Elsie is an exhilarating roguelike that channels the spirit of the Mega Man series while infusing a refreshing layer of randomness and challenge. This game demands both patience and skill, but for those willing to embrace the grind, it offers a rich and replayable adventure filled with diverse character builds and a formidable level of difficulty.
Visually, Elsie captivates with its charming retro pixel art style, which perfectly highlights the frantic action as you navigate through a barrage of projectiles. Fortunately, you have the ability to activate your parry at the crucial moment to avoid taking damage. Alongside your weaponry, you can unleash a powerful dash attack and wield an array of spells to conquer your foes.
The game's replayability and variety stem from the plethora of weapons, spells, and passive upgrades you can uncover during your runs. The meta-progression system is robust, ensuring that you can typically acquire at least one new upgrade between sessions. The way the game structures its levels adds a layer of intrigue that keeps players engaged.
Each world in Elsie is populated with multiple bosses. Overcoming these formidable opponents reveals a true boss: a hacked robot. Defeating this final challenge allows you to return to your base and delve deeper into the storyline. This innovative approach adds a unique twist, although some players may find the difficulty to be quite intense. Overall, however, my experience with Elsie has been thoroughly enjoyable.
While there are minor bugs that need addressing—some of which could potentially end your run—I’m confident that the developers at Knight Shift Games will resolve these issues in future updates. All in all, Elsie stands out as an exceptional roguelike for those seeking a distinctive blend of chaotic platforming and bullet hell mechanics.
