“Imagine if Diablo and Tetris had a kid,” as elevator pitches go, is about as effective as I can imagine. At the very least, it’s difficult to image what a game like that might look like, so check out the Loot River footage from the Summer Game Fest above.
Loot River by Straka Studios is a roguelike dungeon crawler that also functions as a dungeon shifter. There are block-based puzzles scattered throughout, but instead of manipulating them, you ride them around. You may rearrange them to gain access to new places, zip about on them to evade monsters, and even use them to bash adversaries into a paste as you ride them down the Loot River.
It’s not as if block riding is your sole option. Your character also possesses a lethal flaming sword. However, I get the idea that groups of enemies might quickly overwhelm you, thus avoiding them at times may be a key to success. That’s where fast and savvy block riding comes in. It’s like trying to solve a problem while standing on it.
Levels are a blend of procedural creation and hand-crafted aspects that keep the environment feeling fresh while remaining logical across plays. In Loot River, you’ll not only discover monsters, but also friends, merchants, and other adventurers who can assist you in unlocking permanent enhancements. And, of course, there are significant boss battles to contend with. Loot River hasn’t been released yet, so there’s still time to get some Tetris practice in before it goes live.
