Rogue Waters review: Even death won’t stop your hunt

In Rogue Waters, you set sail as Captain Cutter, a pirate caught in a ruthless cycle of sea battles as he hunts down the man who left him for dead. As with most roguelites, each run resets your progress, but the promise of mythical sea creatures, turn-based combat, and an ever-changing world makes it a thrilling ride. Let’s chart a course through treacherous waters with this Rogue Waters review!

Story

The story in Rogue Waters pulls you right in with its mix of betrayal, revenge, and pirate prophecy. As mentioned, you play as Captain Cutter, who is determined to get back at the immortal Captain Blackbone, while sailing through a sea full of rival pirates and dark secrets. The lore is deep and mysterious, and the game does a great job setting everything up early on. It feels like every encounter is part of something bigger, which keeps you hooked as you explore more of the Sea Shepherd prophecy.

However, where the game drops the ball is in the character interactions. You spend most of your time hearing Cutter and Wilkes or Cutter and Shiv chat, but the rest of the crew doesn't get a word in. It’s a bit of a letdown, especially since pirate stories are at their best when there's a strong dynamic between the crew. There's so much potential for memorable moments, but it never hits that mark. I would’ve loved to see more meaningful conversations that brought everyone closer together.

Pirate adventures thrive on the relationships between characters, but in Rogue Waters, that element feels completely sidelined. While Cutter’s personal journey is interesting, the lack of interaction with the rest of the crew leaves you wanting more. With a bit more focus on building those connections, the story could’ve really shone and made victories and betrayals hit harder.

Score: 2.5/5

Visual Design

One of the most unique aspects of Rogue Waters is its combination of visual novel, choose-your-own-adventure, and turn-based combat gameplay. The art style is bold, giving the characters and environments a distinct flair. It’s a bit like flipping through a beautifully illustrated pirate adventure book - if you pay attention to the parts that affect the plot rather than all of the back-and-forth level-grinding raids, at least.

The visuals during combat are the epitome of a roguelite game, and nothing surprised me. But, nothing really stood out to me, either. The most impressive scene is the player's base - the cave where you can find your Tavern, Shipyard, and Workshop.

What I can't get past is the blood splatters that occur when you stab an enemy. They look more like someone stabbed a packet of strawberry jam. It’s a detail that can pull you out of the intensity of battle, but at least it keeps things from getting too grim! The art direction is solid, even if it’s not the most polished experience visually. I think the mixture of storytelling styles is what puts me off the most. The quick switch from sailing to your next destination to seeing a wall of text is jarring, to say the least.

I can, however, appreciate the effort that has gone into the three unique art styles that you see in Rogue Waters.

Score: 3.5/5

Controls and Accessibility

If you’ve ever wanted to take your time plotting the perfect pirate attack, Rogue Waters gives you that tactical freedom. The turn-based combat allows you to think through every move, and if you make a mistake, there’s a handy undo feature (up until you shank the final enemy, that is). It’s a system that feels forgiving without taking away the challenge, and the variety of combat styles you can employ keeps things fresh.

However, Rogue Waters leans more toward a keyboard-and-mouse experience. While it offers some solid accessibility features like subtitles and customizable graphics settings, the game doesn't play as well with a controller - it's just easier to control your moves with a mouse. If you’re looking for a smooth sailing experience, you’re better off sticking with your good old keyboard and mouse.

Score: 4/5

Gameplay

This is where Rogue Waters really shines. You’ve got an entire pirate crew at your disposal, each member with unique abilities. From your Grapplers tossing enemies into a fire to strategically using your cannons to target specific ship modules, there’s no shortage of ways to build your crew and wreak havoc on the high seas. The flexibility in combat is a huge plus - being able to access specialists with three different classes will ensure that you find the right pieces for the puzzle that is your main crew.

I also really like that there are two different forms of combat. At sea, you can strategically target enemy ship modules with your cannons, like hitting their modules so their crew doesn't get any buffs or firing on their crew to take out bombers and gun users before the ship battle commences. Once you're aboard, you use your crew’s unique abilities and the environment to gain the upper hand. It’s satisfying to push enemies into obstacles or throw them over the rail.

That said, Rogue Waters does have its rough patches. The difficulty ramps up quickly from the start, and that can feel overwhelming for newcomers. Facing down a fully crewed enemy ship with only two specialists on board? Not exactly a fair fight. It’d be nice if your crew grew alongside the story, letting you recruit more crew members as you progress through the plot instead of just grinding to unlock them. The experience system also feels sluggish - I’ve played for hours, and my Captain Cutter is barely level six. It’s a slow burn that might turn off more casual players.

But, the replayability is massive. Between the unique raid maps, various crew builds, and sea monsters to summon (yes, you get to unleash a Kraken), every run feels like a new adventure. It’s a game that you can easily lose hours in, and the depth of customization keeps things interesting even after multiple raids.

Score: 4/5

Verdict

Rogue Waters sets out to deliver a story-driven roguelite experience with a pirate twist, and for the most part, it succeeds. The game’s strategic combat, endless replayability, and freedom to craft your crew’s abilities make it a solid entry into the genre. However, the difficulty curve and somewhat uneven pacing may leave newer players adrift.

If you don’t mind a bit of grind and love a good pirate adventure with strategic depth, Rogue Waters has plenty to keep you entertained. Just be prepared to replay raids, face down waves of enemies, and deal with more than your fair share of deaths along the way. It’s a challenging game with enough charm to make it worth the journey.

[Disclosure: A free copy of the game was provided to PGG by the publisher for review purposes.]

Looking for more Rogue Waters content at Pro Game Guides? Check out our Rogue Waters Crew guide and our guide to the Best modules and cannons for your ship in Rogue Waters.