With the rise in popularity of roguelikes in the last decade I’m almost embarrassed to admit the time I’ve spent with Has-Been Heroes constitutes my most consequential experience with the genre. Developed by Finnish studio Frozenbyte and published by GameTrust, it caught my eye when I saw it on the shelf; a physical Switch game for $20… why not? Going in blind I was earnestly hoping for a JRPG like experience but I was intrigued by the purported blend of action and strategy elements. However, my enjoyment quickly tapered off as I came to grips with the intense difficulty. After persisting for a couple hours, everything clicked and I began to survive longer and unlock more. It’s a difficult game with high odds for bad runs but when everything falls into place, it’s immensely satisfying.

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