Based on Experience
tinyBuild Games and the Nintendo Switch work well together on Streets of Rogue. My first experience with tinyBuild Games, Seattle-based, was the title Mister Shifty. It is an explosive, semi-two dimensional, game experience.
You play this character, similar to Marvel’s Nightcrawler. Teleport between the obstacles of a massive building. Mister Shifty strikes enemies when they least expect it.
This is just a game that satisfies a need to destroy. Streets of Rogue, by Matt Dabrowski, is a different game. How different?
Look Over Your Shoulder
In Streets of Rogue, you play one of any variety of characters. There are individual missions to complete in a series of randomly created cities.
You display your unique ability. The cities and residents react, aggressively, to your character’s abilities. This title is a rogue-lite. Streets of Rogue is a game with some action.
However, the role-playing game elements and permanent deaths ask you to use each character’s unique skills smartly. Use your creativity to complete the game.
For example, you can play a werewolf. As a human, you can go into a series of buildings. The human gathers items or interacts with the environment.
Take It To The Streets
The werewolf monster causes carnage and chaos in the streets. You can break through doors, and walls, and take on tougher enemies. Each character has both positive and negative elements. In the case of the werewolf, the human is weak.
The werewolf’s weakness is an inability to interact with the environment. The werewolf form only stays temporarily. The environment in Streets of Rogue adapts to your characters.
For example, the werewolf can cause chaos on the first level. As the game continues, the non-playable characters fight back and scheme against your efforts.
Players can use characters like a police officer, soldier, gang member, shapeshifter, or other characters to finish the game.
Rogue Modes
You can Quick-Start and enter a single or four-player game. Enter Home Base, and play a four-player specific local game. Play online with up to four players. Participate in the Daily Run with random daily game challenges
Play this game either in portable or home console modes. Most controller setups work. This includes the Joy-Con, Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, or other modes.
Rogue Controls
Move your character with the left analog stick. Aim, if you have weapons, special ability, or projectiles with the right analog stick.
Use your characters’ special attack with the ZR button. Access your special ability with the ZL button.
Interact with your environment with the A button. The Y button accesses your inventory. Press the X button to highlight your missions in the game.
The B button allows you to cancel out of menus and actions. It also permits you to access health items quickly. The minus, plus, and buttons access your character’s statistics. This also allows you to see your toolbar items. The L and R buttons cycle through your weapon choices.
The Only Rogue
Streets of Rogue is not DodgeRoll’s Enter the Gungeon. The two games have similar elements. However, the gameplay in Enter the Gungeon has a faster pace.
It relies heavily on the gun mechanic. You grind through the intense action. Streets of Rogue ask you to learn certain character types.
Find a strategy to complete each of the game’s levels.
Streets of Rogue does have action elements. It rewards the best strategy to complete level goals and missions. Part of me feels deceived. Secret Base’s Streets of Red: Devil’s Dare Deluxe sounds like a solid, side-scrolling action title. I got a side scroller. Streets of Rogue has a similar name but is not exactly an action, only, game.
Conclusion
Streets of Rogue is a thorough title. It has great, gameplay depth. You can customize the characters. This can be a near-endless feat. The online and multiplayer elements work well.
The music in the game is great. Streets of Rogue’s music and strategy keep you in the game. However, it is not an action-heavy title, at times. This title gives you a character with special abilities.
You take the action role-playing elements. Players figure out how to get to the end of the game. You can try to grind through Streets of Rogue but it will turn you to mush.