Blightstone is a roguelite RPG that combines old-school turn-based mechanics while drawing visual inspiration from Darkest Dungeon. While there is much to discover and enjoy, don't expect a finished product, as Blightstone is in early access. While many improvements remain to be implemented, the game (Act I) is more than playable.
Story
In Blightstone, you lead a party of three heroes with a huge Earthglass Crystal that tags along as some type of turret. This object is important for the story, as your mission is to hand it over to the Infernal Rift. This is the only way to destroy big bad demon Korghull. To be honest, the story is generic, and that's perfectly fine, as I'm here for the combat!
Your main objective is to complete your run and defeat the final boss (Korgul). That is, of course, impossible at first, as you're so weak it would be a miracle if you complete even the first stage. But that's what you should expect from the roguelike, as each time you die, you become stronger. Your party has three heroes (and a crystal), with an opportunity to upgrade each character and unlock new skills and perks.
Gameplay
As I mentioned already, Blightstone revolves around a team of three heroes. You can choose between: Brawler (tank), Hunter and his dog (melee and ranged damage), Arcanist (spells), Druid (combo class), and Priest (healer). You'll unlock Druid and Priest along the way, but I still liked the Brawler/Hunter/Arcanist team as they have the best offensive potential.
Combat is turn-based, but the battlefield is not divided into squares, allowing you to move more freely, similar to the X-COM series. Add to that an interactive battlefield where you can manipulate objects and throw them at enemies, use water to enhance electric attacks, throw enemies into holes, and more. Positioning is very important here, as most skills can't go through obstacles, and friendly fire can be deadly.
While I liked combat, I found it a bit repetitive and often too punishing (yes, I know it's supposed to be hard!). The deja vu effect is in full swing with map events too, as during my playthrough, it seems that I saw all encounters, where I already knew what dialogue choice to choose for the best result.
While more content will make combat more interesting, especially regarding the equipment and items used during the run, I'm not sure much will change in the visuals department.
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Visuals & User Experience
Blightstone has very nice graphics that look like Darkest Dungeon played in an isometric view. What I don't like is the doll-like look of heroes and enemies, with disproportionate bodies and no movement animation. Everyone moves around like they're toys you play with on a table while playing D'n'D. While I understand the intention, I really don't like that gimmick. It takes me a bit out of the game when I see how everyone is moving.
The combat map seems too large, making units (friend and foe) too small. That seems unnecessary, as you'll never use more than 50% of the space, either because the enemy is close or because your heroes don't really need to move around, unless it is to keep the distance. Because of that, each combat lasts longer than needed, as you need time to just get close to the enemy.
Should you play Blightstone?
If you're a fan of turn-based roguelikes, you should definitely give Blightstone a chance. That said, if you're not a super-fan, I would advise waiting for the 1.0 version, as this still feels like an unfinished product, although it's visually polished. More items, random events, and improved between-run hero management would be welcome. I'm certain we'll see more of it in the next phase of early access when devs introduce Act II.
Nebojša Prijić is a Managing Editor at Pro Game Guides with over 25 years of experience in journalism, screenwriting, and copywriting. He previously worked as Editor-in-Chief of Maxim Serbia magazine and the IGN Adria website. Nebojša is an old-school gamer who loves real-time strategies, shooters, and RPGs, but most of all, he plays Roblox and mobile games with his son. He remembers the first Diablo, PC games on a single floppy disk, and playing Mortal Kombat on the keyboard.