“Rogue Legacy” is not for the faint of heart. Its16-bit looks, quirks and controls of the game are a welcome change of pace.

The 16-bit look is a term used to describe an old style of game making that gives the game in the sense of today a very blocky, older look and feel to the game’s favor.

In terms of mechanics, they are fairly standards when it comes to platforming. The base weapon is a sword with unlimited melee attacks and various power ups and with it you can engage for a limited time. An example would be a circular blade that you can throw at enemies.

The format of the game allows for more bite-sized sessions of gaming with each trip through the castle averaging 15 to 20 minutes.

The heir system is original. When the player is slain, he comes back as the ancestor of the character. Lives are unlimited but if you die you have to start from the beginning.

There is also the added baggage when you die, the levels randomize and each level is the different.

These aren’t subtle changes. This does a great job of incentivizing the player to stay alive as long as they can get the gold to upgrade the next character.

The gold system functions with chests appearing in random parts of the game filled with gold. They are either heavily guarded, involve the completion of a challenge or signify that a boss battle is coming up.

This is used to purchase new abilities such as increased health and armor as well as new kinds of heirs so that when you die there is more variation to choose from.

The upgrades for your character are attained outside the castle after you die, making death an integral and necessary part of the game.

There are various phobias or traits each heir possesses which can radically change the gameplay. For instance, one of the traits you can get is being skinny, when enemies can knock you back farther.

Another is being near-sighted, which means everything outside of a given area around your character is blurred. This system works well to add a little extra quirkiness to the game that sets it apart from the rest of the 16-bit crowd.

There are little nuggets of story scattered throughout the main the form of journals that explain the mystery of why the castle came to be ever-changing.

You are an adventurer set out to find the fountain of youth because the king has a reward for whoever finds it.

As the story unfolds through the journals there are some heavy hitting themes like the pointlessness of the human struggle.

The level system is unrelentingly difficult the farther you get, making it almost impossible to finish the game without significantly upgrading your character.

The graphics parallel the likes of the old “Mega Man” and “Castlevania” games with the 16-bit art style. Also, the different enemies are wonderfully realized.

The color variations are also done well with each different area of the castle is adorned with various colors and themes.

For example, the first area you encounter is just the grey stark colors you would expect from a castle but move to the right side of the castle, the theme changes to a grassy more woodland aesthetic with more earthy tones and green grassy platforms.

The soundtrack compliments the older aesthetic with the heavier, blockier sounding synth.

The music also adds a more ominous tone to the game and can be changed in game if you happen across a jukebox that randomly generates in the game.

In an age where cunning edge graphics and mechanics are king, it is nice to see a throwback to the old style of making games. “Rogue Legacy” cherry picks some mechanics from the old while also adding new features that ultimately combine for a game that is a joy to play no matter how punishing the difficulty.

The various quirks such as the different phobias and traits of each heir add a sense of charm to the game that would be lost otherwise.Whether looking for an old school experience or just a quirky unrelenting platformer, “Rogue Legacy” delivers a solid overall experience that anybody can sink hours or minutes into without a thought.