ROGUEish
A downloadable game
ROGUEish is a rogue-like for the C64 computer (either via emulation or on real Hardware).
It was inspired by "Rogue 64" (a c64 game), "RogueCraft" (an Amiga game), and to some extent, Marvel Avengers Alliance (an online game that is now dead).
A YouTube rogue-like tutorial series by Lazy Devs Academy about making a game called Porklike, using Pico-8, also highly inspired me too!
Features
- NTSC & PAL compatible.
- Procedurally-generated levels.
- 136 different enemy types with varying abilities.
- A unique experience each time.
- Crispy pixelated graphics, yeah baby!
Try before you buy!
You can download a free 2-level demo (includes the old SID tune) of ROGUEish before purchasing the full version (which will be available here soon as well!). The demo (and full game) includes a PDF help file.
The full version has a new titlescreen music thanks to Nordischsound :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2wPx5EflVE
The Story
You are a famous, brave adventurer who has found a magical tower full of monsters, traps, enchanted items, and other loot. You notice enemies appear to be getting tougher as you climb the tower, which is weird. How far up the tower can you get before you perish??
Choose your weapons (and your next moves) carefully, your life depends on it!
What will you choose: close-combat weapons (better defence/attack), or long-range weapons (less defence/attack, but more reach)?
Strategy is a big part of the game:
- Which enemy is the greatest threat next?
- Do you attack while you are bleeding, or keep moving?
- Do you avoid enemies, or attack them to get more money/better items?
- Will you choose a bow (better range, less defence/attack), or a sword & shield (less range, better defence/attack)?
- Is this creature immune to a specific debuff, or causes an effect, ie. ignores defence?
Controls
Joystick in PORT 2 controls movement & mode selection.
Long-pressing the fire button will display the Player Control Menu. With the menu, you can select any of the "Move Mode", "Look Mode", "Use Item", and "Quit game" options. Press fire to activate that mode, simple!
Examine items/monsters/environmental stuff in look mode (or attack within weapon range). To pick up loot, simply walk over it (and confirm where necessary). To attack monsters, bump into them (or aim with cross-hairs and hit fire when in attack range).
Use Item will swig a healing potion, starting to heal you over 5 turns (if you have any!).
Press fire to restart the game after Game Over.
Happy adventuring!!
Comments
Saberman RetroNews 
"Awesome Game!"
ROGUEish demo playthrough...
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- ROGUEish might be finished!3 days ago
- ROGUEish Demo is updated!9 days ago
- ROGUEish demo released!57 days ago
Comments
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Wow, i'd like a physical version .. maybe cartridge T_T
That cover has been made with AI, amirite?
:3 This looks very good already. Always have been in Love with Rogue type games. Even if the C64 doesn't look as fancy as RogueCraft on the almighty Amiga, it's quite cute, with the little enemy animations and all.
I wonder if maybe this will later have a somewhat more complex and bigger map, allowing for a bit of a maze.
What I always wished was that rogue type games like this would do differently, is the thing where going up and down means it's always a new maze or place. What I really enjoy in some dungeon crawlers is how a dungeon too, may have several floors, where you can fall down a pit and have to fight your way back up, or you can use shortcuts or other height-related connecting access points...
Thanks for the kind words and the ideas 💡 if I could crawl back more ram I'd do a larger level with a scrolling Minimap...
Awesome - new demo!
Thanks mate!! 🙏🥂
I am playing this game on WinVICE. I feel like there is a lag when you step forward to engage an enemy.
Also, I wish the bad guys moved around the board a little slower.
Thanks for the input. It's doing a lot of processing during the player's turn as well as input checking, it's probably not going to be right when you move the joystick each time that you move.
Why do you want the enemies to move shower? It's a turn-based game, it would show things down too much...
They move so fast that it is hard to come up with a strategy.
But you have infinite time when it's your turn to plan your next move 😉
Really fun! I hope you find the time to finish the game :)
It's pretty much finished now... Mainly waiting on the new Sid tune. PS. I've just updated the demo to match the all the new features of the full version!
this game looks pretty good so can you please get rid of that AI slop banner art
Very nice game! Our German-language review can be found in our recorded livestream starting at 00:58:31. English subtitles are also available. Subscription to our YouTube and Twitch channel is welcome. 🙂
AWESOME! Thanks :)
Gioco a dir poco spettacolare! Complimenti! Attendo il gioco completo!
THANKS!! 🙏 😊❤️❤️❤️❤️
Great game, thanks
THANKS!! 🙏 😊❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks! Please try it again, but selecting Y to accept weapons, armour, etc... Much easier 😁😁
Absolutely loving this game and really looking forward to the final version! No major issues running it on my NTSC C64 but music, sound effects and animations are all a bit too fast. Hope you can fix that before the full version. Only 2 levels but I'm already liking this better than Rogue64..which is saying a lot!
