Wetory could be your next roguelike Steam obsession – and it’s already winning awards
Racking up 'Best Indie Game' awards at Gamescom and ranking high on Tokyo Game Show's best-in-show are just two reasons Wetory should be on your radar.
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It’s a good time to be a fan of roguelikes. After Binding of Isaac did wonders in pushing the mechanics of what roguelikes could do forward in 2011, and Hades reinvented the wheel with its incredible narrative-led take on the genre in 2020, there’s never been more demand for them. And with inventive developers like PepperStones continuing to innovate and experiment with the formula in games like Wetory, the genre just keeps getting better.
But don’t just take our word for it: Wetory managed to secure a Top 10 spot at Gamescom 2022 as one of the best indies of the show – no mean feat at an expo packed to the rafters with top-tier international talent. Wetory was also a finalist in the ‘global indie game’ category at the Tokyo Game Show 2022, once again standing proud amongst the best of the best. This game, if you’re a fan of the genre, is a real gem.
The judges on the panels all commended the game’s originality, noting that its ‘pacifist’ style is what set it apart from its contemporaries. You see, in Wetory, you’re not able to use attacks or engage in direct aggression towards the various hazards and enemies you’ll come across. Instead, you need to interact with the various tiles dotted around each of the game’s rooms, or find creative ways of avoiding your pursuers.
It adds an interesting dimension to a game of this genre, and may even put you in mind of the ‘Pacifist’ mode in Geometry Wars, from back in the day. And that’s high praise indeed, given how obscenely popular that series was with gamers of a certain age.
But what’s it all about? The charming little roguelike revolves around the adventure of a discarded child (very moody, but very stylistic), who has had all the colour stolen from their world. This lends itself to a bold, memorable art style that begins in a desaturated monotone, but soon becomes awash with colour as you play. It’s a genius twist on the roguelike power-up path, and brings the game’s unique visual identity in line with the gameplay mechanics. This is something Hades did to great effect with narrative elements in the genre, so it’s pleasing to see PepperStones do the same with the visual aspect. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
Each colour unlocks a new ability, so as you push further into the story, you start to see how all the oranges, and reds, and greens, and blues fit together. Everything is built out of tiles, too, with an expansive set of tools purring away in the engine that holds it all together, meaning that there’s plenty of opportunity for emergent gameplay – and that ‘just one more go’ factor that roguelikes play on.
I’d be remiss not to mention the music and sound design, too. The whole thing comes together so well, and it’s so tightly-woven that it feels as though every splash of paint you make, every drop of colour you spill, has its own musical accompaniment and fitting sound effect. Earlier roguelikes seemed to overlook the sound design element, but not Wetory; this game revels in it.
You can check out Wetory now on Steam. The full game launches on October 26 for Nintendo Switch and Steam.