What makes a great roguelike? Difficulty is one thing. You want every run, every death, and every victory to feel like they mean something. Variety is important, too. Builds should be extensive and customizable, mobs and upgrades should change on each attempt, and if there’s a range of fresh environments and types of dungeons, that’s a huge bonus. FTL, Dead Cells, and of course Hades 2 typify the best of the genre, but another amazing roguelike has just hit 1.0, and is even playable, start to finish, completely free. It has outstanding reviews – but somehow fewer than 300 players.
Welcome to Path of Achra, a classic-style roguelike game and long-term passion project from solo developer Ulfsire. With a gorgeous, old-school pixel aesthetic reminiscent of Rift Wizard and Telengard, turn-based combat, and extensive customization, you can even play an older build of Path of Achra from start to finish for free. You create your character by combining religions, classes, and cultures, which allow for more than 1,000 different variations. There are over 50 elemental abilities to choose from, and you can exchange weapons and other equipment on the go.
Although the customization is deep, Path of Achra is designed to be simple to play. The controls are deliberately streamlined, and you can even set the whole game to auto-move if you just want to focus on the combat. Similarly, you’re encouraged to experiment and kitbash your character build. Don’t overthink it – a proclaimed “broken build sandbox,” the idea in Path of Achra is to create a character who’s overpowered and volatile, and smash through runs in a frenzy.
Released into 1.0 on Tuesday May 7, during its early access lifetime, 98% of player reviews for Path of Achra have been positive. Recent reviews from the last 30 days are similarly glowing – 95% positive. Nevertheless, the game’s concurrent player record is 271. It deserves more love. If you want to try out the newest version of Path of Achra, it’s available right now at a 20% discount, and will run you $7.99/£6.80. Just head right here.
Alternatively, try some of the best new PC games, or maybe the best RPGs if you want a grand adventure that’s less punishing than a roguelike.
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