Chaotic new roguelike Godbreakers channels Risk of Rain 2, and it's playable now

Roguelikes can be a bit of a hit or miss for me. It's tricky to find a game that has an intriguing enough narrative to keep me playing through the frustration, or combat that's satisfying to master. It looks like the new kid on the block, Godbreakers, has the perfect answer to my conundrum, however: pure, unbridled chaotic co-op. Much like Risk of Rain 2, this fast-paced action-fueled roguelike allows you to gather your squad to tackle endless waves of enemies together, and if the latest trailer is anything to go by, it's set to be a blast. Don't believe me? Well, you can check out the demo yourself now.

Announced yesterday by developer To The Sky and publisher Thunderful, Godbreakers looks like it has all the hallmarks of the best roguelikes: fluid, fast-paced combat, a simplistic but effective artstyle, and a variety of funky looking biomes that are begging to be explored.

The hack-and-slash combat looks like it'll be a riot to play with friends, but there's also an element of strategy required. Every second counts: you'll need to master combos of strikes, dashes, and abilities to defeat rivals and you'll need to be able to adapt in real time. Helpfully, moves can be cancelled mid-strike so you can react to your enemies' attacks, and there's also Godbreak, an ability which allows you to absorb your adversaries' powers and then unleash a powerful attack that turns their own skills against them.

Godbreakers will have a wealth of customization available too, with a range of characters, called Archetypes, up for grabs with their own traits and weapons to experiment with. I, for one, can't wait to try out those dual-wielding blades.

And that's not even the best part. Much like its cited influence, Risk of Rain 2, you can jump into the fray with up to three other players for chaotic online co-op fun. So when those runs start to get too frustrating solo, you can enlist a friend, or three, to help defeat those pesky mini-bosses - of which there are quite a few, if the Steam page is anything to go by.

The current demo has full four player online co-op, and opens the door to the first of the six biomes set to be available in the full game. Players wanting to cut their teeth on this frenetic combat can tackle five different types of enemies and a mini-boss, before testing out their build in a full boss fight. Completing challenges in the demo will also allow you to unlock a new Archetype, abilities, and cosmetics.

You can check out the demo for Godbreakers on Steam now. While there's no set release date, it does look like the game will be releasing sometime this year; you can read more about it on the Steam page.

There are plenty of games waiting for you and your friends, so check out our guide on the best co-op games available right now. If you're worried about defeating your friends in frenetic fast-paced combat, then you should read our latest guide on the best gaming mouse to stay at the top of your game.

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