Game Review: Frogue

By Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

I feel like I say this once a week at this point, but the roguelike genre is a very crowded space and we have yet another game that seeks to stand out among its contemporaries. Available on all major platforms by way of developer Wired Dreams Studio, and publisher QUByte Interactive, Frogue is a roguelike platformer that mixes in several other genre elements in its very own attempt at originality. We're going to be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch version of the game today, and see if it succeeds in bringing something new to the table. As always, there's a lot to cover here, so let's dive right in!

Frogue places you into the... shoes (?) of one Kene Legstrong, a knight in the Order of The Hanuro Clan. He is very much a frog, and he's also very much a samurai-style character in spite of any other implications that may come from the title of "knight". He sets off on a very Castlevania-like mission to stop an evil whose return is marked by the sudden appearance of a castle, and he'll stick at his journey until he sees it through. Naturally this evil has a lot of minions, so this will be no easy task. It's all a rather thin premise admittedly, but the opening cutscene did a great job in drawing me into the world. It really is the simple things sometimes, and I'm here for any game that places a frog into the main role, but keeps everything else fairly serious. All of this could've easily been played for jokes, or just not given a story at all, and I feel that the effort put in is worth at least the slightest of nods. There's not really much else to say about that, so I guess we'll move on to discussing gameplay next.

If there's one big positive I can say about Frogue, it has to be its unique mix of genres. It's turn-based, it's a roguelike platformer, and it's a bullet hell game, all in one. That may be a lot to take in, but let's tackle each part individually. Even though Frogue is mainly a platformer, you don't move Kene around directly. Kene is a frog, so that means he hops along from one space to another instead of simply walking along. Which spaces you can land on are determined by the current space you occupy, and you will automatically attack (and hopefully kill) any enemies that are either in your path, or on the space you'll finish your turn on. Enemies aren't just going to let you take them out though, and most will fire some sort of projectile at you. These all have different travel speeds, and you'll have to juggle dodging them while also attacking. Since it’s turn-based, you can take as long as you want to make your next move, though you can very much trap yourself into a bad situation if you're not careful. You also have the ability to throw your sword if an enemy is just a bit out of reach, though you'll be unable to attack again until you pick it up. Lastly, you have the ability to freeze time temporarily with an item called the "chronosphere". This isn't an ability you can use whenever you want though, as it must be charged up before and after each use. That just about covers the core gameplay, but there's more to it than that of course.

One of the biggest aspects of Frogue's gameplay loop is the exploration of the castle. While its layout is randomized on each run, you can expect to find many of the same spaces throughout. This means that areas will typically have exists in the same general vicinity, and you'll often spawn more or less around the center of the current area. There's a flow to everything, and there is always a sub-boss that eventually leads into a main boss battle. Upgrade rooms are scattered about as well, and these are pretty much the only rooms where you'll find yourself safe from enemies. The upgrades are usually abilities as opposed to stat increases, and you get to choose one from a grouping of three each time. This upgrade system is a bit odd, as since they can missed completely if you simply never explore the room that they're in. You're able to freely travel to any room you've already cleared by way of your map, and this is very helpful when you hit inevitably hit a dead end. Boss encounters and the like are just more intense versions of what you already know from standard combat, and are probably only truly devastating because they have the ability to summon random enemies to help them out. It's usually those summoned friends that give me the most trouble, with them ending more runs than I can count.

While I personally think that there's a lot to like in the way Frogue tackles its gameplay, it is by no means perfect. The biggest issue of all has to be the controls, as there were many times when I landed on the wrong space because choosing the correct spot with the analog stick always felt a bit broken. Since enemy attacks can happen very quickly, this was probably the single most common reason as to why I took damage. Next would have to be healing, as this is only happens after completing a long combo string. The problem with healing is that everything about it is time-based, and by that I mean actual real time, and not turn-based time. You have to constantly be on the move to keep your combo up, and sometimes the game doesn't really allow for that level of fast action. Then there's the annoying fact that the green healing fly seems to just wander off if you take too long to pick it up. That last part can really sting if you took damage in order to get the healing fly in the first place. Then there's the upgrades you get from those totally missable rooms I mentioned earlier. I don't think I've ever seen a more useless set of upgrades in a roguelike game before, and there wasn't a single one that I felt actually helped me out gameplay-wise. Most runs ended far sooner than I wanted them to, and actual permanent upgrades (which do also exist) are extremely rare. It makes for a rather uneven experience, even though I found myself going back to it again and again.

One of the reasons I kept going back to Frogue in spite of its many problems has to be because it just looks and sounds so cool. Kene Legstrong is a badass character, and I simply love everything about him. The cool way he stands and readies himself for attacks is enough to endear him to most players, especially those who are fans of frog-based memes like me. The enemy and world designs may be a bit lacking in comparison, but none of that really matters when he looks as awesome as he does. There's also the music, which is far better than I think it really has a right to be. This is one of those games that mix the sound really low for reasons I can't begin to understand, but you'll more than likely find it just as amazing as I did if you crank it up. It's not exactly the soundtrack to a long-lost Castlevania game, but it has a flair all its own. It's retro, it's electronic, and it changes with whatever is going on in the game. I particularly liked the boss themes, but I don't think I have any true favorites as the entire soundtrack slaps. Lastly, and this might not be a big surprise considering the retro-inspired look the game is going for, Frogue runs perfectly on the Switch, and I never experienced any noteworthy issues.

While Frogue is a very simple game, it still has enough depth to it that is sure to keep the roguelike fans satiated for quite a while. There's a lot to see and do, and there's a big sense of accomplishment in eventually getting those permanent upgrades that make subsequent runs all the easier. Since it also has the bullet hell aspect to it, playing it repeatedly also helps improve skills. That's sure to keep many around, even if the learning curve can feel quite steep at first. Considering that Frogue comes in at a very reasonable $4.99, picking it up is rather painless too. While that price point is by no means unusual for the genre, Frogue brings enough new elements to the mix wherein I wouldn't have been too put off with having to pay more. I guess I can't really complain about that though, so let's just be grateful that it's as affordable as it is.

Though I do totally suggest picking up Frogue if you're a fan of either roguelikes or bullet hell games, I don't think it's going to convince anyone new to either of those genres to give them a chance. It isn't really the most beginner-friendly game, and I can totally see how it wouldn't be for everyone. Its price point does lower that barrier for entry though, so perhaps those on the fence can go a bit outside of their comfort zone for this one. Either way, pick it up on whatever platform you can and get jumping! Oh, and be careful of those projectiles! They can come out of nowhere sometimes! See you in the next one!

Check Out Frogue on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/frogue-switch/

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Story: B
Gameplay: B-
Graphics: B-
Music/Sound: A
Value: A

Overall: B+

Pros:
+ A great addition to the roguelike genre.
+ Features a surprisingly neat premise, and a very badass character in the form of Kene Legstrong.
+ The use of bullet hell style gameplay mixes surprisingly well with turn-based action.
+ The music is amazing, and it really helps keep the gameplay loop moving.
+ Picking this one up feels almost a no-brainer since it's priced at just $4.99

Cons:
- Outside of Kene himself, the graphics leave a lot to be desired.
- Permanent upgrades are very rare, and the regular ones feel almost useless.
- The wonky controls, and somewhat difficult gameplay, keep this one from being beginner-friendly.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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