Forgotten Mines

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• DEVELOPER: Cannibal Goose
• PUBLISHER: Ishtar Games
• PLATFORMS: PC
• GENRE: RPG / Roguelike
• RELEASE DATE: July 23, 2024
• STARTING PRICE: 6.79€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Forgotten Mines is an extremely addictive game. Once you start playing, you simply won’t be able to stop. It represents a classic roguelike experience in which you progress through procedurally generated levels. Set in a forgotten dwarven kingdom, your goal is to reclaim their home from the enemies that have taken over. You’ll make your way through four different levels, each with a unique atmosphere and color palette, fighting goblins, orcs, and demons. What makes this title stand out is its replayability, an essential element for this genre, and in that regard, Forgotten Mines excels.

Despite costing only 6.79 euros, the game offers more than 10 hours of fun. Even after reaching the final boss, there’s still plenty of content waiting for you. A wide selection of classes can be unlocked, including mages, knights, and thieves. Each class has its own strengths, weaknesses, and unique attack styles, bringing something fresh to the battlefield. Additionally, each character has a distinct personality—some excel at powerful strikes, while others struggle with magic.

Unlike similar games, Forgotten Mines expands its content through a guild system. Using scrolls, you can unlock bonuses at the start of each run, such as increased XP gains or additional minerals collected on the map. Beyond fighting enemies through eight rounds, after which extremely difficult foes appear, it’s important to escape the map before the eighth round ends, while you have up to 15 turns to defeat the boss. Throughout the game, you can collect four types of resources: gold, iron, diamonds, and chests containing various equipment. Each resource can be spent in different ways.

On top of that, you have special starting abilities unlocked with diamonds. These offer different bonuses, stronger attacks against orcs or undead, starting with five keys, more inventory space, and so on. All of this is well-designed and thoughtfully implemented, though it will take some time to gather everything, so prepare for hours of play. After completing the game 100%, I realized it’s crucial to invest diamonds early on into increased XP gains, as this helps you level up much faster.

Since the game is level-based, it’s important that all three of your characters remain on the same level; otherwise, you’ll run into problems later on. The skills you unlock can vary greatly, and most of them can be shared among characters. If you don’t like a skill, you have three reroll attempts, which can be useful. One thing is certain, healing is extremely important, as you won’t be able to finish the game without it.

Speaking of class balance, the game does have its flaws. Some classes are extremely effective, while others, like the thief, aren’t as useful unless you enjoy experimenting and searching for optimal synergies. It’s difficult to play without a mage or a tank, and the optimal team composition usually includes either a mage or ranger, a knight or berserker, and a tank. However, this isn’t a deal-breaker; most classes are strong in their own way, and it’s up to you to discover their strengths. Overall, there’s a lot to try out, and you won’t regret investing a few extra hours.

One thing I personally didn’t enjoy were the events that appear throughout the game. Many of them repeat constantly, whether you’re trying to open a hidden chest, help an injured warrior, steal something from him, or make a pact with a creature. This repetition hurts the fun, and more variety would be appreciated. Also, some bosses are extremely difficult, especially if you’re unlucky early on. They simply have too many ways to attack you, and without proper gear, progressing becomes nearly impossible.

Equipment is extremely valuable, and the rarer it is, the better. For example, you can obtain a legendary sword, shield, or bracelet, each offering special abilities. It’s worth spending money on more expensive items. Unfortunately, merchants are often useless, which can be frustrating. There’s about a 70% chance you’ll get very weak items, and the same applies to chests. You can reroll the item count once, and if you’re lucky, that’s great.

Combat is also simple. Everything is turn-based, and at the start, you have two actions. As you level up, you gain additional movement. Movement is extremely important, so it’s best to avoid items that reduce your movement points, because mobility truly matters. Some weapons, like spears, can attack from two tiles away, while some spells can be used across the entire map. Combat is generally very well-designed, and I was genuinely impressed with how everything works. Unfortunately, don’t expect the AI to be particularly smart at lower difficulties.

One thing that is very well polished is the synergy between classes. Although I would have liked to see specific bonuses for combining certain classes, experimenting with different setups is extremely fun. For example, you can place a tank in front to soak up all the damage, equip them with powerful gear, and position a mage behind them to attack everything in sight. Keep in mind that friendly fire exists, so careful planning is essential, this game demands strategic thinking.

In the end, Forgotten Mines is a must-play if you’re a fan of the genre. It’s incredible that a game like this is so inexpensive. With excellent replayability, engaging mechanics, and charming pixel art, it would be a real shame if this title doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Although it has flaws, like repetitive events, class balancing issues, and occasionally useless merchants, it offers plenty of fun and challenge.

Review copy provided by the publisher