Another roguelite? I know, it feels like they’re everywhere. But then you play something like Luck & Loot and then you start to question everything, especially its low price. This game is a dice-building roguelite that promises a unique mix of turn-based combat, strategic dice customization, and that classic roguelike risk. While many of these titles can get repetitive, Luck & Loot nails the replayability part.
You begin by choosing one of three heroes: a Warrior, a Ranger, or a Wizard, each with unique dice faces and abilities that you must first unlock. The central “dice-building” system, which reminded me of Dice & Slice, is the core mechanic. Instead of collecting cards, you acquire new faces for your four customizable dice. These faces represent different actions, from basic attacks and defenses to powerful spells and debuffs. The real strategy comes from deciding which faces to add and which to sacrifice to unlock traits, as each die has a limited capacity.
“Combat is a tactical dance where you and your enemy take turns rolling dice.”
In fact, you can upgrade each die with multiple faces, giving you even more bonuses to strategize with. But to be honest, this game is very difficult. The balancing is definitely rough around the edges, as the enemies don’t seem to follow a consistent difficulty curve. While each map has a different difficulty meter, you rarely feel comfortable with your build. It feels like enemies become too powerful later in the game and you don’t have the proper options to deal with them, especially when they appear in groups.
Combat is a tactical dance where you and your enemy take turns rolling dice. Enemies reveal their actions first, allowing you to react and plan your turn. You can reroll your dice up several times if you don’t like the outcome, but this precious resource must be managed carefully. The game also features a character-specific “Ultimate” skill that doesn’t rely on a dice roll but has a cooldown tied to the number of rooms you’ve cleared, which can also be upgraded.
Beyond combat, the game offers a variety of events and merchants where the “luck” element truly shines. You might encounter a mysterious Obelisk that upgrades your Ultimate skill if you defeat it within a turn limit, or you could get a “Curse”, a permanent, negative dice face in exchange for a massive benefit. This constant balancing of risk and reward is a core part of the experience. Those who press their luck are often the ones who discover the most powerful synergies.
The addictive nature of Luck & Loot comes from its satisfying core loop. Each run sends you through a procedurally generated dungeon to face different enemies and encounters. As you progress, you’ll collect new dice faces, powerful relics, and modifiers that can dramatically alter your strategy. These can create incredible synergies, like a relic that increases your damage for every blank face rolled, which can be combined with a dice build focused on high-reward rolls.
“The longer you play, the more you get to explore.”
Progression isn’t just tied to individual runs. The game features meta-progression, making every attempt feel like a step forward. Even if you fail, you’ll unlock new content, such as additional dice faces or relics, that can be found in other runs. This system ensures your time is never wasted and keeps you coming back for more. This is where the game excels; the replayability is exceptionally good. While the maps and enemies may get repetitive over time, the sheer number of builds and synergies you can experiment with is impressive, and the longer you play, the more you get to explore.
With its 8-bit pixel art style, Luck & Loot has a distinct retro aesthetic. The visuals are clean and consistent, featuring detailed environments and enemy sprites that are easy to distinguish even when things get chaotic. A great touch is the ability to customize the game’s look with different color palettes and a nostalgic CRT TV effect, so you can play in whatever style feels best to you.
Luck & Loot is a fantastic addition to the roguelite genre, successfully swapping traditional deck-building for a fresh and engaging dice-building system. While the minimal narrative might leave some wanting more, the game’s greatest strength is its focus on gameplay. I didn’t find any major issues with the game, aside from minor balancing concerns, and the developers have plans for future updates, including a pirate-themed dungeon. If you’re a fan of the genre, this one is a no-brainer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unique dice-building mechanic. | Requires patience. |
| Addictive core loop. | Minimal narrative. |
| Charming retro aesthetic. | |
| Great replayability. |
Review copy provided by the publisher
