Action roguelike, auto-shooter games have been around for a while, but Vampire Survivor is often credited with popularizing the genre. Since the success of this indie icon, many developers have put out their own spin on the so-called “Bullet Hell” game. The latest entry is a spinoff from the popular Deep Rock Galactic series, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. Originally launched into Early Access in 2024, this dwarf delving autoshooter is hitting 1.0 on September 17th, and you’re probably going to want to check it out.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a top-down action roguelite from developer Funday Games and publisher Ghost Ship Publishing. You play as a dwarf determined to delve deep into various bimoes, mining precious resources while fending off hordes of demon bugs. As you progress, you’ll unlock new upgrades, tools, and different dwarf classes to refine your strategy. Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor offers an addictive and satisfying gameplay loop that will keep you coming back for more.
Rating: 4.5/5
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast-paced, engaging gameplay loop | Grind can get punishing after early levels |
| Lots of clear, satisfying objectives to complete | Gameplay can feel repetitive |
| Variety of upgrades, weapons, and gear allow for build customization | |
| Character classes & subtypes offer multiple approaches to runs |
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Is a Bullet Hell That Rivals Vampire Survivors
Since its 2022 release, Vampire Survivors has been the gold standard for auto shooters. And for good reason – the game is incredibly addictive, and it just keeps putting out excellent new content to keep players invested. But as I delved into the depths of Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, I suspected we just might have another iconic entry in the genre to rival Vampire Survivors.
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is every bit as addictive as Vampire Survivors, but with its own unique spin. The game has just enough worldbuilding to pay homage to the franchise, while still being accessible for newcomers. You’re a dwarf mining for resources and fending off ever-growing hordes of alien bugs. It doesn’t take much to grasp the story, such as it is, making it easy to jump in and hard to step away.
This game gives you all of that “number go up” satisfaction you want from a game like this. As you level up, your guns get stronger, your speed gets faster, and the monsters get scarier. Every run has that satisfying sense of progress and power-ups, and if you survive long enough, you get to watch big booms take out a ton of alien bugs at once. It’s every bit as satisfying as Vampire Survivors, with the addition of a new world to play in and fun 3D graphics to up the immersion.
Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Is Repetitive By Design, But Still Has Variety
Like most roguelikes, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor does have fairly repetitive gameplay by design. The whole idea is to keep doing the same runs over and over until you get it right and defeat the Dreadnaught. At times, that can start to risk getting boring, especially if you get stuck in a particular biome for more than a few rounds. However, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor does a nice job of adding just enough variety to keep you invested even as each run is more or less the same.
In every level in the standard gameplay mode, your goal is simple. Shoot bugs, mine resources, level up, repeat. There isn’t much variety to this basic goal, but that doesn’t mean Funday has phoned it in. Each new biome has its own unique challenges, from fiery obstacles to a lack of that healing Red Sugar dwarves crave. This, along with the option to choose from different Dwarf classes, weapons, and upgrades add a bit of variety to what might otherwise feel a bit too repetitive.
Along with that, there’s the exciting option to eventually unlock a different game mode altogether. Once you’ve survived your way to Player Level 10, you will unlock Escort Duty. This mode switches things up as you are no longer the one doing the mining. Instead, you must protect a massive mining machine called the B0b-33 Drilldozer. So, if you tire of the typical runs, you can take a break to escort this machine and keep it plowing through the depths until it reaches its goal. It’s not a big change from the standard gameplay, but it’s another way Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor ensures there’s enough variety to keep you from getting bored.
Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Won’t Change Your Life, But It Will Keep You Coming Back For More
A game like Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor isn’t here to deliver a life-changing plot that you’ll mull over for years to come. I also wouldn’t say it necessarily delivers anything massively different from what you might expect from the bullet hell-style action roguelike. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth playing. The game is here to be just plain fun to play, and even as someone who doesn’t love the dwarves style of humor, I can’t deny it delivers that in droves.
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor doesn’t necessarily revolutionize its genre, but it doesn’t need to. With this entry in the action roguelike autoshooter genre, Funday Games has created a delightfully enjoyable game that will keep you coming back for more. I found myself muttering “just one more run” while my dog whined at me, asking for a walk, because this game is just that hard to put down. The satisfaction of improving your character and squashing those bugs doesn’t let up even after hours of gameplay. Instead, you only get stronger and want to delve deeper to see what those newly unlocked weapons and gear can do.
The game was fun in Early Access, but 1.0 definitely delivers some impressive upgrades. The new gear, added classes, and an incredibly satisfying list of over 300 achievements ensure there’s plenty new to uncover with the game’s full launch. Even if you don’t think you’re a Deep Rock Galactic fan overall, I can almost guarantee that this game will change your mind. It’s just that fun. Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor releases for PC and Xbox Series X|S on September 17th at 1 PM EDT.
A PC copy of Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Most Viewed
-
Courtesy of Crunchyroll -
Image Courtesy of Capcom
