The roguelite Loopmancer brings us badass cyberpunk action

Loopmancer brings roguelite and cyberpunk together.

Loopmancer by indie developer Ebrain Studio has been out for two months now, but chances are it’s flown under your radar so far – at least that’s how I felt. At first glance, the game seems a little lost in the crowd with its (currently very common) cyberpunk aesthetic and 2D action in three-dimensional environments. But interesting roguelite mechanics and razor-sharp gameplay make Loopmancer stand out on closer inspection.

A mild story meets cyberpunk clichés

Loopmancer’s story is a clear case of “the studio always tried”. Roguelikes and roguelites don’t necessarily need an extensive story to be fun; It is all the more surprising that Ebrain Studio has incorporated so many narrative strands and cutscenes that ultimately tell a well-heard story full of clichés and B-movie characters.

This is the plot: As detective Xiang Zixu we search for a missing person in the futuristic metropolis Dragon City. Unfortunately, we are killed during the assignment, but we get a second (and many more) chance to solve the case after all, because immediately after his death, Xiang wakes up in his bed – in the morning of the same day. By going through the loop again and again, all the pieces of the puzzle gradually come together.

Despite the usual cyberpunk look with run-down residential buildings, flickering neon lights and yellow motorcycle suits, as we know them from many other productions, Loopmancer’s visuals can definitely score points. The environments of the seven levels are clearly different from each other, and special ideas, like a fight behind a row of flags where we only see the silhouettes, add a special touch to the look. But see for yourself:

Loopmancer definitely has style.

With sword, chip and cannon

Loopmancer does not reinvent the wheel – this also applies to gameplay. In contrast to the story, the game does a lot right here. Anyone who has played Dead Cells should feel right at home, because despite the 3D environments, we only move in Loopmancer in the second dimension. There is jumping and climbing, but above all there is fighting.

This is how the fights work: There are dozens of melee weapons, guns, and tech gadgets in Loopmancer. These have to be cleverly combined in order to survive the attacks of over 30 enemy types and the bosses that await us at the end of a level. New items are unlocked with each loop. To prevent your own damage, you can either dodge or parry.

And this is what the action looks like in motion:

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The Loopmancer trailer showcases the cyberpunk setting and roguelite action

Loopmancer can motivate for a long time: Once you’ve completed a loop or died, the fun starts all over again. All equipment will be taken away from you, but upgrades for weapons and Xiang Zixu’s skill tree will remain.

When you re-enter a level, you will notice changes. Enemies and items may be in different locations, and some areas will be locked while others will open. In order to unravel all mysteries, you must explore each route. This is the only way to unlock all seven ends of Loopmancer. It might not be worth it for the story, but it’s definitely worth it for the great gameplay.

Have you already played Loopmancer and can you maybe recommend the title?