First Impressions of Slime 3K: Rise Against Despot
Introduction to Bullet Heaven Genre
Vampire Survivors popularized the “Bullet Heaven” genre, and now, many games are putting their unique twist on this style. Slime 3K: Rise Against Despot is one of these games, but it sets itself apart with impressive pixel art and a deck-building mechanic that adds a new layer of strategy. Here are my initial thoughts on the game after spending a few hours with it.
Upgrades and Progression
Like other Bullet Heaven games, you move your character around, collect upgrades, and get stronger by focusing on synergies. Slime 3K adds a unique twist by incorporating deck-building and an active shop mechanic. Instead of choosing upgrades directly when you level up, a shop appears on the map where you can make various strategic decisions.
Shop Options
As you defeat enemies, you earn a special currency. In the shop, you have several options: upgrade the shop for better cards, sell your current cards, buy new cards with different effects, or lock a slot to retain the same type of card. You need three cards to upgrade an ability, and this choice system adds depth and challenge that many Bullet Heaven games lack.
Boss Battles and Gameplay Mechanics
Deciding which cards to keep or remove is crucial as it can determine how well your build progresses. Each level ends with a boss fight, which is signaled by a convenient timer at the top of the screen. Unlike other Bullet Heaven titles where avoiding damage is key, in Slime 3K, your large size makes it inevitable to take some hits. Fortunately, healing items spawn frequently, and you often get speed boosts to help you move around the small map quickly.
Difficulty and Deck-Building
From my experience, the bosses aren’t too challenging, especially if you’ve focused on a specific attack type. The deck-building aspect is well-implemented, allowing for custom decks with a 15-card limit. You unlock more cards and pre-defined decks as you progress, which keeps the gameplay fresh. My only gripe is that the game isn’t very challenging so far. However, this might change as I advance further.
Excellent Pixel Art
While the deck-building is exciting, the standout feature for me is the game’s outstanding art direction. Your slime monster blob leaves a slime trail as it smiles and kills hordes of enemies. Each enemy is uniquely animated, with readable attacks and various weapons to keep things interesting. The map is filled with great animations, shading, and effects. Healing containers burst from the floor, the shop has an appealing cart logo, and the bosses are highly detailed. The presentation is fantastic, even though the soundtrack can get a bit repetitive.
Early Access Considerations
There are still some placeholder texts in the menus, but this is to be expected in an early access release. The developers have wisely focused on enhancing the gameplay visuals first.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Slime 3K: Rise Against Despot is a strong addition to the Bullet Heaven genre. Its deck-building system adds a lot of depth, and the pixel art is exceptional, making each enemy feel distinct with detailed animations. Although the game is a bit easy in the early stages, the variety of cards and potential builds make me excited to continue playing and experimenting. If the variety sustains, Slime 3K could become a standout title in this genre.