Reignbreaker Review

If you're a gamer, chances are you've heard of Hades or have possibly tried it yourself. This roguelike dungeon crawler is full of fun characters and is set in the underworld of Greek mythology. Now, let me introduce you to Reignbreaker, a roguelike set in a dystopian medieval punk world with a kick-ass heroine named Clef. She is a rebel trying to take down the oppressive kingdom ruled by the Iron Queen.

As soon as you start the game, you're greeted with a heavy emo-punk theme song that sets the tone for the action to come. We meet Clef, the protagonist — a tough, kick-ass character with a skullet haircut (a mullet with the sides shaved down to the skin); she definitely looks like someone you don’t want to mess with. Once, she was a Battlefield Locksmith who fought alongside the Iron Queen’s forces. Now that she’s rebelling against the kingdom, the very people she fought with have become her enemies. One of them, Ardea, remains loyal to the Queen and will fight against Clef. She is such a fun protagonist, I couldn't wait to see if she would be able to convince her former fellow teammates to join her or if she would be able to take down the Queen on her own.

You begin your run at a camp where Evangeline, known as "The Support," is located. She’s like your own personal cheerleader, urging you to keep going and try again after each defeat. If you've played Hades, you know that your home featured Cerberus, who you could visit and pet. In Reignbreaker, you have a friendly mechanical bell-like monster that loves attention, so be sure to visit it often. This home base is also where you'll find The Resolve Engine. During your runs, you'll collect pieces from destroyed mechanical enemies called Resolve. These pieces can be spent on upgrades, helping you grow stronger over time. There are three branches to focus on: Survival, Combat, and Utility. Costs range from 100 to 350 Resolve, so it may take a few runs to save up. Once the base power-ups are purchased, new ones will be unlocked, or you can strengthen the ones you already own. When you’re ready, head to the glowing pink light to Raid the Bastion! The great thing is, if you ever need to quit mid-run, you have the option to save and quit, so you won’t lose your progress. It was great to not have to start all the way back at the beginning again!

You'll make your way through six rooms, with the final one featuring a strong boss fight. Each area contains two vaults that must be unlocked before you can lower the bridge and advance. To unlock a vault, you need to battle a wave of mechanical enemies. Some challenges are timed, while others simply require you to eliminate all the mechs. Dark pink circles indicate where enemies will land, giving you time to prepare and dodge incoming attacks. 

Clef has a variety of attacks: she can punch using the left face button, slam into enemies with the right face button, and throw her javelin with the right trigger, there is the risk of it overheating if you use it too much. The right thumbstick is used for aiming before throwing, ensuring you don’t just launch your weapon into empty space. One of the most useful moves is the dash, performed with the bottom face button. At the start, you can only chain two dashes together, but you’ll rely on it heavily to avoid incoming attacks. A handy map can be accessed by pressing the left shoulder button, showing the vault locations and the bridge leading to the next room.

Each run allows you to switch up your loadout with different javelins and upgrades, helping you find the best combination for your playstyle. Every time you die and restart, you’ll have the opportunity to level up your weapons and attacks. It was fun to try out all the new javelins and their new powers. If you're struggling to progress, there are multiple accessibility options, including unlimited dashes, invulnerability (so Clef never takes damage), and infinite heat (preventing your javelin from overheating). I tried out these settings but I found the game wasn't as fun when the challenge was taken away.

When you're defeated, you'll see a summary of your performance, including which room you fell in, how much Resolve you earned, the damage dealt during the run, your longest combo, and how many lockdowns you triggered. These stats are compared to your personal bests. You’ll also see a list of the items you picked up. Afterwards, you’re sent back to your home base to prepare for your next attempt. I wasn't too upset when this happens as it means more upgrade shopping for Clef!

The visuals in Reignbreaker are fantastic — reminiscent of a graphic novel with a dark, gritty style accented by bright neon colors. The mechanical enemies look cool, though there isn’t a huge variety, meaning you'll face the same types repeatedly. Fortunately, the bosses in the sixth room stand out from the usual robotic mechs you fight earlier in the run. The game’s soundtrack matches the aesthetic perfectly, with a heavy metal-punk influence, and the voice acting is excellent throughout. 

Reignbreaker feels like a Hades-lite experience that is less challenging, with smaller, segmented runs that increase in difficulty as you progress. I love the variety of upgrades available to make Clef stronger over time. If you enjoy action-packed rogue-like games with a dystopian punk aesthetic and killer sound, this is a must-play. I’ve had an awesome time with this title, and it runs surprisingly well on the Steam Deck for a portable experience. However, there are occasional visual glitches — sometimes, UI elements like the “Enemies Vanquished” graphic would get stuck on the screen, requiring a system restart.