Have a Nice Death

This is a funny and challenging single-player romp that ought to keep you glued to the screen for several hours on end. Have a Nice Death is an imaginative, fast-paced spin on roguelike action that packs a serious punch when you're in the thick of it, especially with the unlockable and upgradeable weapons and abilities to unleash on a bizarre cast of characters. You'll eventually have access to elevators which can help streamline some of the navigation, too (and skip directly to some very tough mini-boss and big boss characters). But even though the levels are procedurally generated -- meaning no two environments, its inhabitants, or its items, like food and currency ("Soulery" and "Prismium") will be placed the same for all players -- the appeal starts to wane a little after a few frantic rounds. This is especially true after "dying," which really means restarting from your paper-stacked office.

Overall, though, Have a Nice Death is full of character and charm, and excellent production values, including smoothly animated (and memorable) characters, like "Sorrows" and "Thanagers," and an exceptional music soundtrack. The first thing players will likely appreciate is the long list of scythes and other (secondary) weapons and spells you can take advantage of, with many tied to a particular department you're in, which is also tied to a different means of dying (without spoiling any surprises for you). As for weapons, there are more than 30, but there aren't as many defensive moves or maneuvers, so it could be quite the work to defeat some bosses. And you are sent back to your office and have to start again, you don't get to keep everything you "died" with, making it even more difficult. Leveling up isn't so rewarding, too, with sometimes very little to gain.Despite some issues, Have a Nice Death is a great game, and if you like dark humor and difficult battles, you'll no doubt have a blast in this fast-based afterlife brawler.