First Impression: Rogue Sentry

By Chris Picone, 18 April 2021

Rogue Sentry’s artwork immediately grabbed my attention. I couldn’t tell you why but I’ve really been digging monochrome games recently. I’ve also been digging twin-stick shooters lately, and since the screenshots I’d seen made me think Rogue Sentry was a bullet hell, I was pretty keen to take it for a ride.

Since I thought Rogue Sentry was a bullet hell, I was immediately surprised when I loaded it up and discovered it had a story. Man built machine, machines took over the world, and you play as… a sentry bot, gone rogue after suddenly and inexplicably developing an empathy toward mankind. As I progressed through the map, every now and then I would clear a room and discover ghosts who would reveal little snippets of the story and clues about what I might face further ahead. I’m not far in yet so I’m not sure how big or deep it goes yet but the premise is interesting. That was the other surprise; this isn’t a bullet hell at all, although some rooms do feel a bit that way. No, the best way I can describe the game is as a “top-down Metroidvania” with bullet hell elements.

So, my first impression? For the moment at least, I’m hooked. Regular checkpoints encourage exploration and I want to know what’s in the next room. Sometimes I hit a road block – either some obstacle I can’t pass yet or enemies I can’t beat yet – but there are always other routes to try. Some of those are dead ends too, but some are the way forward while others might open a path previously blocked. I expect some late nights with this one – “just one more room!”

Links: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1555770/Rogue_Sentry/