Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic

Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic is a roguelike RPG developed by an independent studio from Germany – The Bitfather. The game has been published by Headup Games, also known for releasing such Meridian: New World, and Stellar Impact. The game is available on PC / Windows, home consoles, and mobile devices.

Plot

The PC, AND and etc. release of Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic takes players to a fantasy realm threatened by an imminent invasion by the forces of evil. The Cultists known as The Sons of Dawn have begun a broad campaign to awake the ancient evil. As one might easily guess, a player’s quest is to stop this threat before it wipes out the city of Pixon and spreads all over the realm.

Mechanics

Due to the nature of the genre this game represents, most of the content in Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic is generated procedurally. This applies to thirteen dungeons players get to explore, random events in which one participates, and the equipment a player acquires on his adventures. Players observe the action from a side perspective. They begin their journey by creating their dream team comprising three daredevils, who are not afraid of anything and anyone. When creating the characters, one can select from over thirty unique character classes. Nonetheless, at the beginning of the game, one has access only to three of them – the remaining ones need to be unlocked after meeting predefined conditions.

There are three story campaigns for players to complete, each concluded with a different final dungeon occupied by a unique final boss. On his way, a player is bound to encounter numerous foes that put him off the mission. In the turn-based combat, one uses cold steel (axes, spears, swords, clubs), ranged weapons (bows and crossbows), and a variety of both offensive and defensive spells. In order to succeed, one has to skillfully switch between characters’ abilities. Players cannot forget that the game features a permanent death system – faced with a loss of an important hero, one is left with no other choice than to start over the game. A special cemetery, however, allows one to see the tombstones of the fallen heroes with their statistics inscribed on them.

Luckily, not every character in the game exhibits hostile behavior – during the game, a player is bound to encounter NPCs that introduce new story arches and offer, otherwise inaccessible, pieces of equipment (obviously, in order to get it, a player has to carry out a more or less complex task). There is nothing standing in the player’s way to acquire new gear in a much safer manner – vendors are more than willing to share their inventory, of course, if the price is right.

Technical aspects

The PC, AND and etc. release of Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic draws its inspirations from the output of the 8-bit RPG games – the 2D visuals kept in pixel art aesthetics do not stand out in any significant way. What is worth attention, however, is the atmospheric, chiptune soundtrack, available to purchase separately.

Last updated on 21 February 2017