Vagante Reviews
Vagante is exactly what I think of when I picture a roguelike. For better or for worse. If you can get past the annoying UI and actually dive in, Vagante offers a tight, sharp experience that values your time and experience.
Over the last few years the rogue genre (and its many offshoots) has seen a mass influx of titles. From heavy-hitters such as Hades and The Binding of Issac, to an abundance of lesser known indie titles, there’s been no better time to be a rogue-like-lite fan. One such game that’s attempting its own spin on the formula is Vagante.
Vagante is a moody RPG/platforming roguelike looks neat, if dark and gloomy, and plays well. It's not groundbreaking, but there's enough to keep genre fans busy with the copious amount of items to try out. It's a little on the tough side, but that's also the idea.
Vagante is a brutal roguelike game with a beautiful pixel art style and a procedurally-generated world. However, some might find it more frustrating than it is fun.
Whilst Vagante feels like it has been a Labour of love in some ways, it’s lack of variety and shortness means it falls short of being a title I can recommend. Had there been more meat on the bones and a more compelling story to focus upon then this could have been a decent little game and I genuinely feel bad for not liking it but I have to be honest about what I found and whilst it is not the worst game I have played in recent times, Vagante fires plenty of arrows but fails to hit the target.
Roguelikes can be really tricky to evaluate as their often inherent challenge is an addiction for some but can obviously put others off...
It may sound heretical to some but I actually enjoy Vagante more than Spelunky. With its variety of character classes and equipment along with full cooperative multiplayer support, this indie gem is easily one of my new favourite games. See you online!
Vagante is an entertaining roguelite that will give you many hours of gameplay, which also contain much more than it seems. With cooperative for four, on the same device, local and online, it is a great game to enjoy in company, although it is true that its combat is something simple and the texts come to us without translating.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Vagante is an entertaining experience, especially with friends. It may feel familiar to players who have played games like Spelunky but it does carve its own path with its build and loot system. It's initially hard but never unfair and has quite a bit of content for a game developed by such a small team. If you're a fan of the genre, it is well worth a look.
Between meadows and mountains, at the heart of the universe, insignificance reigns, existential emptiness, lack of values, deep dissatisfaction... On the edge of the most absolute abyss, without any direction or anchor that gives us security, Vagante invites us, in the old way, to face that piece in a loop that deals with the destruction and reconstruction of things. In this regard, slowing down its execution to get out of it, without additional iterations.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Vagante is an enjoyable roguelike adventure that offers a challenging escapade for players, but lacks that special spark to stand out in the genre. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad about the game and there’s fun to be had battling enemies, gathering loot, and evading traps (ESPECIALLY in multiplayer), but there’s also nothing about it that makes it feel like a stand-out release or even a hidden gem in the genre. It’s just a little bit ordinary, which might be enough for some players who just want a fresh roguelike fix, but might underwhelm those who are experienced with the more prolific releases in the genre.
Roguelite/like adventurers rejoice! Because Vagante cometh to us with a bag full of goodies… In the form of unlockables! And there are plenty! And variable as well. These can range from backgrounds that buff and nerf your character. Making it either easier or harder on yourself. Background music that changes up in certain biomes, to even entirely new adventurers to pick from! So, there’s plenty of stuff here for us to choose from! Huzzah!
Vagante is, at times, an impressive game that feels incomplete. There is no denying the incredible amount of dedication that the team put into certain aspects, especially into the visuals and variety of upgrades available, but there isn't enough of a game here to make it all come together into a complete package. The combination of a short adventure, the lack of any story, arbitrary difficulty, and minimal tutorials makes for a hard recommendation. The Nintendo Switch has plenty of incredible roguelikes and run-based indie games, and your time is better spent on them than Vagante.
An excellent, deceptively unshowy blend of platformer and roguelike.
For those willing to master its systems, Vagante is a game that will delight in its intricacy and depth. Some may be put off by the awkward combat and sinister traps, but I'm confident that the already strong community will grow in time, sharing tips and suffering together for the foreseeable future.
If you breeze through Spelunky and its ilk, this is unquestionably the game for you.