MidBoss is a bizarre game where you have a chance to kill enemies and possess their dead bodies. Once you take over the body, you are able to use all its abilities in times of needs. The use of dead bodies is proven during a turn based combat where you are forced to use these unique abilities in a procedurally generated labyrinth to fight your way through. It will take some time before you find out which ones are good to use, but thanks to detailed in-game explanations you will not have to spend hours trying to figure out proper combos. And if you are asking what kind of being you are when you control such power, you are an imp and surprisingly you are the weakest monster in the dungeon. Accompanied by your sidekick, Mid, you seek a revenge for being bullied by other monsters on your ultimate journey to defeat a final boss.
When it comes to gameplay, MidBoss is very easy to follow and to play, even if you are completely new to this genre. Despite the fact it took me only a few moments to understand basics of the game, at that moment I still was not aware of the surprise that awaits for players when they die. The more I was progressing with the game, the better gear I was getting and the more it hurt, when I realized my save is completely gone after my death. Yes, you read it correctly. You have only one chance to be successful on your journey, otherwise, you will have to start all over again! But don't worry, the game is not that hardcore as you might have thought. Now it is a good chance to introduce you another special feature of this game; the system of death cards! Every time you die, a death card is created and you can use this card to save one of your items for a new run. These cards are stackable so you always get a feeling that you are progressing and the game is not that frustrating in the end. There is another, even more interesting use besides getting an advantage for a new run, which gives the game a whole new dimension. You can share these cards with your friends, so they can try the same dungeon with the same settings and monsters. That's cool, right? But what to do if you don't have any friends playing MidBoss? Don't worry, you can always download images of these cards from the internet and easily import them into the game without any hassle.
During your time spent in dungeons, you will encounter various things including dangerous traps, cursed and unidentified items, merchants and even mysterious treasures! Your main goal will be to get the best possible gear because the game gets harder as you progress throughout the game. The true RPG part starts when you open the inventory and you have to pick the proper equipment for yourself. Different equipment offers different stats. Do you prefer a weapon with bigger damage or would you rather use something with a big chance of critical strike? The way how you gonna play is totally up to you, but what's defined by the game is a quality of the equipment. You can either get a common, uncommon, rare, epic, legendary or even unique gear. Once you gear yourself, get ready for the fight! The turn-based combat system is based on 3 major stats; health, mana, and stamina. Use of these stats is more than clear, so there’s no need for a detailed explanation. What’s more interesting is an unlimited number of tactics that you can use to defeat your enemies and overcome obstacles. As the whole dungeon is your battlefield (unlike Heroes of Might and Magic turn-based combat system) you can take an advantage of the dungeon and fight as you wish!
On the other hand, MidBoss is still an indie game so even here you will have to face some problems now and then. The biggest flaw I surprisingly do not find in the gameplay (or in-game mechanics) but in a level design itself. Despite the fact, you have plenty of unique ways how to defeat your enemies, there is only one, dull level design used all over again and that's a pity because that could be changed really easily. Nonetheless, MidBoss brings together a lot of intriguing concepts that work in combination with pixel-art graphics very well and for all rogue-like fans, it is definitely a must-buy!
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