Hi, everyone! 👋 やあ みんな！
I hope you’ve all been staying cool amidst the summer heat! Autumn is just around the corner, so hang in there a bit longer, okay?
For today’s Chip Chat, we’ll be taking you through the exciting twists and turns of roguelike dungeons! If you’re ready to jump in, let’s go!
🤔 Fast Facts: What Makes a “Roguelike”?
If you’re new to the genre, roguelike games are built around the concept of replayability and gradual progress, typically set in procedurally-generated (aka, randomized) levels or worlds. The word “roguelike” is actually referring to an early dungeon-crawling game (literally called “Rogue”!) that took players through a dungeon fighting enemies, and if they died at any point, they would start over from the beginning.
Like many other great indies, Serial World is a love letter to this genre, bringing a fresh perspective to a familiar experience!
🚪 A Whole New World: Beyond the Dungeon Doors
As he explores Bricktown, Milo will discover a series of doors that each lead to uniquely themed dungeons - worlds made of candy, energetic circus shows, caves full of crystals, and more! Developers Taka and Sho wanted the game to feel varied, with each world offering specific enemies and mechanics for players to strategize around.
So many worlds, so little time!
For example, Plains World is a tutorial level - fairly breezy and informative - while later worlds bring elements like debuffs, curses, tricks, and even enemies who might come back to life during battles!
…S-s-scary…
🎨 Humble Beginnings: Room for More!
In the earliest concepts of Serial World, the dungeons were actually closer to a board game than anything else! Moving Milo was more like moving a token on a game board, and exploration was relatively linear.
However, as development progressed, Taka and Sho eventually opted for the dungeon mechanics Serial World has now, where players can move freely room-to-room in the style of RPG exploration! (Cool, huh?) This allows players to feel more immersed in the dungeons, and keeps each room a surprise. What’s waiting for you around the corner? 👀
Room-to-room exploration guarantees more mystery, excitement, and adventure!
👿 Dungeon Dangers: Baddies and Bosses
Like I said earlier, each dungeon in Serial World has its own set of enemies to encounter, but amongst these enemies lies a big, bad boss awaiting Milo at the end of the dungeon!
In order to progress, Milo and his trusty team of Anima must defeat the boss in battle. After doing so, he’ll unlock a brand new Anima to take on his next adventures, bringing even more strategy and customization potential to future playthroughs!
I don’t think I could face these guys… Milo is so brave!
To make things even more interesting, developer Taka added a mechanic called “Danger Level” to the Serial World dungeons, where each room you travel between gradually increases the dangers around Milo. Enemies become stronger, rewards become less frequent, and all signs point to finding the exit as soon as possible! (I know I’d be out of there in a heartbeat! 😨)
Be sure to keep an eye on the Danger Level as you explore! Will you grab what you can and go? Or will you stand your ground and put your tactics to the test?
🎵 Up Next: The Music of Serial World!
Thanks for joining me on a journey through the dungeons of Serial World! I hope this sneak preview has given you plenty to look forward to, and can’t wait to share even more!
In the meantime, get ready for our next Chip Chat when the time comes, where I’ll share a behind-the-scenes look at how the soundtrack of Serial World has been crafted! 🎶
Until then, don’t forget to wishlist Serial World on Steam, and follow along on social media for more updates! Thank you so much for your endless support - see you soon!