Can you make a 2D game that is just as challenging and awesome as the series that inspired it? The answer from White Rabbit is yes, with a metroidvania style play, challenging bosses and a solid RPG foundation. This is Death’s Gambit, one of a few games that promise Dark Souls gameplay and actually fulfills that promise.
In the dark world of Siradon, full of mythical creatures and medieval weapons, you have made a deal with Death. You must hunt down the monsters that have been selected for you. Your reward is the promise of immortality. As you face the down your foes, you learn about this world. You might also start to question if Death can be trusted.
The game is full of nods to the Souls series. You can pick a class for their own strengths and weakness. The menu screen looks like a Souls menu, and one of the first things you pick up is a Crow feather. The enemies and bosses are hard, and you will die quite a few times before you master them. Once you are able to beat a boss, you can challenge them again in “Heroic” mode. This is not just a bigger life bar, the bosses have new attacks and your strategy must change.
As you explore the world, there is not set path to take. You can explore and choose which way you want to go. This helps if you are stuck on a particular boss. You don’t have to keep banging your head against them, you can try the road you didn’t take the first time. Graphically, the word is beautiful in pixel and 2D animation. The horse, or what looks like a horse, galloping and drinking water while it rests is just the first of the stunning things you will see. The music and voice acting add a nice touch to an indie game that looks like it was made by a big studio.
While these game is inspired by the Souls game, it is it’s own thing. So many games that are difficult get compared to Dark Souls, and the comparisons are not always valid. Death’s Gambit took from the Souls games, added a bit of Castelvania, and have come up with a game that is fun and different. Hard enemies are fine, but a game must give you a chance to beat them. This game is fun, beautiful, challenging and a great debut from a new talent. Pick this one up and see how long you are able to last.
9/10
Available on PS4 and PC.
