Box Knight

In terms of criticism, I can see the humour grating or falling flat after a while. Irreverence can only take you so far before becoming annoying, at least in my experience (They should have stopped after the first Deadpool). Additionally, the rooms full of spawning enemies get a little stale over time, the enemies are interesting, but when the goal is just defeat them all as fast as possible every time, you may lose interest. Finally, whilst I rarely engage in framerate discussions (30 is fine, chill guys), there are reports of drops on Steam so buyer beware. However these are fairly minor complaints, Box Knight is a excellent debut for We Made a Thing Studios (will they have to change that if they make another game?), and is a must for fans of roguelikes.

Box Knight is a quirky and addictive roguelike game with a silly story and fun characters. It has a great sense of humour, and it’s so satisfying to defeat enemies with a huge cardboard sword!

Box Knight reflects the workplace frustrations we have whenever a company gets acquired. By fighting back and showing what capitalism should provide, it’s a cathartic experience. It’s a tough game to play, and if the premise doesn’t appeal to you, you likely won’t continue playing. Give it a chance, and you might find your next best way to relieve after-work stress.

I ran into a few issues during my time with Box Knight, and I think it could use some tweaks here and there, but I still had a great time. Some of the issues I ran into can likely be addressed, but in my time with the game, they stood out quite a bit. Despite all that, the core gameplay is a fun romp with some fantastic humour and a unique style. It’s fun to journey through the office departments solo, but I predict playing it with a friend would be even better.

Box Knight’s office-themed setup and cartoonish visuals might make a decent first impression. But the game does little with either of these things. Shallow satire, repetitive combat, and barely noticeable roguelike upgrades will make you want to clock out before this shift ends.

Box Knight surprised me once it got going. After some slow early runs, the game opens up to become a satisfying power fantasy in which enemies that destroyed you at first become easy to defeat. The power growth is well judged to keep you grinding and I cleared everything in just over 10 hours, a length which felt perfectly judged rather than overstaying its welcome. It’s not a game that will blow you away but it could be the perfect palette cleanser between grander experiences.

Box Knight is a competent beat ‘em up roguelike, but it never evolves beyond that. Whether we’re talking about the action, the upgrades, or the abilities, it never managed to do anything interesting. While Box Knight has a good core idea for its story and world, it says so little about the office culture it tries to satirize that it never grabbed me. You could certainly jump in with a friend and play a few rounds of it, but most players will quickly find themselves longing for more.