First Look: STAND-ALONE Demo Combines Pixel-Art Combat with Roguelike Depth

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LIFUEL has launched the demo for their debut title, STAND-ALONE, now available on Steam. Smooth and devilishly cute animations abound in this pixel-art side-scrolling action roguelite. (Now that’s a mouthful).

Also, the game's intricate skill combo system allows players to unleash their creative side in battle. Check out the trailer below:

I recently played through STAND-ALONE's demo, and I must say, it's an interesting blend of fluid pixel art, difficult roguelike mechanics, and an engrossing plot that grows as you progress. Playing as a guardian robot transformed into a "robo-sheep" following a massacre orchestrated by Dr. Wolf, you'll find yourself engrossed in the game’s plot right from the start. While fending off hordes of wolves in this never-ending survival game, you'll learn more and more about the world's sci-fi-inspired secrets.

The game's combat system is one of the first things that stuck out to me. The modular swap-in/swap-out system significantly increases the game's strategic depth, and it's quick, fluid, and accurate. You’re not just mindlessly hacking at enemies—you’re downloading skills from fallen foes and modifying them to create new playstyles.

This helps make each run feel a little bit different, even in the demo, as you adjust your skills to improve your chances. Losing most of your hard-earned equipment and abilities is a heavy price to pay for defeat, but it only serves to inspire you to try new strategies the next time around.

The Full Game's Promised Key Features:

Roguelite Exploration: Thanks to randomly generated rooms and various nodes to explore, each playthrough brings something fresh. The gameplay remains unpredictable and dynamic because of this.

Unique Skill System: After you defeat enemies, you can customize your playstyle by downloading their skills and making modifications to them. The combination of passive and active effects opens up a world of possibilities.

Combo-Based Combat: Successful players will have mastered the controls and figured out how to counter enemy formations by focusing on chaining powerful combos.

Engaging Storyline: Playing as the robo-sheep, you uncover a hidden version of history, and the narrative asks questions about trust and deceit.

Risk and Reward: Staying loyal to its roguelike origins, the game makes you think twice before acting, because if you mess up, you'll have to start over with fewer resources.

How it Plays on the Steam Deck:

I honestly think that this game could probably run on the back of an alarm clock! The pixel art graphics are gorgeous and the on-screen action is always buttery smooth. Even cranking the Steam Deck down to 5 Watts was no problem. With no FPS cap, it runs into the hundreds which is crazy. Capped at 60FPS it never drops a single frame even when the on-screen action is almost overwhelming. This game will not tax your Steam Deck in the slightest and runs perfectly even on very low wattage making it ideal for long gaming sessions.

If you enjoy roguelike action games with tight mechanics and deep customization, STAND-ALONE is definitely worth keeping an eye on. A perfect pick-up-and-play game for those of us on the go. Why not check out the demo yourself today or Wishlist STAND-ALONE on Steam today to catch any and all future updates? Don’t be sheepish now!

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