Powder is a game that has a simple enough story. As the official site says, you are an adventurer who is attempting to descend into the depths of the dungeon. Once there, you plan to slay the foul daemon known as “He who the author cannot spell consistently”, also known as Baezl’bub. Once you have slain him (or he has died via any other means), you intend to cut out his black heart and bring it back to the surface.
Though the game’s story and controls are quite simple, beating it can be anything but. You start off as a lowly level one adventurer, and, upon leveling, you can choose what god to worship (or even forgo worshipping any of the gods). Each god likes actions and hates other actions. For example, the fighter god loves melee combat, but despises those who utilize magic. The mage god loves those who use magic, but hates melee combat. The barbarian god loves those who use melee, but despises ranged. As a result, as you progress through the dungeon, you’re almost guaranteed to tick off at least one of the gods. If they hate you enough, they can do a variety of things to you, such as poisoning you, turning you into a mouse, or even setting you on fire. If you are worshipping a god, and are in his good favor, however, he can choose to bestow blessings upon you. From enchanting your items to giving you a holy +3 item to healing your wounds when you are about to die, the benefits can, quite literally, save your skin as you progress.
Overall, the game is a decent roguelike , and offers plenty of challenge. You can’t actually completely clear a floor, as enemies will just continue to spawn, and they actually level right along with you (in most cases, that is. Sometimes you’ll come across a weaker enemy or even open a door to be ambushed by several dragons or liches when you’re only level one). If you enjoy crawling through dungeons and slicing up everything in your path, you should enjoy this game. Happy gaming!
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