Before diving into this review, please note that I got two keys for this game from Keymailer. But receiving keys does not change my score.

My friend and I completed our playtime with Deadzone: Rogue, and we had a really good time. Frankly, I was not expecting anything from this game. My friend and I were surprised by the great gunplay and fun progression mechanics. 

Deadzone: Rogue is a roguelike first-person shooter that will take you through parts of a space station. For the most part, you are fighting hostile machines, but some other enemy types have some superb design once you take a closer look at them.

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Game Information

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Video Review

General Thoughts

Deadzone: Rogue can be played solo or co-op. I played with one other person, but you can play with a squad of up to 3. There are a few mechanics that I really appreciate, the first being a marking system that actually works. My friend and I used it during every mission because, as you load into a level, you are invisible. So you have time to plan how you will go through the level and plan your attack. On that note, the fact that you are completely invisible to the enemies at the start of the level is awesome, and it really sets this game apart from others like it. 

The UI in this game is great, super non-intrusive, and extremely clear to read. Going through with upgrades and setting up missions became a breeze, though I still preferred my friend taking the lead whenever possible. We did run into one bug where I couldn’t start zone 2 missions at all, even after we beat zone 1. 

I also really like the HUD. To me, it is minimalist but still provides everything that you need in a covenant way. I like the grenade icon in the middle, too, because it doesn’t take up any needed space on the left or right of the screen. 

I cover this more in the combat section, but the enemies in this game start as run-of-the-mill robots. But as you progress, you can see that the enemies slowly become biomechanical, which I almost didn’t notice until I got out of position and got face-to-face with one. Being invisible allows you to get a better look at them, and once I realized this, I slowed down to try and take in the details.

Combat and Upgrades

So, as you play the game, you will get the chance to enhance your character. You can add elements to your weapons and your grenades. Grenades are one of my favorite parts of this game, if not my favorite, because their kills are always satisfying. 

I always come to the fight with an element. My preference is fire or freezing, but the electrical element is fun as well. Playing with a partner was fun because she would use void or something, and the combination of elements would light up the whole level. It really is beautiful to look at.

As for how combat feels, it is a lot smoother than I thought it would be. With that said, I really only enjoy using one or two weapons in the whole game, and melee weapons are not included in that list. Melee combat in general is disappointing. 

Final Thoughts 

Deadzone Rogue has gotten two more free updates since I last played, including zones 3 and 4. With those updates comes cosmetic DLC, which looks alright. The DLC that came with Zone 4 looks much better than the cosmetic DLC that comes with the Deluxe Edition. I wish there were more customization options in general, but I think that will come with time. 

If you’re looking for a fun co-op game to play, this could be the game for you, but be aware that each level runs anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how you and your group play.

If you’re looking for something with a rich story and clear world-building building this one is not the game for you. The story details are extremely easy to miss, and you can often run through a level without seeing anything at all. There is quite a bit of environmental storytelling, which I thought could have been done better.

Score 

Deadzone Rogue is getting a Golden Token