Loot River is the newest roguelike to hit the scene, and it is very different from anything that has come before it. That’s saying something because roguelikes are almost a dime a dozen now in the indie scene.
It can be hard for a developer to try and differentiate their game from the pack, but somehow Loot River succeeds in its premise. All players need to know is that their character falls into a well. There are ruined cities everywhere and the only way through is by water. How do players get around this water? What is the gameplay like specifically? These Loot River tips should help clear things up.
8 Check Out The Assist Options
It should come as no surprise now that a roguelike ships with assist options. There are accessibility features for the impaired, like color alterations, as well.
For the assist features, there is something in the menu called Easy Mode. Clicking this button will make enemies do less damage to players. The reduction cost is vague. It might be 50% which is standard or it could be less. Either way, if players are having trouble in Loot River, they should press this button.
7 What You Keep And Leave Behind
The progression between runs is lower in Loot River than in other roguelikes. On a typical run, players will level up and assign stat points to their character just like in any standard RPG. Enemies or chests will contain money that can be used at shops during a run. There is also Knowledge which is another currency, but it is used for unlocking weapons in the hub area. Finally, players can find accessories and weapons.
All of these things will reset upon death in Loot River. To beat the game, this roguelike demands players “git gud” as soon as possible.
6 Restarting Right Where You Left Off
There is a nice feature about Loot River that differentiates itself from other roguelikes. Players can end their session at any time by going to the menu and hitting the quit button. Once reloaded, players will restart exactly where they left off.
Save points or checkpoints are not necessary. It doesn’t matter if there are enemies nearby or not. There are some exceptions though. Doing this during a boss fight is ill-advised. Typically, players wouldn’t give up during a boss anyway. The game is always saving itself so just remember that.
5 Investing In Potions
An alchemist is hanging around the entrance to every dungeon. He offers players a boost with their potions if they invest in his stock. The way it is explained in the game is confusing. If players give him one potion and survive the area, they will be rewarded with double the amount given upon entering the next area.
The first area, the Sunken Village, can be tricky initially. However, once the boss is vanquished, it should be easy sailing from there on out. So, when players restart their next roguelike run in Loot River, they should give the alchemist three potions at the start thus increasing stock to six in the next area.
4 The Spear Vs The Sword
Players will start with two weapons: a sword and a spear. The sword is lightweight and should be used for clearing out groups of enemies like those small black hordes of creatures. Everything else should be dealt with using the spear.
Health is the most important thing in a roguelike. The spear will keep players at a distance, thus preventing damage from being dealt with on the regular. It should be noted that players can attack from across boats, if planned right, or even through walls.
3 Dashing Vs Parrying
There are two types of defensive maneuvers in the game. Players can parry enemy attacks thus opening them up for a critical strike. Nailing the parrying timing down can be tricky though unlike some other action games. There are enemy prompts but they can only help so much.
It might be a better idea to dodge enemy attacks instead. Without the critical counterstrike, it will take longer to defeat them. However, rolling away or through enemies will at least keep the player's health more full. There’s nothing worse than losing HP due to a poorly timed parry.
2 You Can Dash Diagonally Onto Rafts
One of the more unique things about Loot River is the movement system. The puzzle aspect spliced with a roguelike is something not many other developers have tried. The only one that comes to mind is Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon and that was barely a roguelike.
At first, it can be tricky to maneuver the rafts. Players should know that even if two rafts aren’t touching, they can still dash diagonally onto them. It’s also good to be aware of elevation changes. So, be always on the lookout for stair barges.
1 Value Health And Strength Above All Else
It’s hard to advise on weapons and accessories since they will always be randomized on a run. For example, there is an amazing accessory in the game called Life Charm. When equipped, it will revive players up to 50% of their health upon death.
While it is hard to advise on randomness, two stats can be focused on to create a better experience. Look out for rings that increase Vitality, which will in turn increase HP. Also, grab some Strength rings because that will raise damage. This goes for leveling up stats as well.
Loot River was released on May 3, 2022 and is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.