A sign of a good roguelike will give players an upgrade system. This can give players a sense of accomplishment through repetition in death. Rogue Legacy 2 is a fine example with a family castle acting as a skill tree. 30XX, a new entry into this genre, has a permanent upgrade system called the Memory Index that can improve health and bestow other bonuses.
30XX also has temporary upgrades via items. Augments, for example, can enhance the character immensely from stat boosts to changing the way weapons work. There are tons in the game and it’s quite possible to never see them all even after beating the game once. Of the many in the game, here are eight to look out for.
8 Doppelgel
Roguelikes are all about randomization and luck along with skill. Doppelgel is an Augment that is like the perfect poster child for the roguelike nature of 30XX with a tricky bit of enhancement. Acquiring it will randomly have the Augment mirror others in the inventory, but only ones that can stack on top of each other. There are health Augments, for example, that can increase HP and Doppelgel could tie into it. Doppelgel could be a bad addition to the collection depending on what it attaches itself to but the wonderment fun.
7 Core Expander
Augments are not the only way that players can boost their character like in an RPG. There are items called Cores which are rarer and their power is greater. For example, Seeker Beam is a Core that can add a homing beacon to Nina’s shots. They will not always go toward the enemy, but there is a good chance that they will. Every Core costs a certain amount of CP, or Core Points, to equip it. So, an Augment like Core Expander can increase how many points players get to play around with.
6 Armor Scavenger
HP is the main source of health in the game as it is with most RPG-like experiences. However, players can randomly find armor pieces that can create a separate health bar. Most armor pieces will break off in a single hit, but it depends on a few factors.
Armor Scavenger is an Augment that can increase the drop rate of armor pieces from random enemies. That’s the priority, but other Augments like Armor Spreader are good too because they can increase the value of armor pieces to take more damage.
5 Heart Container
Heart Container is a literal item taken from the Mega Man X series for 30XX. In both games, they will increase the health of the character, but they have a set value in 30XX. They will increase HP by twenty, and they can be stacked on top of each other as mentioned in the Doppelgel entry. There are other, better health Augments too such as Megaheart which will increase HP by forty. That’s good and all, but players are more likely to encounter Heart Containers in their travels.
4 Power Enhancer
There are three modes in the game. Standard is a typical roguelike scenario wherein stages are randomized and death will erase progress. Mega Mode will allow players to keep all of their enhancements in death and they can choose levels. Community is an area where players can create levels and play levels made by others. The best thing about Mega Mode is the stage select option, so that players can go after the bosses they want for their powers like in most Mega Man games. Power Enhancer is a simple Augment that will boost the strength of boss abilities gained such as Lethal Tempo’s Aiming Gear.
3 Mobility Realizer
Depending on the mode being played and the route taken on a stage, some levels can take a while. The set speed for both Nina and Ace is fine, but Augments like Mobility Realizer will make the experience better.
This will increase the character’s running speed and it can be stacked like the Health Container Augment. With this Augment, it will be easier to speed run through a stage although it will take practice. Dodge enemies, platform across gaps, and pick up special items along the way.
2 Unstoppable Force
Mega Man X was a huge leap forward for the franchise and not just because it was on the SNES. It added a lot of upgrades for players to collect like the aforementioned Heart Containers. Players could collect armor parts too like boots to dash around in which would become an automatic feature in the sequels. In 30XX, the dash ability is also a standard mechanic but Unstoppable Force is not. This Augment will build up momentum every time the player dashes. If they bump into an enemy that energy will then be released for an attack.
1 Scrappy Scrapper
Scrappy Scrapper is a fun name for an Augment and it applies to bosses. It will guarantee that defeated bosses will drop scrap. Scrap is different from Memoria or Nuts in the currency field in 30XX. Scrap can be exchanged in the HUB in-between levels to increase CP or to get random items which can sometimes be Augments. The rewards are rarely that special, but fans of roguelikes know that every bit of currency helps, so it’s not such a bad idea to get Scrappy Scrapper when possible.
30XX is available on PC and Nintendo Switch.