I have a confession: I’m a raving roguelike uninstaller.
I almost always get to the point in games like this Balatro, Dead cellsOr Hades when, watching my playtime balloon, I feel the need to get rid of the temptation to play the game. Roguelikes, almost by definition, rely on an addictive structure, which reviewers often describe as a “just one more run” feeling where the player feels compelled to start the loop again (and again, and – you get the idea). Another common phrase you often hear is the idea that you have “wasted your time” playing the game, as if the game has tricked you into giving it more of your life than you were consciously willing to give. For me, this type of compulsive gaming leads to what I’ve come to call “roguelike scaring,” or the feeling that I really need to step away from a potentially endless game so that it doesn’t completely take over my life. I usually then delete it.
Now this is clearly a problem for me. There are undoubtedly people who have better impulse control, and there are undoubtedly people for whom the feeling of “wasting” time playing is experienced not as fear, but as joy. (Infinite gameplay for $20-30? It’s theft.) Still, a cursory Google search suggests that I’m not alone in my experience of being terrified of roguelikes and feeling that these games are so addictive that they’re all-consuming. So, to my fellow roguelike uninstallers, I’m here to tell you:
Charge A gust of wind — it’s very good.
A gust of windlatest game from Dead cells developer Motion Twin, was released in early access in slow October. Trading in side-scrolling, pixel art vibes Dead cells for a journey from above in the cel-shade through the sky islands, A gust of wind it manages to be simultaneously separate from Motion Twin’s latest effort and close enough to the spirit that it’s effortless to get lost in its loop. It’s true that the game is quite challenging, and even in Early Access it already offers significant opportunities to unlock meta-progressions that will keep each playthrough fresh. Combat is the name of the game here, with a modern emphasis on combining different attacks for maximum damage. The soundtrack is also catchy as hell, consisting of equal parts synth and rock, and the vocal track always makes me excited whenever it appears. Even what appears to be a very early version, design-wise, A gust of wind it certainly has what it takes to keep you playing for days, months and years to come.
But it’s time for another confession: I don’t like playing early access roguelikes. The reason is probably obvious given everything I’ve already written. I know myself and I know that I burn out on these types of games, so I don’t want to spend time on something that’s unfinished for fear that I won’t want to come back to it once it reaches version 1.0. I put it aside Hades 2 earlier this year for this very reason. Everything in me wanted to move forward, but whenever I saw placeholder art or read the game’s balance changelog, I felt that nagging feeling that I should preserve my stamina for “finishing the game.” The fear of roguelikes is inevitable for me, so I decided it would be best to wait until at least version 1.0, if not later, to play the game.
A gust of wind may be a great single-player experience, but as the game’s marketing will gladly tell you, that’s definitely not the point A gust of wind. It’s a cooperative game for two to three players. The idea is to face a high challenge in the game with one or two friends. It’s about wasting time Together. So once again to my fellow roguelike uninstallers, I’m here to tell you:
No, seriously – A gust of windgo for it, it’s great.
Here’s the thing: A gust of wind is not the first multiplayer roguelike. Not in the long run. Somewhere out there, A Risk of rain 2 the player is tearing their hair out reading this, and if so, please stop. I see you and I pay homage to you. Even The Binding of IsaacAfter all these years, I just added online co-op. I’m not here to claim that A gust of wind is the first, or even the best, multiplayer roguelike game. I just want to claim that this was the case My the first multiplayer roguelike, and for that reason it came with a revelation: the answer to the roguelike fear is other people.
Usually when I play a roguelike, I start asking myself questions like, “Has this become a waste of my time?” or “Are there other games I would rather play right now?” More generally, I may start to feel this creeping feeling that I’m spending too much time on one thing. Indeed, I have this impression while playing A gust of wind as a single player game. It’s a roguelike after all, and I’ve already outlined my personal hurdles when it comes to the genre. Every loop, no matter how pleasant, eventually gives way to the feeling of wanting to get out of it. Unless, as it turns out, I’m not the only one in the loop.
I won’t extol the joys of multiplayer to an audience well-versed in such matters, but I will say this: It was comical to me how quickly and how completely my fears of “wasting time” or being addicted to a roguelike game melted away when this was something I shared with a close friend. I immediately stopped caring if this early version felt incomplete compared to version 1.0. All I cared about was talking about our workdays and strategizing about who would pick up which item and when. Suddenly, my time spent playing the game became less of a personal indulgence and more of an interpersonal investment. What did we care if the game changed tomorrow? The time spent together will be valuable regardless of how many digits appear after the pre-release version number. The game was as much a social tool as it was a random number generator, and all the richer for it.
For me it’s a game A gust of wind was a good reminder for me to share my gaming experiences with other people. The world can feel lonely and punishing at times, much like a roguelike. But when you walk this path with other people, success seems more within reach. And if not a success, at least a brave effort that we can laugh about together. Even failure is better when you have someone there to pick you up.
Even as a crazy roguelike uninstaller, I haven’t removed it yet A gust of wind. To tell you the truth, I don’t feel obligated to do so in the slightest. Instead, I’m looking forward to the next update and will check it out with a friend to see what modern obstacles we can overcome together. In my experience, there is no fear, replaced by a sense of shared possibility.
A gust of wind was released on October 24 in Early Access on Windows PC. The game used a download code purchased by the author. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased through affiliate links. Additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy can be found here.
