Soul Breakfast

SOUL 👻 BREAK 💀 FAST

Revenge, like cereal, is best served cold

Click here for the 7DRL version

A submission for the 7 Day Roguelike Jam 2022 where you play a demilich who has recently reawakened and is hungry for souls. This is my first completed roguelike. I hope you find it interesting.

I have started further development on this game, including UI improvements, rebalancing, more content, and so on. Development snapshots can be played here. New playable versions will be uploaded to Itch.

How to play: The game includes tutorial messages, but the overall structure is:

• Find weak "vermin" enemies; devour their souls for essence (press 'd' while occupying their square).
• Use the essence to shoot auto-targeting bolts (with Space) at stronger enemies.
• Claim the souls of (non-vermin) enemies to increase your max essence and possibly additional powers.
• Spend essence to go through passages (>) to more dangerous areas with harder enemies.
• Try not to hit 0 essence: this can cause you to lose souls or even get kicked back into an earlier level.
• Release weaker souls (with 'r') and claim stronger ones.
• Achieve a max essence of 30 or higher and enter a passage to a danger level of 30 or higher. And win!
• Try to reach danger level 30 in as few turns as possible! (An actual endgame is on the roadmap.)

Controls: Some of these are documented in game.

• h/j/k/l: Move in the cardinal directions. Hold Shift to move in a direction until you see an enemy or hit a wall.
• . (period): Wait a turn.
• Space: Fire a spell at the targeted (blue background) enemy. Costs 2 essence.
• d: Devour the soul of the creature you are currently standing on, gaining essence.
• c: Claim the soul of the creature you are currently standing on. You cannot claim a soul you are already holding. You need an empty slot.
• r: Release one of your claimed souls (press 1, 2, or 3 to pick a slot). You gain essence as if you had devoured it.
• a: Use an activated ability, if you have one.
• >: Enter a passage. You need (and will spend) as much essence as the danger level of the new level.

Tips:

• Conserve your essence.
• Not all enemies are worth fighting.
• Some souls are a double-edged sword.
• Positioning is key.
• Not all effects stack.