Prepare to don your baggiest pair of prisoner pants and step into Tyrant’s Realm, a roguelite adventure drenched in PS1-era nostalgia. It’s an ode to gruelling action games, dark fantasy environments, and that serotonin boost of defeating a run over and over again. If you’ve ever wanted to blend Soulslike intensity with low-poly charm, this might be your jam.

Trial, not much error, triumph, repeat

Every run of Tyrant’s Realm offers a fresh path, embodying the core of roguelite gameplay. Procedurally generated routes and enemy placements keep things unpredictable, and while death means starting over, you retain upgrades to give you an edge on your next attempt. This loop fosters a sense of progression even as you face repetition in runs.

Between levels, you’ll find a merchant’s room where you’re presented with a choice between two distinct areas. While the overarching structure remains consistent across the five segments, the level options are wonderfully diverse. Whether trudging through diseased sewers or navigating the fiery depths of an ashy forge, each environment feels unique and engaging. You won’t grow bored too quickly by repetitive layouts or mechanics.

“Each environment feels unique and engaging. You won’t grow bored too quickly by repetitive layouts or mechanics.”

Throughout your journey, you’ll collect new equipment, open chests, and gradually master the game’s mechanics. However, despite its promising setup, Tyrant’s Realm struggles with its difficulty curve. In just 20 minutes, the game went from a tense adventure to a walk in the park. I managed to finish it on my first attempt in just 45 minutes, which was an underwhelming feat for a game inspired by Dark Souls. To fully deliver on its roguelite promise, it needs a serious difficulty tweak to challenge even average players like myself.

Enemy variety is decent, with familiar archetypes making appearances alongside elite variants at higher difficulties. These glowing, red-eyed elites hit harder and add some much-needed tension. However, they don’t remain intimidating for long, as upgrades and gear quickly tip the balance in your favour. You can even unlock hidden shortcuts via the merchant that allow you to bypass previously conquered bosses, making later runs faster and a little too forgiving.

Boss battles are a highlight, showcasing creative mechanics that demand focus and adaptability. One moment, you’re knocking down the hulking Disgraced Chieftain Elephant while dodging his minions and the next you’re fending off crossbow bolts from the Old Huntsman perched in his tower. These encounters are simply good fun… excluding the final Tyrant boss fight. All the other bosses became increasingly more interesting making the final encounter an even bigger letdown for being too easy across all three phases.

While the gameplay loop is enjoyable, and the variety of levels and bosses keeps things fresh, the lack of true difficulty makes it feel like the game is holding back from reaching its full potential.

No easy way out

Combat in Tyrant’s Realm feels like stepping into the late-90s or early-2000s Soulslike prototype, complete with the essential tools: light and heavy attacks, guarding, dodging, locking onto enemies, and parrying. The absence of animation cancelling might initially frustrate, but it’s a deliberate choice that forces you to commit to every swing, roll, and parry.

Boss battles introduce a slow-motion dodge mechanic when you perfectly time an evasion. At first, it feels like the game is lagging, but once you master it, this feature transforms into a clever way to outmanoeuvre attacks and plan your next move. That said, the hitboxes aren’t the most precise, and with the right timing, you can feel almost invincible—a double-edged sword for balance.

“Combat in Tyrant’s Realm feels like stepping into the late-90s or early-2000s Soulslike prototype…”

The parry system feels great to master. Chaining parries to stun enemies and executing them in one decisive blow is so satisfying, especially when paired with status effects like poison. Watching a glowing green foe slowly succumb to your blade adds to the thrill. Unfortunately, parrying often feels underutilised because it’s riskier than simply dodging, guarding, or relying on a high-damage, offence-heavy build.

Gear and equipment management shine thanks to intuitive colour coding that makes comparing upgrades a breeze. However, balance issues arise with items like the Shaman set, which grants passive healing that can make encounters feel almost too forgiving. Still, the variety in builds and customisation options keeps things engaging, letting you experiment with different playstyles to find what works best.

Overall, the combat is a mix of rewarding mechanics and a few quirks that might divide opinions but ultimately feels like a solid foundation for this indie roguelite adventure.

Retro done right (mostly)

Tyrant’s Realm nails the aesthetic if you’re nostalgic for jagged edges and pixelated textures. Its PS1-inspired visuals evoke a gritty, retro atmosphere that perfectly matches the game’s dark fantasy tone. Each level feels creatively designed, beckoning exploration, but the immersion stumbles slightly due to a static HUD that breaks the illusion. A toggle to hide or minimise the interface would do wonders for those wanting to lose themselves in the eerie environments fully.

“…PS1-inspired visuals evoke a gritty, retro atmosphere that perfectly matches the game’s dark fantasy tone.”

The game offers several old-school visual filters that amplify its retro charm. Playing in a square 4:3 ratio really enhances the time-travel feel, and most filters hit the mark. Unfortunately, the CRT filter is a misfire. Its odd blue tint and lack of HUD integration feel more like a distraction than a trip down memory lane, so it’s best left off.

The audio design is a mixed experience. On the one hand, the ominous echo of footsteps on cold stone effectively nails the “you’re in a bad place” vibe, immersing you in the world’s foreboding tone. On the other hand, the sound effects for weapon clashes and enemy grunts feel underwhelming and cheap, occasionally pulling you out of the experience. While not a deal-breaker, they fall short of the high bar set by the visuals.

6.5

Decent

Positive:

Excellent retro dark fantasy theme
Diverse levels make for interesting runs
Creative bosses keep you on your toes

Negative:

Too easy for a roguelite/soulslike
HUD can be a hinderance
Equipment and combat needs balancing

Tyrant’s Realm charms with its PS1-inspired visuals and creative level design but falls short on challenge and polish. The combat and boss battles show promise, but a lack of difficulty and clunky elements like the HUD hold it back. Fun for a nostalgic dungeon crawl, but not a true Soulslike contender.