Ahead of the Game - PlatyGuard: Swarm Slayer is a hack-and-slash roguelike amidst cool duck-billed folk
Apocalypses and platypuses
- Fight through each level with roguelike skills
- Parry and dodge to counter your foes
- Survive the apocalypse, die, and try again
It's all about slashing your way through the apocalypse in this week's Ahead of the Game series, where we tell you all about a new mobile endeavour that's playable in one form or another despite its unofficial launch.
Right off the bat, PlatyGuard: Swarm Slayer immediately feels like a mash-up of Dead Cells and Iron Shadow: Undestroyed V2 - and that's not at all a bad thing. This 2D roguelike offers hack-and-slash action from the get-go, but what makes it stand out for me is the fact that there are duck-billed characters all around - and that makes it even curiouser.
I also really appreciate the shocking twist that slaps you in the face right after the tutorial - something I won't spoil as you'll have to experience it yourself. Combat is, as you might expect, a fast-paced and incredibly action-packed affair, with different kinds of skills you can pick up and enhance your stats with as you go along.
Now, you won't just be mindlessly slashing your way through the hive scourge here - you can perform perfectly timed parries and dodges to take out enemies in a single blow, which adds to the strategic element each time a new big baddie pops up on screen.
Of course, you'll also come across boons, shops, and friendly folk every so often - a roguelike staple that's part of the reason I love the genre so much.
So, how do you play PlatyGuard: Swarm Slayer?
Now in open beta across select regions, PlatyGuard: Swarm Slayer is also offering a nice little perk for early access players. Simply input the code "PLATYGUARD" to grab 10 Summoning Stones that'll help you on your journey.So, if you happen to be based in the United States, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and the Philippines among other regions (you can check out the full list on the official website), it's worth having a go on Google Play today.
If not, you can always pre-register on iOS as well to get first dibs as soon as it's out! It's got an expected release date of December 31st, although you should always take that with a grain of salt. These App Store release dates often change without prior notice, after all.
