- DEVELOPER: Bromio
- PUBLISHER: Mooncat Games
- PLATFORMS: PC, Nintendo Switch
- GENRE: Rougelite
- RELEASE DATE: May 29, 2025
- STARTING PRICE: 14,79€
- REVIEWED VERSION: PC
I think many people are overlooking Remnants of the Rift. Unfortunately, it falls into that roguelite category of games that look good but don’t seem to play well at first glance. The controls are definitely a bit clunky, especially since it takes time to get used to them, and you’ll do a lot of moving around before you properly understand the game. Other than that, it offers plenty of content to keep you engaged for a while.
Mix of everything, thankfully with satisfying combat
Remnants of the Rift blends grid-based tactical strategy with real-time action, featuring an innovative pause mechanic. You play as Morgan, diving into The Bast to complete missions for factions trying to exploit this new reality. Each level is randomly generated, ensuring different encounters, and the roguelite design encourages replayability with upgrades and skill development. The main gameplay involves defending modulators (key objectives) from waves of interdimensional enemies while dealing with environmental obstacles.
“Using attacks and abilities was very satisfying.”
During pauses, you can queue Morgan’s actions: movement, attacks, or special abilities on a grid. These then play out in a sequences. The gameplay also has some kind of turn-based element, shown by a slow-filling bar (blue or red) under your feet, indicating when something will move or attack. In all honesty, using attacks and abilities was very satisfying. For example, you could dash to dodge an enemy, deal damage, get behind them, and then turn to fire a laser at their back.
Planning is crucial because enemies come in various shapes and sizes. Some are small with one HP bar, others are larger with multiple, and some throw bombs, teleport, or charge at you. Even bosses have diverse attack patterns. As you play and defend your key point, things get more interesting. The combat demands precise positioning and timing to avoid being overwhelmed.
Decent progression systems, but not compelling for endless replayability
Abilities are tied to a skill bar with multiple upgrade slots. After each level, you get to choose between two options: gaining resources, unlocking new powers and upgrades, or visiting shops and foraging stations. However, the combat can become repetitive during longer sessions. While new enemy types and environmental hazards are introduced, the core loop of defending modulators against increasingly dense waves doesn’t evolve much.
The roguelite roots can feel overly repetitive as well. After only two hours, it feels like you haven’t progressed much, seeing the same map styles and shapes. Each dive into The Bast unlocks mods, equipment, and skill tree upgrades, boosting Morgan’s abilities or survivability. If a modulator is destroyed, Morgan is sent back to the real world, losing some progress but keeping upgrades. This encourages you to try different builds, but it’s a bit of a grind. Plus, the game doesn’t clearly explain what your previous upgrades do, only focusing on the new one, so you have to remember them yourself.
“The roguelite roots can feel overly repetitive.”
My biggest issues are with the graphics, atmosphere, and menus. The Bast is meant to be a kaleidoscopic, ever-shifting dimension, offering retro-futuristic, cel-shaded art style and the game tries too hard to represent that. It’s often either too dark or too bright, with no middle ground, even after turning off the filter. This makes it hard to see what’s happening. The menus are also very uninspired; I can’t count how many times it was confusing just trying to pick different skills and abilities. While the visuals and animations themselves are great, the intense colors can be overwhelming and unpleasant to look at.
Solid roguelite experience for short playing sessions
Remnants of the Rift offers a solid roguelite experience without major flaws. Its combat is very satisfying once you get the hang of it, but the progression and repetitiveness fall short. I often compare these games to titles like Dead Cells or Hades, which, while not having the most amazing moment-to-moment gameplay, truly shine through their progression systems and well-executed roguelite formulas, significantly boosting the fun.
In the end, Remnants of the Rift was a very enjoyable experience, but it’s likely a game you’ll only revisit a few times before moving on. It simply won’t keep you hooked for countless hours. While it’s stylish and cleverly blends roguelite elements with real-time action and tactical strategy, and its pause-to-plan combat and cel-shaded art are definite highlights, it’s held back by a steep learning curve, repetitive missions, and some technical issues. Despite this, it’s still a game worth your time, especially if you’re into rougelite genre.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Solid rougelite formula. | Repetitive missions. |
| Visually beautiful game. | Graphics and menu issues. |
| Fun combat. | It won’t hold you for long. |
| Tactical depth. | The story is very easily forgotten. |
Review copy provided by the publisher
3.5
