33 Immortals is a roguelike game that, only a few years ago, I would have most likely ignored, but thanks to the efforts of games like The Binding of Issac, Hades and even Returnal, I’ve come to love the genre.
Of course, the biggest draw of 33 Immortals is in the name itself; bolstering upwards of 33 players in a single instance sounds like a wild time for a roguelike gaming experience. Even in its pre-release and early access state, I can safely say that 33 Immortals is one of the most unique yet fun and familiar roguelike games in recent memory.
In 33 Immortals, the player assumes the role of a soul damned to rot in Inferno, which is essentially this game’s version of hell. 33 Immortals clearly takes inspiration from Dante’s Inferno and other depictions of purgatory, which gives the game plenty of opportunity to showcase a healthy amount of twisted and sinister enemies, bosses, and character designs that take full advantage of its source material.
Visually, 33 Immortals goes for that animated, almost cartoon-like aesthetic, similar to games like Hades, but one that relies solely on 2D assets, which gives the game a fairly distinct look while also reminding me of games like Vampire Survivors, particularly in regards to how enemy mobs move and encircle the player.
“33 Immortals clearly takes inspiration from Dante’s Inferno and other depictions of purgatory…”
A typical run or the primary gameplay loop in 33 Immortals consists of the player awakening in the Dark Woods, or the main hub area of the game, either alone or in a party of at least 4, selecting a weapon type, then heading into Inferno, in the hopes of getting to the final boss, who can be tackled after 12 challenge or Torture Chambers are completed and players engage in an ascension battle. Fortunately, 33 Immortals grants rewards to those, even if you fail to complete a run, as players will gradually accrue points by completing challenges that go towards feats, which eventually unlock a key item required to head into the true end game.
Weapons consist of your typical assortment of demon-destroying gear, such as ranged bows, magical staffs, a broadsword and my personal favourite, a set of daggers or knives. Combat in 33 Immortals consists of a standard attack, a charged or special attack, such as being able to leap into a mob using the knives, and even co-op-focused moves that place unique sigils on the ground that require multiple players to activate, granting powerful boons in the process.
A single run or instance can have up to, you guessed it, 33 players — although your party is seemingly limited to 4, other players in the game world can and will show up during your plight in the underworld. As a solo player or in a group, your primary goal in Inferno is to find and secure 12 Torture Chambers, which act as challenging gauntlets, complete with treasure chests at the end. Torture Chambers can only accommodate six players, but that also means multiple groups of people can tackle multiple chambers at once, expediting the process to the end of the run.
“Although your party is seemingly limited to 4, other players in the game world can and will show up during your plight in the underworld.”
For example, during my run, my group ultimately only ended up doing three Torture Chambers, as the rest of the pool of players within the instance tackled the rest. During a run and once all 12 chambers are complete, players may encounter the Wrath of God. This mini cataclysmic event showers the map in projectiles that, in essence, prepare players to quickly come to terms with being able to dodge and evade volleys of AoE attacks.
Finally, after clearing the Torture Chambers and other random mobs and events, players will be able to partake in Ascension Battles, which act as the final barrier between the player and the final boss room. Upwards of 11 players can participate in an ascension battle, which, upon completion, grants each player a legendary relic and the opportunity to ascend and enter the final boss room.
Relics and other boons are a must in order to be strong enough to take on the final boss, and 33 Immortals gives players plenty of opportunities to do so.
Instead of rushing to the various Torture Chambers in order to unlock the Ascension battle in the hopes of facing off against Lucifer, like any good Roguelike, a better approach to a run consists of finding allies, taking on mobs, accruing Dust, the primary currency tied to player stats, taking on chambers, and collecting Relics. These all contribute to making you stronger to take on the end-game, which, even with an entire squad of other players, can be a challenging final gauntlet.
Finally, on the topic of other players, 33 Immortals does an excellent job of balancing the difficulty of every encounter. The player character can feel slow and tanky, in comparison to other roguelikes, something that can make taking on the ever-increasing volume of enemies on screen a seemingly impossible feat, but one that totally works when you take into account that you’re never meant to be alone in the world of 33 Immortals.
There is a certain sense of feeling like a wandering soul in 33 Immortals that the title captures in a way that I haven’t experienced in a game before, making the experience truly feel unique yet familiar within the roguelike genre.
