Our second stop on the PAX East 1UP express is Chromatic Games. They are perhaps best known for their cult classic action beat em up Dungeon Defenders. The premise for the original is simple as players must use their character to defend a tower against waves of enemies. Players would build structures to aid them in defending their base while fighting alongside the chaos.
In Dungeon Defenders Going Rogue, the core gameplay is the same but with more emphasis on roguelike gameplay hence the name. Since the game's release in March, Chromatic Games have released a new character known as the warden. This is the demo build I've played at PAX East, but before we begin let me introduce Chromatic as I was introduced.
Mr. Guille Chumpitaz, the Engagement Director and Sound Design, enthusiastically told me everything about Dungeon Defenders above. When your series has a following and an install base that's ever-growing, it makes sense. He would run me through the game as I played, learning the controls as I went along.
I used the Squire for my demo play as he had the most simple game plan. He had a really useful shield that he could throw and call back just like Cap. After each wave, players are rewarded with loot from a chest. The player can claim whatever loot they wish, with the rest being sold.
At the end of the final wave, players will unlock a bigger chest that contains three random powerful buffs. The items the players get are completely random, some being worse or better than others. These items, however, help the next few levels greatly.
As the levels progress, the enemies become more aggressive and spawn from various lanes at once. Because one lane may be far away from the other, there are turrets to place on choke points and keep the enemies at bay.
Dungeon Defenders Going Rogue is a game that, as Chumpitaz puts it, one can play for as long as they desire. It's a game that can be played in bursts, with the intent of doing a little better each time. While I didn't make it to the end, I was given a copy of the game, so be on the lookout for a future review!
Dungeon Defenders Going Rogue is available on Steam.