaults isn’t only a enjoyable little trick: it’s obligatory to wreck shielded enemies. An aqua blue barrier encases some foes, and it might probably solely be damaged by attacking them as Phi rewinds. A number of the harder enemies will develop into shielded halfway by means of encounters, guaranteeing Panta Rhei retains ya in your toes.
Phi additionally has the facility to rewind and pause time round sure objects. That is obligatory in some ranges (like reconstructing a damaged bridge), and really useful throughout sure fight encounters. Traps are sometimes the bane of my existence in roguelikes, however in Panta Rhei, they’re my allies. I take a lot pleasure in luring enemies close to traps, then rewinding time and utilizing them in opposition to unsuspecting foes.
What I respect most about Panta Rhei is how approachable it’s. Phi is healed after clearing an encounter, that means managing HP isn’t as aggravating as in lots of different roguelikes. So long as I preserve the harm to a minimal, Phi will typically be introduced again up at full well being after the encounter ends. Phi can be revived throughout runs through the use of lifetime capsules, and runs begin with two out there. A further capsule could be added by way of investing in Phi’s ability tree, that means after only a couple hours of playtime, I’m in a position to get pleasure from runs with three revives in my pocket. Saving up my cash over the course of a run may even let me replenish them, if a service provider has one in inventory.
Panta Rhei seems like a roguelike for people who find themselves delay by the everyday problem of the style. After just some runs, Phi seems like a nimble powerhouse — one who fortunately gained’t be derailed by an early or sudden loss of life.
Panta Rhei is out now on Home windows PC. The sport was reviewed on PC utilizing a prerelease obtain code supplied by Reignite Video games. Valnet Inc. has affiliate partnerships. These don’t affect editorial content material, although Valnet Inc. might earn commissions for merchandise bought by way of affiliate hyperlinks. You’ll find further details about gamexplore’s ethics coverage right here.
