Ascendant

In Ascendant you are playing as a demigod, who basicly has a melee attack, a dodge and a spell (=ranged attack) and you are trying to clear out one area after another (similar to the rooms in BOI), until you eventually meet a boss. After defeating him, you will get to the next, more difficult stage. The areas are randomly generated and if you run out of hearts, thats it, you're dead! Much like in BOI there are shops, event and treasure rooms, which you'll often have to unlock with a key. In the different areas you will find various kinds of loot, which will make you more powerful: weapons, blessings (=weapon modifiers), spells and *forgot the name* (like the pills in BOI). It is really fun to play and nearly as addictive as BOI as you are unlocking spells/blessings/characters as you progress, which is quite hard as the game is quite difficult. The downsides imo are the poor physics in places, the hitbox, which is quite dodgy, but you'll get used to it and the unenjoyable platforming experience (which you fortunately can mostly avoid). Also the music is quite repetative, but otherwise passable. The graphics, well, some will like, it some will find it ugly, so check you the screen shots, to see which side your on. This game is basicly a brawler and BOI hybrid. which is quite unique and really fun to play. I would very much recommend the game! PS: Works fine for me on linux mint 17 and controller recommended!

This a roguelike 2D platformer/brawler. You move between small areas filled with chests, enemies, bosses and shrines. You fight enemies with melee weapons and magic, or by launching things into them/them into things. Death is permanent. There are no permanent upgrades and only a few different characters to choose from (only 2 unlocked from the start). The gameplay is okay but not tight enough for me. I also have zero interest in constantly starting from scratch, fighting the same starting enemies over and over again.

Ascendant, so far, is quite an enjoyable game. The first thing that grabs you is the visuals - which I enjoy immensely. Second is the combat, fast paced enough to get you hooked but there's a lot there under the hood to keep bringing you back. Which leads to replay-ability - with the numerous spells, weapon upgrades, personal upgrades and unlockable characters you can get you will definitely get your moneys worth.

We have something in Ascendant that I find very worthwhile and that I believe you may as well if you are looking for a new kind of roguelite game. You'll may think that Ascendant doesn't have much going for it in the way of mechanical complexity, at least initially, but when you take the time to learn reflecting, casting, and juggling enemies; you'll be surprised at how much the combat offers. Boss fights at the end of each dungeon are all particularly compelling as they each have varied approaches to victory. The dungeons are procedurally generated with each game start as each death is permanent and will take away all blessings, influence, and weapons you have acquired. The game also has a very high level or replayability as completing every dungeon in a single run is very challenging. The art style is colorful and cartoonish but is still one that I enjoy and the game is appropriately priced. What bogs the title down and keeps it from achieving five star status with me is the overly-looping soundtrack, questionable hitboxes, and the occasional blending of background into foreground interfering with the platforming sections. Those issues aside I still find Ascendant to be an excellent addition to the roguelite genre for bringing a different kind of mechanical complexity to the table.