Ember Knights, developed by Doom Turtle and published by Asmodee Digital, promises players high-paced action in a Roguelite environment. But the Early Access release—which is meant to show off combat mechanics while emphasizing cooperative gameplay—fails to live up to expectations due to constant bugs affecting gameplay. Even so, it's still a lot of fun to play.
We didn't start the fire
The players are knights made of flame who have the choice between a bow and a sword, with the promise that more weapons will arrive in the future. Players must clear rooms of monsters while trying to stay alive, and since death in the game is permanent, dying means starting over from the first level. Ember Knights wielding bows must be quick and agile, while sword-wielding Ember Knights must attack more than they run. Combat is both fun and addictive, and each playthrough will leave you wanting more.
Battles against Minibosses and Bosses are where the game really shines. As players repeat runs, they face different Minibosses and Bosses, like Guzzlewound and Sanguinsucker, two different versions of the same Miniboss. Even though they look similar, they rotate and require different strategies. The enemies are diverse enough to feel unique through every fight, and defeating a boss will give you a huge sense of accomplishment. By far, the combat is the highlight of the game.
We were this close to perfection
Playing with friends makes the game a lot easier. The ease is countered by limiting upgrades so that no matter how many knights you have, you can only upgrade a certain number of times. Upgrades also increase monster difficulty. Unfortunately, if you did not upgrade the Player 1 Ember Knight but upgraded other characters, you will face tougher monsters without any benefits when you play alone. We aren't sure if this is a bug, but you must play single-player and co-op on different saves to avoid this.
The game's biggest flaw is that the charm leaves the moment you finish a playthrough of the levels. The bugs usually cause the game to freeze during loading, and the central hub is bare and ultimately dull.
Initially, players will want to speak with the inhabitants of their main base, but after a while, it loses its appeal. It offers nothing else other than unlocking new Relics and skills, but unlocking these is just for the diversity of items, not a sense of progression. There's no reason to look around besides turning in some Relic Orbs and a Slate or two.
The main concept works beautifully, but everything else needs more time.
Early Access Feel
All of the levels, weapons, enemies, and many other things aren't in the game because it's in Early Access. Still, enough is there that you can see how much potential the game has.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great combat | A lot of bugs |
| Fluid controls and gameplay | New Relics and Skills feel random |
| Great enemy diversity | Co-op and single-player must be on different save files |
| Fun co-op | - |
Verdict - Worth buying
Ember Knights already has an innovative and unique idea that works so well. The cons of the game should be reworked and updated, but the core aspect is already worth far more than the asking price. If you like co-op, roguelikes, fast-paced action, or just games that are hard to put down, then Ember Knights is for you.
For more Ember Knights, why not check out Best Relics to choose in Ember Knights? or Best Skills in Ember Knights here on Pro Game Guides.
Published: Apr 21, 2022 06:58 am