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Loop Hero first launched earlier in 2021 on PC to great success. It kicked off the year right with another addictive roguelike that was hard to put down after players started. As good as it was, the big question in everyone’s minds was when would the game be coming to other platforms. It’s now on consoles but only on the Nintendo Switch.
More console ports could be coming in 2022, but the portable system seems like the perfect way to play the game anyway. The beauty of roguelikes on the Switch is that players can pop in for a run that can last a few minutes and then be done with it. While the wait was certainly well worth it, it’s not all roses either, so let’s see what Loop Hero does right alongside what could have been better.
6 Best: The Literal Loop
Loop Hero is addictive from minute one because the gameplay loop is so tightly designed. Players jump into a randomized loop and try to survive as long as possible. It’s also important to collect plenty of materials to build up the home base in that fight for survival.
The village acts as a skill tree. For example, the herbalist allows players to take potions into battle. Every action, unless players pause the game, is automatic. Players can still choose to be as active or as passive as they wish, making Loop Hero a must-have on Switch to kill a few minutes or hours.
5 Worst: Slow Start
The downside to the gameplay loop is that it takes a while to get going. For the first couple of hours, players may not be able to build anything in the village. This means they will have to go around in loops without any sense of accomplishment on repeat.
The more someone plays Loop Hero, the more they will get out of it. There are mechanics hidden that make the game more engaging such as Traits and Tools. Both of these things add a nice variety to the gameplay, it just takes forever to get to them and other mechanics as well. Patience is a must when playing Loop Hero​​​​​​.
4 Best: The Simple Graphics
The term roguelike comes from an actual PC game called Rogue. Every roguelike and roguelite that has launched since then is similar to Rogue. Loop Hero takes this genre inspiration a step further by modeling the game after Rogue with its modest graphics.
Loop Hero is much more intricately designed though with more colors for starters. While the loop sprites are simple, the battle animations, text sprites, and card designs are all fantastically modern but with a retro flair. There’s no other modern game like it out there.
3 Worst: No Difficulty Levels
Roguelikes are supposed to be challenging. Some are more punishing than others, like Spelunky, a game that doesn’t hold the player’s hand in any way. Then there are games like Hades, which also doesn’t have difficulty levels. However, it does have an option in the menu for a defensive boost to make the game more tolerable for more casual gamers.
That’s what is missing from Loop Hero. This coincides with the idea of the game being slow. Because that sense of reward is out of reach for so long, it may have some people leaving Loop Hero behind altogether. A set of difficulty modes or accessible options in the menu could make for an even better experience for a wider audience. A way to make the game more automatic, like auto-equipping the best gear, would have been appreciated too. There is always hope for a patch.
2 Best: The Story Bits
For a game as simple as Loop Hero, it may surprise some players that there is an in-depth story. The hero even talks which is rare for a lot of games like this. The basic premise follows this hero as they are trying to restore the world bit by bit. They do this through the magic of reliving the same loop over and over again.
Every time players unlock something new in the village, an NPC will give some story context. Sometimes there will be dialogue after players die and wake up in the village. Even running into certain monsters for the first time, like the vampires, will add some witty banter to Loop Hero. It’s an intriguing, clever tale.
1 Worst: Finicky Controls
The Switch has its ups and downs as far as controls go. For instance, it is nice that players can use touch controls to drag cards to map tiles. Touch controls can be used for almost every action in the game. This mirrors the clicking of a mouse on PCs. However, this only works when playing in the portable setup.
The controller design leaves something to be desired. Going through a loop can start to feel cumbersome because of how much the players have to balance between battles. There are cards to place, gear to equip, skills to learn, and so much more. Even in the touch scenario, things can get overwhelming. The obvious tip here then is to never play Loop Hero in docked mode. However, that advice shows that Loop Hero has not been fully adapted to the Switch.
Loop Hero was first released on March 4, 2021 for PC. It then launched on December 9, 2021 for Switch.
