First Impression of ‘Oaken’: A New Tactical Roguelike

As someone incredibly well versed in the iterative process of slowly getting better, accumulating knowledge and resources in an endless loop with an equally endless drive, I hear the word roguelike, I put down whatever I’m doing, adjust my glasses, and approach my Steam Library with a deliberate aura. There’s probably a word for the exact phenomenal that constantly draws roguelike fans into yet another roguelike in an endless external meta loop that exists outside of each internal meta loop, but today we’re talking details about the latest game developer Laki Studios and publisher Goblinz Publishing: Oaken. Oaken has been in early access for the past month, and I’ve been spending odd hours acclimating myself to the beautifully designed beta. Right from the start up screen, Oaken dazzles with striking audiovisual design. The tree inspired character designed are absolutely striking, and the game exudes a brilliantly dark fantasy aesthetic, where the characters are vibrant beacons in a bleak world.

Once I started the tutorial, I was introduced to the first playable character, the Lady, and my adventures towards the Great Oak began as I attempted to get acclimated with yet another roguelike system. Oaken has a unique hybrid approach to the gameplay. There is the expected biome pathing, where you get to choose whether to engage in skirmishes for different levels of rewards, challenge elite units in an attempt for more coveted prizes, recoup at rest sites, and learn more about …