Indie developer, Space Horse has recently launched a new multiplayer roguelike game – Boss Crushers on Steam. We have been quite interested in the game since it is said to be difficult with randomly generated levels, and we are glad that we are given a chance to try out the game. In this Boss Crushers review, we will share some thoughts on our experiences in the game.

Introduction

Boss Crushers come with a simple setting where a group of mercenaries is trying to free their lands from the hands of evil bosses and their armies of minions. It doesn’t feature a deep story, so the gameplay will be our main focus here.

Features

• Character

You are required to pick a mercenary character whenever you start a game. There are 3 types of mercenary available – Sorcerer, Crystal Keeper and Witch, each with their unique traits. However, the perks they have are randomised every time you choose a mercenary so you will get to experience a very unique gameplay. Sometimes you may even get Rare perks that will be very useful in your battles.

• Gameplay

As you enter the game, you will need to select a stage to start playing. Only 3 stages are available, every run of them offers a randomly generated new environment with a unique set of enemies and bosses. The gameplay is simple in terms of controls but pretty difficult overall. It is basically bullet-hell, enemies’ attacks come from almost all sides (especially during boss fights) and you will need to avoid them while you defeat the enemies.

The bullet hell gameplay might sound difficult, but gladfully you will find or be able to purchase plenty of items or spells that give buffs to your character. There are some treasures you can unlock as well. There is also an in-game level that once you levelled up, you will be given a few options of new perks to equip.

No matter which stage you choose to challenge first, you start off with an easier difficulty. It gradually increases when you move on to the next stage – most of the time you will find the third (last) stage becomes very difficult to beat. Once you die, you lose all your progress and in-game levels. But on the other side, EXP will be given to level up your player level (which is kept all time), thus grants you skill points to unlock or upgrade your talents.

• Multiplayer & Single Player mode

The game offers single-player and multiplayer modes in the same difficulty and settings. Therefore, playing in multiplayer mode with your friends or strangers would be easier since you don’t fight alone. If you prefer to enjoy the game alone, it starts off difficult but gets easier as you play, after you improve your character with new talents.

Verdict

The game is challenging and refreshing, with every run offering randomly generated stage and character perks. We see a lot of potential in Boss Crushers, however there are still quite a lot of bugs (some affects gameplay) so we are hoping to see more bug fixes in the upcoming updates. The game is worth a try if you love challenging or bullet hell gameplay, and it only costs you RM32!