It has been a long year, huh?
As my activity has probably hinted at, I am not doing any big Game of the Year posts this year. Most of this is due to time constraints, and I’ve had to catch up on a lot of work over the last few months. I will say that I’ve had a great experience with 2024’s games overall, and if I get more time, I might try to get a more minor GOTY post before the New Year. We will wait and see, but it has been a solid year for video games, including Echo Point Nova, 1000xResist, Arco, Stalker 2, and more.
I have two games to feature today, and I hope you have fun reading my thoughts on them. Both are relatively recent Early Access releases and are worth your attention. You may pick them up during the winter sale. Grab some hot cocoa and let us begin.
Dimensionals
Dimensionals immediately caught my eye with its unique blend of a deckbuilder and a roguelike, a combination that we don’t often see in the gaming world. But what truly sets it apart is its stunning art design. This sci-fi deckbuilder feels like it’s been plucked straight out of a cartoon show, with its larger-than-life characters stealing the spotlight.
Snorky has to be my favorite. A giant space dolphin with tremendous tanking abilities who can talk? That wins the Grammy Awards by my book. Dimensionals might be Early Access, but it already contains a decent amount of content with the first chapter of the extended story campaign, sixty battles, 12 Heroes to collect and train, and a roguelike boss rush mode with dozens of cards to match. There’s quite a lot here, and the most significant strength of Dimensionals is its presentation. The animated cutscenes are from a Saturday morning cartoon, bringing back some fun childhood memories.
As deckbuilder games go, the gameplay is standard. The battles are turn-based, and you usually start with three heroes against several opponents. Health is essential as most of your characters are squishy, so shield cards help block enemy attacks. A diverse range of cards can be applied to anyone’s skill set, so you can make a lot of powerful builds. You need all the help you can get, as enemies in this game hit incredibly hard.Â
This is an early impression look, but there is still some way to go as an Early Access title. Balancing a game with this much diversity is always challenging, but I love how Dimensionals is being approached now. It is currently 30% off on Steam, which is a solid price for the production value on offer.
Rogue Command
Rogue Command may fall into the ‘yet another roguelike’ category, but it’s a rare gem in the gaming world-a real-time strategy roguelike. This unique blend of genres, combined with its funky battle environments and plethora of power-ups, makes it a truly entertaining experience. Despite its Early Access status, the sheer fun I had with this title was beyond my expectations.
I can only imagine how difficult it is to balance an RTS with the roguelike progression systems in mind. The combat sections have to be fast-paced and engaging enough to play while offering enough challenges that you need to return repeatedly with unlocks for another attempt. Rogue Command does just enough on both sides of the coin, offering enough varied perks and power-ups during playthroughs to keep me engaged while the boss fights provided me with enough difficulty to keep that investment.
This game is not easy; more challenging opponents will steamroll you through sheer macro alone. Starting with a limited pool of units and buildings forces players to make hard choices when picking additional bonuses. Do you upgrade the unit you have for more armor, or do you grab more firepower? There are plenty of units to unlock, like the zergling mini tank for cheap rushes or heavily armored mechs to steamroll across the map. Unlock bonuses and healing buffs for a battle, or grab extra starting credits for a stronger beginning. There’s a lot on offer here.
With a price tag of $20 on Steam, Rogue Command offers a promising and unique gaming experience. The combination of an RTS and a roguelike is a rare find, and Rogue Command already shows so much potential. It’s a game that’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
