Early July, 2025: Nuclear Throne

I've been obsessed with Nuclear Throne for the past few weeks again as another foray into this beautifuly simple yet deceptively deep rouguelike. Something that keeps me coming back is the sheer brutality of the gameplay. It is amongst one of the harder rouguelikes I've played, and the game doesn't give you unlocks to make the game any easier. The simplicity keeps me coming back for more because I can jump in, finish an entire run in about 10 minutes, and then get off. None of which actually happens.

Despite its simplicity in world and gameplay, the pace is breakneck. You are placed into the world with a weapon and a character of your choice, who all have unique playstyles, and your one and only goal is to reach the Nuclear Throne. Sounds easy...It's not. At minimum you take 1 damage from being touched, which doesnt sound like a lot, but when the max health(as far as I've seen) is 12, thats 1/12th of your total pool. Enemies who shoot are another story. Dealing up to 8 damage per hit, you can die instantly, sending you all the way back to the beginning losing all your progress. With no real progression it's crazy why I keep going back for more. Am I masocistic? Or is the game truely so addictive?

A combination of the punish and the potential bliss of success, and the simplistic gameplay have me stuck in a loop (pun intended), that I can't seem to free myself from. This is certainly one of those top tier roguelikes that you just keep coming back for more. It's not for the synergies and weapons of other roguelikes, rather the actual gameplay itself.

Tight, refined, brutal.

A+