“RollScape” is a solo-developer rogue-lite game created and published by Leonardo the Vinchy. It is a fun and unique roguelike puzzle game inspired by “Balatro” and “Roll”. If you’re looking for something fresh to play to unwind after work or school, this game is perfect for you.

RollScape is a simple dice roll game with a goal of reaching 1500 points. Many rewards await you at this goal, which kept me coming back for more as I tried different strategies to inch closer and closer to that end goal. I still haven’t hit the goal yet, but it’s the journey that’s been exciting.

Long story short spacebar rolls the dice, whichever face the dice lands on determines how many tiles get placed down. Each tile you roll has a specific value that gives you points. These points allow you to purchase upgrades from the shop that increase the value of your tiles.

The starting upgrades only apply to light or dark tiles, for example, add +1 to all light or dark tiles. As you progress further, you will encounter many other variants, such as an upgrade that adds one value to a single dice face of your choice.

If you run out of rolls, you can purchase more with energy using the B button. One way to gain energy is by accumulating points. Accumulating points fill up an energy bar in the bottom right corner of the screen. Filling this bar 10 times will upgrade it to the next level, providing even more energy. While RollScape is a single-player game, there seems to be other modes available.

However, these modes are locked until you beat the standard mode, which requires reaching 1500 points. I find RollScape to be simple, but there’s something about it that keeps drawing me in. Although it can be repetitive and reliant on RNG, I keep finding myself going for that one last roll, hoping to hit my goal, only to fail miserably.

The overall look of RollScape was very bright and vibrant. The scenery changes around depending on how far you progress or what path you choose. Adding various visual elements to the background, such as guitars, surfboards, and footballs, was a nice addition that further complemented the bursts of vibrant colours. Even the dark scenes were well put together, further adding to the overall feel.

Another noteworthy aspect is the soundtrack. The music changes depending on the scenery, creating a serene atmosphere. Aside from the sound effects, I thoroughly enjoyed the calming beats and guitar riffs. The soundtrack, from the main menu to the in-game music, helped me relax and complimented the background scenes superbly.

After reading Leonardo’s SteamDB post about his past misfortunes in earlier game development ventures, it’s clear to see the amount of love and passion that went into this game. RollScape is a valiant effort for a solo developer’s first release, with beautiful vibrant colours, simple yet effective gameplay, and a calming soundtrack. I’m sure many of you will love this game.

Written by: Larry