Rogue Eclipse is a fast-paced spaceship roguelite where exhilarating dogfights are its bread and butter. While not too complex, its pick-up-and-play approach provides a quick action fix.
The spaceship genre could always do with more challengers. While some classics that came to stay, like No Man’s Sky or Everspace, applied a new type of single-player experience, applying new concepts like the framework of the roguelite genre could appeal to new players. Hailed as a mix between Star Fox and Armored Core, Rogue Eclipse is exactly that: a fast-paced arcade shooter where you are either strafing and emptying your missile reserves or zooming to avoid enemy fire. The end result is a gameplay style that might run a cut short just as it can overextend depending on how swift you are.
In theory, the infinite possibilities of roguelites make for an enticing loop in which every run is calling for you to keep coming back with incentives like permanent upgrades or a better spaceship build. In practice, Rogue Eclipse’s runs do not seem to vary that much, leaning much more into the moment-to-moment gameplay. Playing as professional dogfighter Malak, you are tasked with looking for survivors by Dr. Noor. An evil gang of space pirates called the Phiraun will do everything in their power to eliminate you.
Arabic Inspirations
If you picked up on it, the Arabic inspirations are also reflected in the game’s design as well. Dubbed Arabesque Futurism, both the spaceship and the wondrous colors of each galaxy you explore are unique in their approach. Across seven levels in the sector, when one is cleared, three options are chosen to improve your arsenal. These usually boil down to the effectiveness of your shields, how much damage your missiles or blasters do, or a faster booster to escape out of dicey situations.
Once certain courses have been fully cleared for the first time, these will either unlock new parts for your spaceship. Sometimes it will be a different chassis that may be faster but have fewer defenses and the option to warp directly to that level. This last choice results in a particularly dangerous one, as jumping from the first level to the fifth means not scoring the improvements given on each level otherwise.
The first few levels only have a couple of massive spaceships and a few dozen smaller ones. As the big couriers pack a punch, typically unloading enough missiles to obliterate you in seconds, it is recommended to adapt guerrilla tactics of shooting for brief periods, evading the enemy, and trying all over again. More often than not, staying put means certain death in Rogue Eclipse.
The fast-paced nature of the game gives off an arcadey vibe that is difficult to shake off. This works in its favor and against it. For people looking for a meaty storyline or extensive mechanics to engage in, I would recommend looking elsewhere. But for anybody who is looking for a pick-up-and-play, high-energy spaceship shooter fix, this is where it’s at.
Conclusion – Rogue Eclipse
Rogue Eclipse surprised me with its well-handled spaceship gameplay and fast-moving gameplay. Chasing smaller ships while avoiding projectiles left and right is exhilarating. As the levels progress, learning better maneuvers and earning a stronger build that is never too overpowered ends up motivating me to go for one more run to try things differently. In the roguelite genre, that is as high a compliment as it can be.
Rogue Eclipse is out now on Steam.
