Becoming a hero is no easy feat. You’ll have to tackle mountains of monsters, explore deep and dangerous dungeons, and appease many people. However, for some individuals, this is their calling. These ungodly beings love fame, but they adore the gold and treasure a bit more. Consequently, only death will stop them from completing their goal. Accordingly, this is exactly what happens in the excellent and addictive Bravery and Greed.
Developed by Rekka Games and published by Team17, this is a rogue-lite dungeon crawler. What’s more, it has hack ‘n’ slash elements and some strong fantasy themes. As such, it’ll take you on a whacky adventure as you and 3 others tackle damp caverns and gargantuan beasts as you attempt to find fame and fortune.
Bravery and Greed tells a familiar tale.
Whenever a game runs with a familiar approach, it often lacks originality. Luckily, though, this isn’t the case in Bravery and Greed. Instead, the familiar story and characters were fantastic as the zany and fast-paced action took centre stage. You control either a paladin, mage, rogue, or warrior who is determined to seek out fortune and fame, no matter the risk. Subsequently, the adventurers explore a range of dangerous locations while pitting their strengths against some crazy foes. If you are successful, you’ll be awarded gold and trinkets, and your journey will continue. However, if you die, and you will, you’ll have to start again.
This classic rogue-lite mechanic will drive its audience insane. The brutal approach is uncomfortable and often unfair, but when you get it right, it is rewarding and fun. As such, Bravery and Greed is pretty tough to put down, once you get started. Sadly, I was only able to play this alone, and I can imagine the online shenanigans increases both the replay value and enjoyment level exponentially. The gameplay focuses on 4 unique modes. These comprise a PvP and PvE option, survival mode, and the main adventure element. No matter which you select, you’ll enjoy the same roster of characters and the key gameplay mechanics.
Exploration, magic, and Metroidvania.
A fantasy game would be nothing without monsters and magic. Fortunately, Bravery and Greed is overflowing with both. As you explore each dungeon, you’ll encounter forgotten tomes, shrines, vendors, and much, much more. These interactive objects allow you to enhance your stats, purchase potions and wands, and take a bit of a gamble. If you get lucky, your hero will become stronger, faster, or healthier. However, if the gamble doesn’t pay off, you’ll be poisoned or cursed, and death is all but certain.
This cruel approach may seem unfair, but I loved that it added another brutal twist to the excellent gameplay. After all, what’s life if there isn’t a little danger involved? Furthermore, if things pay off, the rewards certainly outweigh the risk. On top of this, you’ll find new trinkets and equipment that enhance your hero’s stats further still. Accordingly, the longer you survive, the stronger you become.
If the guarantee of death isn’t enough, the developers chucked in a hefty dose of Metroidvania to make matters worse. Consequently, you’ll run into dead ends, encounter unnecessary traps, and waste plenty of time. Yet, this cruel mechanic made the game much more enjoyable. I adored the lack of direction and the freedom to go wherever I wanted. The only restriction you face is the end-of-stage bosses. These horrendous beasts are tough but beatable. If you are fortunate enough to slay them, a new area will open and your adventure will continue.
Bravery and Greed looks incredible.
I adored the gameplay and the tough mechanics, but the aesthetics were equally good. The old-school pixelated approach and sombre colour palette work perfectly with the theme and the genre. What’s more, the side-scrolling and 2D viewpoint ensure that you can navigate the world with no problems. Alongside this, the basic animation and OTT spells looked incredible. Then, you must consider the variety of backdrops and the interesting stage design. Thanks to the Metroidvania mechanics, each level is claustrophobic, tough to explore, and filled with mystery. This is brilliant, as it makes a hard game just a bit more uncomfortable.
The visuals were beautifully complemented by the excellent audio. The repetitive soundtrack should have been tedious and annoying. However, the familiar music and unrelenting bass add to the drama. Moreover, the hard-hitting sound effects are crass and loud, and enhance the fantasy theme.
Simple and effective controls.
A wonderful tutorial ensures the fundamentals are understood immediately. Yet, the controls are so simple that you could easily jump into the action with no assistance. Furthermore, the excellent layout and responsive inputs help whenever it is hectic. Alongside this, each of the heroes has primary and secondary attacks that must be mastered. The rogue has a sword and bow, the mage a wand and elemental power, and so on, and so forth. By using each character wisely, you’ll overcome the toughest of situations and survive for as long as possible.
Thanks to the rogue-lite elements, Metroidvania stage design, and 4 game modes, there is plenty to see and do. However, that isn’t the end of the story. No, at the beginning of each run, you can use special cards to add skills, gold, and other buffs. Yet, each card has a downside that can make or break you. Whether it is a reduction in speed, a shared life bar, the introduction of Death, or more, it enhances the difficulty and keeps you on your toes.
Bravery and Greed is a brilliant addition to the genre.
The rogue-lite genre is saturated. As such, it can be tough to find a worthy title amongst the rubbish. Fortunately, Bravery and Greed is an excellent addition to the genre. With its amazing theme, fun characters, and tough mechanics, this will get under your skin and will keep you playing for hours. As such, I can easily recommend that you buy it here! Will you survive long enough to become rich and famous? Pick your hero, choose your perks, and hope that luck is on your side.
