Guidus Zero, a Top-Down Roguelike, Debuts in Early Access Mode

Steam’s Early Access is now showcasing an intriguing newcomer: Guidus Zero. This top-down dungeon-crawling roguelike is the brainchild of the indie South Korean studio, Izzle.

Set in a post-war world, the narrative unfolds in a central continent declared neutral after conflict ravaged the lands without a decisive winner. A gaping sinkhole known as The Scar sits ominously in this neutral zone, belching forth a mysterious element called Black Blood that corrupts everything it touches. The origins of this abyss and its dark secret remain unknown, inviting players to explore its depths and uncover its mysteries.

In Guidus Zero, players join a diverse group of characters journeying ever deeper into The Scar’s treacherous terrain. There are plenty of corrupted foes waiting to challenge you, and players can choose from a variety of characters, each boasting unique powers and skills. The game offers real-time action combat with a twist: both you and your adversaries move across a grid, limited to the four cardinal directions.

Enemies announce their attacks with an exclamation mark, and the ground around them lights up to indicate where their blows will land. Tactics vary—some enemies deliver straightforward strikes, while others launch attacks in sweeping lines or formidable zones. The dynamic nature of combat requires players to stay sharp, continually dodging attacks as multiple foes engage simultaneously.

Movement and evasion are key. Rolling grants temporary invincibility, but each roll uses up stamina. Given the inability to navigate diagonally, strategy is vital; you must carefully consider your direction and timing to avoid ending up cornered.

But staying alive isn’t just about dodging strikes. Delivering damage is crucial, and your methods depend on your chosen character. Before each delve into The Scar, you select a character and their initial trait. True to RPG tradition, battling enemies earns experience points, leading to level-ups.

As you gain levels, opportunities arise to enhance skills specific to your initial trait. These choices shape your gameplay for that session, making each run unique despite replaying the same character. Keep in mind, though, that all progress resets upon death.

However, not everything vanishes with each run. You’ll encounter ore veins that yield stones, which come with their own attributes. Collecting these contributes to your stats, reaching thresholds that boost your character. Equip stones in available slots to retain them after the run; any unequipped stones transform into fragments, usable as currency or reforged into new stones by a blacksmith NPC.

Special rooms holding treasure chests can reveal artifacts during your adventure. These offer unique buffs, enhancing your abilities and gradually building elemental effects. Once an artifact hits five stacks, it’s bonded to a spirit, unlocking special elemental attacks.

Bonding with the fire spirit Ignis lets you apply a damaging burn. The water spirit Atlen slows and freezes enemies. Rathorus, the lightning spirit, adds a shocking debuff. Enryl, the wind spirit, boosts your speed and multi-hit potential, while Terrania, the earth spirit, petrifies enemies, causing fragments to erupt on attack.

All these elements create a roguelike experience that tempts you into “just one more run.” With permanent growth from stones and varied options for characters, traits, and skills, each journey into Guidus Zero is distinct. If you’re eager to dive in, the game is currently available in Early Access on Steam.

To celebrate its launch, there’s a 10% discount running until December 9. The developers are also eyeing future releases on Xbox and Nintendo Switch, though there’s no official word yet on console versions.