Saving the world with heroes is such an overdone formula, don’t you think? The real challenge is trying to rescue a legendary group of adventurers who have lost their powers, their bodies, and, most likely, their minds. The talented devs at Death Kumiai have neatly packaged this idea into a story-driven roguelite RPG called Annihilated. The game combines turn-based card battles with dungeon exploration and branching character stories, while also introducing some rather unusual ideas about how equipment should be used. We can’t wait to tell you more about it after the trailer, of course!
Heroes in Need of Saving
We play as the last survivor of a rescue expedition sent to find four legendary adventurers who disappeared inside a cursed dungeon. As expected, the missing heroes aren’t doing particularly well, and that’s putting it mildly. The Hero can only answer “Yes” and “No,” the Mage has lost her magic, the Warrior’s soul inhabits a small doll, and the Priest has devoted himself to a mysterious entity known as the Great One. Yup, that’s a thing here.
We can rescue only one of them, and that choice determines which of the four storylines we’ll experience. Each companion has different abilities, weaknesses, and personal problems. The Hero, for example, can recover from death remarkably well, while the Priest specializes in healing. Conversations gradually reveal what happened to these unfortunate adventurers. Our dialogue choices influence their relationships with us and ultimately determine which ending we receive. It’s all handled in a meaningful and entertaining way, giving us plenty of reason to replay the game and see how the other storylines unfold. And the fun doesn’t end with the story, either.
Breaking Things = Good Business
Combat revolves around cards that represent the weapons, armor, and other equipment we’re carrying. Unlike in traditional deckbuilders, there’s no deck to draw from. Our available equipment forms our hand, and every item has a limited number of uses. Enemies reveal their upcoming actions, giving us an opportunity to plan accordingly. We can resolve attacks using either a timing-based system, in which we press a button as indicators move across the screen, or a probability-based alternative that calculates our chances of success using character statistics.
The unusual part is that equipment becomes more powerful as it approaches breaking point. A weapon might deal additional damage on its final use, while a healing item can restore more health before breaking. It’s a wickedly cool mechanic, and we can’t recall another game doing quite the same thing. There’s also the Fatal Strike mechanic. Suppose we’ve staggered an enemy and have a weapon with one use remaining. Landing that final blow can instantly defeat the opponent and allow us to steal its equipment. We love this. Before we have time to mourn the loss of a weapon, we’ve usually picked up another, often a better one. That’s not such a bad trade-off, if you ask us.
Broken equipment also generates Curses, a resource we can use to manipulate unfavorable outcomes. So, if we fail an important roll, we can spend a Curse to reject the result. Curses can also strengthen our equipment, improve recovery, and help us prepare for another attempt.
Another Trip Into the Dungeon
Exploration involves choosing routes across a branching map filled with enemy encounters, treasure, random events, and resting areas. We can sometimes identify upcoming enemies by their silhouettes, making it possible to avoid troublesome opponents or deliberately pursue those carrying useful equipment. You might think that death is punishing, but quite the opposite. When we fall, we restart at the beginning of the floor where we died, and we can use accumulated resources to improve our chances on the next attempt.
The charming hand-drawn artwork contrasts nicely with the disturbing story, although the English localization contains some awkward translations and unclear descriptions that detract from the overall experience. We also noticed that combat can become difficult to follow once several enemies are involved.
Worth Saving?
Annihilated offers an interesting alternative to conventional roguelites. Usually, roguelites are fairly light on story, but that’s not the case here. Players looking for a richer narrative have plenty to dig into. Its equipment-breaking mechanic also offers a different approach to resource management. Some players may find the progression too forgiving, while the localization issues made us cringe once or twice. That’s not a good look for a game with so much dialogue. Nevertheless, the combination of tactical combat, unusual characters, and multiple endings helps Annihilated stand out, making it a promising choice for players looking for an RPG that does things a little differently.
Our score: 8/10
Game at a Glance
- Platform: PC (Steam)
- Developer: Death Kumiai
- Publisher: Death Kumiai, Flashlight Games
- Genre: Roguelite RPG, Card Battler
- Playtime: Approximately 6 hours per character route
- Mode: Single-player
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