THYSIASTERY is a dungeon crawler RPG featuring traditional roguelike and turn-based gameplay. Command a party of bearers of the Brand, drawn into a vast Labyrinth. Recruit while exploring the Labyrinth in hope of finding a way out, and its secrets will be revealed as you delve deeper.
Developed by: DIRGA Games
Played on: Steam
Length: 4 hours
A review key was provided by Neon Noroshi.
Yes, indeed. The Labyrinth calls to those who bear the Brand. The intro-cinematic from the Dark Souls franchise was what essentially popped into my mind when I first started playing THYSIASTERY. Developed by a group of passionate game-devs from Finland, DIRGA Games, THYSIASTERY is a dungeon crawler RPG full of mystery, action and adventure.
A little about the devs. DIRGA Games are a group of enthusiastic game developers who met at the Finnish games industry program, Espoo Game LAB and Finnish Game Incubator. DIRGA Games has only one goal, making great games. THYSIASTERY is the first game developed by them, and so far, it’s looking real good!
Without further ado, let’s talk more about the game.
The Labyrinth hungers and you answer the call
The Labyrinth hungers and the Bearers of the Brand (“Bearers” for short) find themselves drawn to it. The Bearers are individuals who are drawn to Labyrinth. For what possible reason do they want to traverse this maze full of otherworldly dangers? Only by exploring the Labyrinth, will you find out.
The Labyrinth is a gargantuan area that houses monsters, ruins, treasures and much more. Traversing it is a nightmare and is fraught with dangers. The game is dark, featuring some supernatural or cosmic horror vibes. You will encounter various monstrosities along the way.
However, the Labyrinth also houses monstrosities that could very well be from our time as well. The variety of enemies really throws your senses off when exploring because now, you can’t tell what era you’re even in — and that’s the kicker! The mystery and intrigue in the encounters and the world makes you want to explore more.
What really sells the dark and creepy vibes of the game is the art direction. Adopting a pixel-art appearance, you’re thrown into a nostalgia inducing world, reminiscent of your childhood games. Adding to it is the limited and often dark hues of the game, reminding you that wherever you are, it’s horrifying.
To top it all off, the overall design of the world tells you that it is still alive. While there are ruins everywhere, it still feels very active. Flourishing flora, intimidating beasts everywhere, and the playable characters themselves remind you that you are not alone down there. Everything works so well together, and I really enjoyed exploring the Labyrinth thanks to the atmosphere of the Labyrinth.
A truly punishing roguelike
THYSIASTERY has two things at the core of its gameplay: strategy and RNG. Let’s start with the former. In the game, each character has the ability to build their skills and buff their stats. This is done through exploration, which then translates to experiences that your team learns and can then pass on to other characters you have or can recruit.
This is a cool mechanic of the game as it opens up multitudes of options for you to build your team and experiment. Aside that, you can also purchase consumables from the friendly wandering lizard merchant to help you prep better for your runs.
Another aspect of the game that makes it feel grim, is the perma-death mechanic. Each time your character is knocked out, they accumulate wounds which brings them potentially closer to death. That brings us to the RNG portion of the game, which is rough. Strategy is king, but there are times when it’s not enough and you encounter the exact counter to your team. In a very realistic way, you just can’t plan for everything.
Early on, this was frustrating as all that planning you did effectively gets chucked out of the window. Those who are used to more forgiving roguelites might find THYSIASTERY devastating at first, especially those who care about progression. The harsh RNG and the lack of information or tools on how to prepare for encounters also makes the experience particularly painful. I can’t say it isn’t thematically fitting, though.
At some point, it also becomes apparent when you hit the content limit and you end up meeting or finding the same things again and again. If you’re lucky, you might have a smoother experience, but once you start going at it multiple times, you’ll definitely hit the bottom of the toybox.
Verdict: The Dungeon Called, We Answered
THYSIASTERY is a definite must-try for roguelike and dungeon crawling lovers, featuring a dark pixel art style and cosmic horrors that will only draw you further into the Labyrinth. Although its commitment to a roguelike experience in an era of roguelites might throw off some players, it only adds to the satisfaction once you manage to survive a complete run.
