“Rightfully, Beary Arms” is a bullet hell roguelite developed by Daylight Basement Studio, now available in Early Access. In this game, you control an astronaut bear exploring procedurally generated space dungeons, facing a variety of enemies along the way. Here are our first impressions of the early access release.
Presentation & Graphics
I love the retro vibe of “Rightfully, Beary Arms,” which feels like something straight out of a 90s TV screen, thanks to a light white noise effect. The oversized weapons give mixed feelings—sometimes they add charm, but other times they look awkward. Unfortunately, the game’s optimization isn’t great. When set to 1080P, I experienced frame drops and had to lower the resolution to 1366×768 for stable gameplay. I suspect the white noise effect might be causing these frame drops, and an option to disable the filter could help.
Level Design
The game offers a variety of dungeons to keep things interesting. You might start in a spaceship, an arcade, or even the docks. Personally, I dislike the docks due to the fall damage you take if you fall off the platform. Each level has intel that can aid your strategy. For instance, if you’re low on health, look for a level with a Healing Confidence of over 80%. Need a new weapon? Choose a level with an Entry Weapon Confidence of more than 80%. For those grinding for Plu, find a level with at least an 80% Plu Confidence.
Gameplay Mechanics
If you enjoy bullet hells and roguelites like Hades or Risk of Rain 2, you’ll find familiar yet unique mechanics in “Rightfully, Beary Arms.” The map exploration resembles Slay The Spire, where you pay in Radar Jam to access different paths. Your goal is to explore a procedurally generated space map, fighting aliens and pig-like creatures. After you exhaust your Radar Jam, you’ll face a boss. The heart-based HP system is reminiscent of Zelda. When you die, you’ll have to choose a Calamity, which buffs enemies for your next run. There are also boxes containing Runtimes, positive power-ups that help you in future levels. These pickups are similar to Boons and Pact of Punishments from Hades.
Weapons, Gambits & Shops
The game offers a variety of weapons and power-ups called Gambits, although it’s unclear how many times you can use Gambits in a single run. There isn’t a clear visual cue for cooldowns, and the white noise effect can be distracting. You start with a gun with unlimited ammo, and you can find more weapons as you progress. The moment of choosing a weapon feels almost like picking a Pokemon to accompany you for the rest of your run.