Elsie Review - A Rogue-Like Action Platformer With Bullet Hell Combat

Elsie is the latest indie game from Knight Shift Games published by Playtonic Friends. It's the latest rogue-like action-platformer with a stellar soundtrack and vibrant retro pixel art style.

Sep 25, 2024

Hey everyone, and welcome to the Good Game Lobby review of Elsie, a rogue-like action-platformer. Do you like bullet-hell combat, wild procedurally generated levels, and challenging gameplay? Then this game is for you!

Dr. Grey’s Inventions

We start the game on the planet Ekis, where Dr. Grey informs us about the Guardians, a team of high-tech androids she created to protect the planet. Unfortunately, they have disappeared without a trace. Dr. Grey has an idea to build the most advanced android she’s ever created—Elsie—to blast her way through an army of rogue robots.

Dash, Dive, Blast, and Parry

Right from the start, the game is an action-packed frenzy. It’s procedurally generated, and with the start of each run, the first areas give you tips on how to play the game. They don’t bore you with every single detail, but just scratch the surface enough to give you the skills you need to blast your way through enemies and collect the goods you need for upgrades.

This roguelike can be very difficult at times, and through each run, Elsie is given the opportunity to upgrade her weapons, health, or armor to have a better chance of defeating the end boss and moving to the next area. As you play each run, you meet a new cast of characters you rescue, who provide upgrades to weapons and ways to unlock abilities and spells you can use on each run.

You unlock bonfires, which are there to heal you in between fights, and later unlock a holster shop to upgrade your weapons and abilities. These are all crucial to get the best setup to blast your way through the end-level boss.

Over and Over and Over and Over

Replay ability is key in a game like Elsie. The sheer variety of playstyles you can experiment with is impressive. The game throws a wide range of magitek weapons, upgrades, and abilities your way, letting you tailor each run to your playstyle. You can mix and match gear to create devastating combos, and with procedurally generated levels, no two runs feel the same.

You will encounter some oddly laid-out levels where certain areas don’t bring you to any enemies or chests to unlock. It’s a flaw in the way the levels are generated.

Pixelated Bliss

Now, let’s talk about the graphics. The neon-drenched worlds of Ekis are vibrant, with each unique biome. The starting area is a cyberpunk-riddled place with a vibrant glow of purples, blues, yellows, and pinks throughout the metal surfaces. The enemies are robots with swords, projectile orbs, or rockets, perfectly fitting this dystopian area.

The Garden of Roses was the first area I chose, and the enemies are upgraded to fit a more garden-themed look, with thorns and poison throughout, along with flower designs and plant-based enemies. Its lush with greenery and flowers fitting the garden theme perfectly.

Another area was snow-covered, with iced-over ledges you can’t grab onto, so you need alternative ways to get around the level. Enemies can freeze you in place, making it impossible to dodge any projectiles.

The only issue I had with the visuals was that the game is pixel-focused, but certain items or menu illustrations are more hand-drawn, and the numbers or visuals that pop up are in yet another style. It lacks the consistency I would hope for.

Sounds and Voices

The soundtrack for Elsie is perfectly in sync with the game’s fast-paced, high-energy action. It stands toe-to-toe with all of the classic hits of the Sega Genesis era. With each biome's vibrant look and feel changing, the music shifts seamlessly for an immersive experience. The soundtrack is nowhere to be found online but I did find this 7 year old song designed for the game by the composer. Enjoy!

One of the things that stands out in the game is the voice acting. They have not shied away from the fact that they have many voice actors in the game, and each brings their own personality to the characters they play. It makes the introduction of new characters and story pushes very entertaining. Here is a trailer for all the voice actors they released before launch.

SPOILERS AHEAD

What would a roguelike be without its epic boss battles? I ran through the main area a few times, and after defeating a regular boss, I encountered one of the Guardians, Celestia. They were angered by Dr. Grey and blamed her for why they abandoned the cause. After you defeat them, Dr. Grey investigates and informs you that Celestia had a virus that caused them to lash out. Celestia, once back to normal, still has hints of the virus in their tone, which is well-represented in the fantastic voice acting. It feels like something deeper is going on, and Dr. Grey isn’t sharing the whole story. You will have to find out more when you play the game!

Elsie Is Fun

Elsie was great fun with its fast-paced action, heavy customization, and intense combat with parrying and dodging. The levels keep things fresh, though sometimes come out with a few duds here or there. It doesn’t do anything new or genre changing, but its a good addition to the roguelike games of the last few years that I think you will enjoy!

Do you like Rogue-likes and have you tried this one out? Let me know in the comments!

🎮Elsie | Steam
🗓️Release Date | Out Now!