Lost in Random: The Eternal Die was provided by Thunderful Publishing for review. Thank you!
I’ve started to get to the point where it takes a lot for a roguelike to keep me hooked. There’s been so many, and while it’s interesting seeing all of their takes on the formula, it regularly doesn’t feel different enough to keep my attention. However, there are still a handful that have found a way to keep me roped in, and Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is one of them.
Initially, I was intrigued with the game thanks to its visuals, which remind me of Little Nightmares more often than not. The haunting color palette mixed with the 3D models that remind me of thrown away children’s toys invoke that sense of curiosity, and I love it. The character models are great too, with mostly outlandish designs that I wouldn’t have expected to see. The art design and aesthetic work great here, and was easily my biggest draw to the game in the first place.
I also enjoyed the connections to the story, even if it wasn't my main motivator to play. There are connections to the previous game in the series, with Queen Aleksandra taking up the protagonist role out for redemption after being the antagonist previously. It's intriguing, and I love the character designs and call backs to the last entry, but it didn't motivate me to play.
However, the gameplay mechanics pulled me in more. The general gameplay is similar our Hades-esque roguelike. We run around on a platform, using a basic and special attack, a throwable dice, dodging enemy attacks, and ultimately clearing each room. When a room is cleared, we will get some reward, which can range from currency to upgrade, coins for the shop, or Relics/Pearls to improve yourself until you die and have to start over. It’s a tried and true style that works, and it’s something I’ve seen many times over, but there are some key differences that keep this from feeling too similar to other games like it.
The biggest difference is the Relic/Pearls system, which offers a way to upgrade yourself while thinking strategically. Each Relic you get has some passive effect to it, like adding status effects to enemies with charge attacks, and you equip them on a grid. Each one comes with an assortment of colors that, when three are matched in a row, give you a solid boost to your damage output. Pearls are a little different than Relics, providing no extra effects and only having one color, but get destroyed when there’s a match, opening a slot for another Relic or Pearl later.
The system is great and has rippling effects on how each run is played. Not only do you have to think about the effects that are given, but also strategize on the colors to make sure the damage output you want is increased. The five different colors coordinate with different types of damage, so making sure it lines up with your play style will make or break each run. I found myself loving this and was a big reason I found the gameplay more exciting than other roguelikes I’ve played recently.
I also appreciate how they handle reward distribution and the unique rooms that can be encountered. The world is interconnected, and the reward you get for clearing each room isn’t advertised. The special rooms can range from obstacle courses, to shops, to weird carnival games that rely on the number you role with your throwable dice. I like how it shakes up the gameplay in unconventional ways I didn’t expect, while still feeling relevant and useful to my current run. We can teleport across different hotspots on the map that are unlocked as we run through, which is a nice touch.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die's progression elements outside of the runs also feel both unique and familiar. With currency, we can unlock and upgrade different weapons, and there are new outfits to unlock. However, we can also unlock stat upgrades in different categories, and each one has two options. These can be toggled and provide different effects, which can further influence the play style. We will find a meet new individuals as well, who can give extra currency depending on collecting specific objects they as for
Overall, all the elements come together to create an exciting and refreshing experience that feels great to play and feels different enough for veterans of the genre. Veterans of roguelike games may get through the entirety of the experience relatively quick, but it's a great time to get through it. I love the gameplay loop, and it feels great to experience it.
And to make things better, it’s near flawless on the Steam Deck.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is an amazing experience on the Steam Deck, and I can't complain at all. It starts off at almost the maximum settings and runs extremely smooth at that. It can hit 90 FPS with ease, without going over 15W battery drain, and setting to 60 FPS will bring down battery drain into the 10W - 12W range while still feeling perfectly smooth. There were some small moments where the framerate dropped from 90 to 60 FPS, but it didn't happen often enough where I felt I needed to change it.
There isn't much more I can say about the experience. It just works and it works well, and I wouldn't change a thing. The game is gorgeous and pops on the OLED screen, and the controls feel fantastic.
In the game, you can change the audio settings, change keybindings, change language, toggle screen shake, vibration, easy mode, showing tutorials, subtitles, showing the speaker name, the minimap size and opacity, and aim assist for dice throwing.
It does support 16:10 aspect ratios for resolution, as well as have good controller and cloud save support. There are no HDR settings.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is a fantastic roguelike where the gameplay takes center stage and deserves praise. The Hades-like combat loop mixed with match 3 in-run mechanics make each decision in the run feel more strategic to improve yourself in a unique way. The meta progression is decent, and the heavy emphasis on the story is interesting, but it isn't a big reason for getting the game. It is carried by its great gameplay loop, and justifies the purchase.
The game is near flawless on the Steam Deck with no changes, and with the game running on the near highest settings, it's pretty amazing. It can hit both 60 and 90 FPS, sticking under 15W battery drain on both framerates, and will be very worth playing on the go.
Our review is based on the PC version of this game.
If you enjoyed this review, be sure to check out the rest of the content on SteamDeckHQ! We have a wide variety of game reviews and news that are sure to help your gaming experience. Whether you're looking for news, tips and tutorials, game settings and reviews, or just want to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, we've got your back.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is a fantastic roguelike with a great gameplay loop that feels like a perfect fit for the Steam Deck.