Thanks so much for your awesome, kind words mate!! As for NTSC compatibility, how does that work? Do I skip a frame of music/animation for one frame every 5 or 6 frames? Can you give me an example of how I might do this please?
Looking forward to playing the finished game!
Thanks mate! :) The plan is to have a simultaneous physical/digital release...
I really love this game. I like Roguecraft and Rogue 64 but I really need to see the final version of your game. Really good job.
Btw: What is the advantage of the Bow instead of the sword. Maybe I missed something ?
It might also a good idea to have a more detailed description of the weapon magic features.
Thanks for the kind words! :)
The bow has a longer range (is an advantage), but usually less damage, and you have less defence (no shield), so it's a balance.
All the weapon "magic" features are explained in the .pdf file, do you feel I should add more there (not sure what though)?
How do I see that the bow has a longer range, is there an option for a shot from distance before a enemy arrive. I didn't find any information in the document ?
Right now, a bow always has the same attack range; 4. You can always see your attack range in the HUD next to the small crosshair character.
Swap between move mode and look/ranged attack modes by holding down the fire button. It's mentioned in the document 😊 hover over an enemy (in range) and it will show a sword in the crosshair... You can then attack with fire button.
Hi, sorry I meant your attack range is there in the HUD ("circled" in red). The one I mentioned previously is the range from you to the cross-hairs! You can attack any creature within your range in the HUD if in look/attack mode :) If you are in move mode, then melee attack ranges only; 1 square adjacent (N, S, E, W)
+ Very addictive game. This has a lot of potential!
- As others already mentioned: the title music needs to go XD
😁😁 regarding the title music, that's mine lol 😂 (you could always hit fire 😅). I've not done any music before, so my apologies, and I not gotten anyone make a tune for me...
i asked nordischsound and he said you could contact him if you are interested: https://linktr.ee/nordischsound
Cool, thanks! 🙏
Awesome chance for you. NDS is one of the best u could get nowdays!
Nice!
Thanks to you, nordischsound has crafted me a new SID title screen tune, and it will be in the final version of the game!
Amazing, that's great news!! :D
Here's a taste of it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2wPx5EflVE
Incredible! 😮 From what official online BBS can we download this from straight to our C64/C128 systems, so everyone can enjoy it and try it out??
Thanks for the kind words about my humble game!! It will be released right here on this page when done (hopefully soon) :)
But this isn't an online BBS we can download the game straight to our C64/C128 systems from 🫤. That's why I asked where we can expect to officially find it, seeing there are quite a few online BBS boards out there.
No, itch.io is not a BBS. There might be a way to use a modem and modern software to download from itch.io onto a C64, but I don't know about that at all. Sorry.
I would have to upload it to a BBS someone was hosting to allow you to do that.
Also, the full game will be a PAID download, not free...only the demo is free.
Of course, which is why a demo would be a great way to gain some traction among real Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 users. There are plenty of big Commodore BBS systems connected to the internet. Most of them support Punter or X-Modem, so downloading to your Commodore setup is really easy.
Cool...I'll have to see if anyone wants to host my ROGUEish demo on their BBS then...
Great demo. Can't wait to play the final version... And see how far I can go :)
I finished the two levels of the game and explored all 50 rooms.
Very very nice, but... please, in the final version, change the BEEP initial music that is truly terrible :-D
Curiosity, once you die in the game, what button do you have to press to start again?
I have the same question about the "game over" part.
I'm afraid the BEEP initial music was my creation lol I doubt it's going to change :D I could reduce it's volume a little?
After dying, press fire again (port 2) to go back to the title screen...
I played it with the VICE and once you die, the FIRE is not recognized, while "in game" it works correctly.
Hi, I just confirmed in VICE that the same fire button works to get you back to the title screen after the "you have died message" showing [OK] comes onto the screen.
Ok, so the problem, at least in my case, is that once I die, no writing appears!
I have no way to select OK!
VICE 3.9 r45465
Thank you! ROGUEish – Demo version
What an awesome writeup, thanks!!!! Bows...
Seems to be the same demo like on Zzap!64 covermount 24.
Hope this game will be finished.
It is the same (some tiny changes since), they wanted the demo for the cover disk :)
Very interesting idea 😁 I can't wait for the full release ☺️ Nevertheless, I would like, as editor of K&A PLUS, to talk to you about this game. Feel free to contact me by email
yahwey88@gmail.com
Email sent ☺️
Awesome game!
Thanks chief!! :)
Where do we purchase the full version?
When it's released here ☺️☺️ hopefully soon :D