I’ve always had a love for roguelikes, mainly because the simple fact that, even at 2 am, the idea of one more run for a little extra progression is so appealing. Moros Protocol, developed by Pixel Reign and published by Super Rare Originals, brings its own pixelated spin to the genre.

Set on a desolate ship drifting through space, you awaken in a pod as a faceless suit, accompanied by a floating voice that urges you onward. Death is inevitable, as you’ll no doubt learn. When it happens, a mind transfer courtesy of the system resets you to try again, such is the nature of a roguelike. I won’t spoil too much, but before long, you’ll realise many creatures, including a mysterious busty figure, are hunting you. Trust me, this will make a lot of sense if you play.

There isn’t a significant emphasis on story outside of cutscenes and brief dialogue, but there is enough content to keep some players interested. For me, it was the allure of another run, more progression, and getting better at the game. It was the gameplay that kept me going, not the narrative.

Every run starts the same: you hop out of the pod you were in and off you go. Equipped with a melee weapon only, at least at the beginning, you must upgrade your gear as you go. In the top left of the screen, you’ll see your mini-map, which is essential as it indicates which room to head to next. Most rooms will be full of enemies and go into lockdown, meaning you can’t progress until you clear the room.

Not all rooms are combat rooms, though; some provide new weapons, offer augments, and others feature a vendor. The weapon variety could have been better, as the weapons are divided into three classes: melee, energy, and physical weapons. Most melee options are simply variations of swords or maces, while physical weapons consist of the usual firearms like pistols, shotguns, or even mini-guns. It doesn’t take long to figure out which weapons are stronger, and once you do, the rest quickly become irrelevant.

Augments are found in chests, and each run provides different ones that grant buffs, such as increased melee damage when your ammo is full, or boosts to stamina and HP slots. Vendors can also be encountered along the way, offering new augments, upgrades to existing ones, or enhancements for your weapons.

To afford vendors, you’ll need credits, which you’ll naturally find as you defeat enemies or find credit stashes within the rooms. Credits can also buy you ammo or HP from stations found on the walls. Something I didn’t have significant experience with was the challenge rooms, which contain platforming sections that felt tedious because the movement didn’t feel fully fleshed out.

Upon clearing all the rooms, the floor has been finished, and you’ll reach the teleport, which takes you to the next floor. Here, you can choose different paths to take, similar to the Slay the Spires floor pathing. Other levels will apply different modifiers that you’ll encounter, such as more enemies or benefits, such as additional weapons found on that level. After a few floors, it’s time for a boss fight. These are well-designed and require good timing on your dodges or jumps to win.

If you do win, the journey continues until you defeat all three bosses in the selected run. If you lose, you’re sent back to the main menu to start again. Thankfully, along the way, you’ll collect plenty of bio samples, which can be spent in the Bio Boost upgrade system.

These points unlock permanent upgrades for future runs, such as increased ammo, HP, or stamina, or stronger bonuses like starting with a higher-tier weapon. It’s an enormous upgrade tree that appeals to that one more run feeling, making each attempt feel rewarding as you unlock new buffs and grow stronger.

During my time playing, I encountered some minor performance hiccups, such as frame drops and occasional brief freezes, although these issues resolved quickly, and the game never crashed. It shouldn’t be a demanding game, as the art style is fully pixelated, even the upgrade system I mentioned.

Graphically, it feels reminiscent of an old PlayStation 1 title, while the combat evokes memories of classic FPS and boomer shooter games from the past, such as DOOM. Combined, it feels like a love letter to earlier generations, and it mostly works.

Overall, in an era that has seen a resurgence of the roguelike, Moros Protocol offers a journey that may feel a bit empty narratively but quickly makes up for it with its satisfying combat and progression system. While the weapon and enemy variety could’ve been a little better, I still struggle to put it down instead of giving in to the feeling of hitting “start run” once again.

Written by: Dylan Kocins