Chivalware Combines Match-3 And Battle Network's Grid Into A Fast Paced Roguelite | TechRaptor (original) (raw)

Today, solo developer Regal Pigeon Games announced Chivalware, a new fast-paced roguelite that mixes elements of match-3 games with the grid combat of Mega Man Battle Network. Players will need to keep an eye on their opponents, their ammo, and the floor beneath them to not only win battles but survive with enough health to go the distance.

Ahead of its announcement, we got some hands-on time with Chivalware. The premise of the game is simple enough: you play as a Disk Knight who needs to make their way through the kingdom to slay the current king, who has been driven mad by power. You progress through the game world by defeating enemies and completing levels, following split paths to encounter different events, and upgrading your arsenal along the way.

Combat gameplay takes place on a 4x8 grid where the left half is filled with tiles that show yellow, purple, and blue symbols. These represent the different weapons your Disk Knight has access to. Travel over the floor to find symbols that are in groups of three or higher, and you'll be able to pick up and charge that weapon with energy. For each tile consumed, more fill in from the left. With your energy charged, you'll then be able to fight off your opponents.

Even in this early demo, there was a large variety of weapons, including swords that slash three tiles vertically, explosives that cause AOE damage, and long-range guns that fire in a single line. Depending on your loadout and currently equipped weapon, your play style will shift.

Challenges to face aren't just that enemy characters will always be trying to fight you, even when trying to power up your weapons, but you might end up in situations where there aren't any threes to match. In this case, if you interact with a tile of one or two, you'll lose all of the energy in your weapon. Some enemies will also have shields against certain color weapons, forcing you to shift up your play style.

Completing a stage will earn you currency, as well as the chance to obtain new weapons or upgrades that will further shape your build for the run.

Starting off the game, it really feels like you're trying to pat your head and rub your belly as you're looking for matches, watching your energy level, avoiding an enemy, and calculating just how much you'll need to be able to finish the battle. Already in my 3 hours of play, I could find myself falling into a rhythm and getting further and further, unlocking more options for future runs, and getting close to high scores and unlocking further Disk Knights to play as.

Combat is bite-sized, each likely lasting less than a minute, and the game is quick to progress you through the different stages and events. If this is your kind of game, you'll very quickly find yourself saying "I've got time for just one more run…"

Alongside the announcement, Regal Pigeon Games and publisher The Arcade Crew (Drop Duchy, Abyssus) have also released a demo for Steam available right now. At the moment, there is no set date for Chivalware's release, but it's expected to hit PC this autumn.

Chivalware was previewed on PC vis Steam with a copy provided by the publisher over the course of 3 hours - All images were provided by the publisher.

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