Mythforce | PS5 Review

Ever since Cult of the Lamb released in 2022, I have fallen in love with the roguelite, or run-based randomizer (RBR), genre. Outside of large open-world games, RBRs are probably my genre of choice as they can have an enjoyable game loop with their progression system and replayability. With a trailer that clearly shows inspiration from 80s cartoons, Mythforce from Beamdog really caught my eye. While the concept is appealing and I enjoyed the first couple hours playing, it did not quite scratch that itch for the next great RBR.

Not Quite The 80s Cartoon Vibe

In Mythforce, you play as one of the heroes of Mythforce who are trying to defeat Vampire Lord Daedalus and his evil minions. But before the campaign even begins, an epic opening credits scene plays, and it just evokes 80s cartoon nostalgia. Seriously, if you do anything, go watch this. I was pretty pumped after watching this and could not wait to see more.

Unfortunately, cutscenes are both short and pretty few and far between. Mythforce has 9 levels (or episodes), and a cutscene only plays after every third episode. While the story is not the main draw for this game, a cutscene would be a nice reward after every episode, because they encapsulated the 80s cartoon vibe better than the art style in-game could. Do not get me wrong. The art style is great with vibrant colors and good enemy designs, but other than making it appear grainy like you are watching on an old tube TV, it just cannot capture that same feel the cutscenes have.

Fight. Rinse. Repeat. Ugh

Before each episode, you choose one of the four heroes: Victoria the Valerian Knight (sword and shield), Maggie the Mage, Hawkins the Hunter (archer), and Rico the Rogue (dagger). Each hero has their own combat style and special abilities. I mostly played as Hawkins as I like to use long-range combat.

Each episode follows the same format: you have to go through about 15-20 rooms, kill all the enemies in each room, and then you progress. There are a few rooms that do not have enemies and either have loot to collect or will have a shopkeeper to purchase upgrades. Not only does each episode follow that same basic format, each room usually follows a similar formula. A certain number of enemies are present as you enter, you defeat them all, then 3 enemies will spawn. Defeat them, repeat that, and then the room is done. There is very little as far as variety goes when it comes to both the format and enemies you will face.

I will say that I have played run-based randomizers that do not have a lot of variety as far as level or enemy design, but have had fun with them because the gameplay is great. Unfortunately, the combat just does not work for me. The movements are clunky and attacks feel slow. I did not get the feeling I was playing as this badass superhero fighting evil.

A Mixed Bag Progression System

I have heard Scott say this often when talking about a run-based randomizer: some of the best RBRs are not only fun to play, but never feel like a run is wasted. I absolutely agree with this statement. The progression system has to be satisfying in that even if you fail, after most runs, you can find some way to progress your character and get stronger. Mythforce has a lot of different systems in the Citadel of the Sun to help you improve your character. However, I often found that I could not progress because I did not have enough of either of the two currencies to improve my character in a meaningful way. This was despite scouring each dungeon and usually progressing pretty deep in the dungeon, or completing it.

I was still able to complete most episodes in 1 to 2 attempts, but I typically felt weak at the beginning of each dungeon. I was able to do this because something the game does well: its in-level upgrades. After almost every room, there is a random card generator that improves your character as you progress, such as increasing attacks or giving your attacks special effects. After feeling weak during the first 5 rooms, I would usually get much stronger and able to breeze through the rest of the episode.

Unique to Run-Based Randomizers

Mythforce gives the player the ability to change difficulty settings, which I feel is not common for run-based randomizers. Not only does it have your basic difficulty settings of easy, normal, and hard, but they also incorporate mythic settings that include curses to make the game more challenging. Mythforce also has the option for up to 4-player cooperative gameplay. I was not able to play a full 4-player co-op, but I did have the opportunity to play with some random players during some of my runs. It did appear to scale the difficulty to more party members, and the game probably would have been more enjoyable with a group of friends to play with.

The Final Verdict

While the concept of an 80s cartoon-inspired run-based randomizer sounds like a good idea, Mythforce did not quite nail the execution. The intro theme song was awesome and felt like it was setting up for a great 80s cartoon, but never fully leaned into it. The combat felt clunky and slow, and the levels felt too similar to each other. The random abilities gained during each run were fun and helpful, but I often felt that runs did not improve my overall character progression. Difficulty settings and cooperative gameplay are nice additions to a genre that does not see them too often.

Mythforce is by no means a bad game, but one that did not live up to my expectations when I saw the trailer. If you like run-based randomizers, do not mind slower combat and want to play one with some buddies, this would not be a bad pickup.

To hear me talk more about Mythforce, be sure to listen to the October 4th, 2023 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 35:50 time stamp.

This review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy of Mythforce provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It is also available on Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.