Eyes in the Dark is an inventive ‘rogue-light’ with some bright ideas

digitaltrends.com:

Whenever I hear about a new indie roguelike, I can’t help but roll my eyes initially. It’s not because I don’t like the genre. On the contrary, Rogue Legacy 2 is one of my favorite games of the year and I’d argue Hades might be the best game of the entire decade so far. It’s just that the genre has been done to death at this stage and I’m always left wondering how many more ways it can be pulled apart.

Eyes in the Dark once again proves that game developers are much more creative than I am. The new Gearbox-published title is immediately notable for its striking black-and-white art style. What makes it really shine, though, is its flashlight-based combat, which helps it stands out among a crowded genre. It may not stand side-to-side with some of the best modern roguelikes, but it’s a bright idea worth checking out.

The game takes place in 1922, with the young Victoria Bloom visiting her grandfather’s mansion. Aesthetically, it’s a little all over the place. It’s presented like a silent movie with dialogue cards during cutscenes, but it has a modern cartoon art style and a fairly standard soundtrack you’d hear in any other roguelike. The only thing that really emphasizes the setting is its black-and-white palette, which is as distinct as it is functional.

The core premise of the game is that Victoria’s grandpa is kidnapped by bugs, so she must head into the ever-shifting manor and save him. Her only weapon is a flashlight, which can be aimed with the right joystick if you’re using a controller. Whenever she enters a new room, it’s cloaked in a thick black fog that dissipates as you aim at it, revealing the enemies hiding within.

The flashlight essentially acts like a gun, damaging any enemy in its beam. Victoria can