“If at first you don’t succeed, try again,” is a popular quote from William Edward Hickson’s poem Try Again. This idea reflects the core ethos of the roguelike genre, which rewards players for learning from failure and eventually achieving success through perseverance. That is what Unfinished Pixel aims to deliver with its latest tactical roguelike without grids, Blightstone. The game offers a deep and addictive strategy experience, featuring randomized maps, multiple systems to master and a consistent charm that carries through the entire adventure.
The storyline of Blightstone is familiar, but it effectively sets the game in motion. Your mission is to deliver the Earthglass Crystal to the Infernal Rift in order to destroy the demon overlord Korghul and rid the world of the Blightstone. The events closely resemble the journey undertaken by Frodo and his companions in The Lord of the Rings, where the goal is to deliver the One Ring to Mount Doom. Along the way, you will face numerous obstacles that require mastery of the game’s systems, or you will die and be forced to start again.
Rather than focusing on a single character, which is typical of the traditional roguelike experience, such as Rogue Legacy 2, Blightstone asks players to begin with three of five available classes. Two additional classes can be unlocked through in-game events. Players must balance their team carefully to protect the Earthglass Crystal throughout the journey. Unlike the One Ring, the Earthglass Crystal lives up to its name. It is fragile, and protecting it will consistently test your planning and execution.
“The developers behind Blightstone trust the player’s intelligence, and the game benefits from that approach.”
You can recruit a Brawler, Hunter and Arcanist at the outset, with the option to change your party later by adding Priest and Druid classes. These characters are sharply designed and move through the environment like animated Dungeons and Dragons miniatures. This design choice gives Blightstone a feel similar to the VR title Demeo and Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked, in terms of strategy, character interaction and presentation. If you begin a run with a poorly balanced team, that mistake becomes clear midway through the first map. The developers behind Blightstone trust the player’s intelligence, and the game benefits from that approach. Failure makes you better at Blightstone, and as with other roguelikes, that is a feature rather than a flaw.
Overworld maps in Blightstone are filled with question mark icons, skulls, larger skulls and boss markers. Your objective is to reach the boss and advance the stage, bringing the Earthglass Crystal closer to its destination. Similar to Descenders, the game allows players to chart their own path toward the boss fight. The maps are varied enough to keep the pacing strong and the action engaging.
Each combat stage includes environmental hazards, indicated by skull icons, and your party must use every available tool to clear enemies. The Hunter can deploy traps and command a loyal hound to attack foes. The Brawler can throw enemies across the battlefield and follow up with powerful uppercuts. The Arcanist can use Telekinesis to reposition enemies and strike them with energy blasts. Friendly fire is fully enabled, so careless positioning will result in damage to your own party members.
The same principle applies to environmental hazards. The Arcanist can use Telekinesis to throw fiery barrels and deal with groups of enemies at once. The Brawler can do much the same. After landing heavy blows, you can retreat, set a trap and watch as enemies repeatedly fall into it. Enemy intelligence is high and non-adjustable, which means players must improve their skills or continue to suffer losses. Despite this advanced behaviour, enemies will consistently run into traps.
Flying enemies are immune to ground-based hazards, so Blightstone encourages players to think creatively. Both the Arcanist and the Brawler can throw traps at airborne enemies with devastating results. You can also throw enemies directly into traps, which is highly effective, and grounded enemies can be tossed into holes or chasms for one-hit kills. Everything at your disposal is meant to be used. Blightstone expects players to experiment, exploit systems and push mechanics to their limits. That philosophy is reinforced by developer Unfinished Pixel.
Using its distinctive art style, Unfinished Pixel gives each party member a strong visual identity. Equipment changes are reflected directly in character appearance, allowing heroes to evolve visually alongside their progression. My Druid can wear fearsome skull masks, while the Brawler can equip imposing caestus weapons, making each miniature feel increasingly personal as the adventure unfolds.
“Blightstone expects players to experiment, exploit systems and push mechanics to their limits.”
The game’s audio design is equally effective. While the main menu music features a bass line reminiscent of Primus, boss arena tracks heighten tension and energy. Overworld map themes are well-balanced and consistently set the right tone.
Despite its many strengths, Blightstone is not without flaws. After replaying the first map several times, its built-in surprises can begin to test a player’s patience. Encountering a gnome event early in the first map is charming the first time, but repeating it across multiple runs feels more tedious than amusing. The same issue applies to other elements of the experience. At times, it can feel as though you are playing the same stretch repeatedly, even with randomly generated environments and enemy encounters.
Even with these shortcomings, Blightstone is shaping up to be a distinctive experience that many roguelike fans will appreciate. Developer Unfinished Pixel clearly draws inspiration from genre leaders such as Hades, particularly in its use of progression systems that reward failure over time. While Blightstone shows a few surface-level blemishes, none are game-breaking. Unfinished Pixel has indicated that these issues will be addressed through player feedback during early access. Despite its early access status, Blightstone is an enjoyable experience and may even earn a few laughs from seasoned roguelike players.
