Curse of the Dead Gods isn’t for everyone but if you’re a fan of combat-focused rogue-lites then this should definitely be on your radar. It has the potential to be in the upper echelon of the genre; in order for it truly get there the developers will need to give the game regular content updates, which seems like the norm for the top games in the genre. Whether they do or not the game has a solid foundation built around a weighty combat system and a slick-looking art style. Even after playing the game almost exclusively over the past two weeks, I’m still staying up way too late saying “oh, just one more level”.

In all, Curse of the Dead Gods on Xbox is a game that is easy to recommend to anyone looking for a challenge. It is is always hard, always difficult, and has not a shred of mercy built into it. In fact, you need to be on top of your game in order to make it to the bosses, never mind to take them down. But should you fail, you can always put your finger on why you did so. The gameplay is complemented well by the overall design; the enemies are great, the Temple looks amazing and the mechanics of the corruption and the light is very well-realised. While it won’t be to everyone’s taste, if a challenge is something you seek, Curse of the Dead Gods will provide it.

Curse of the Dead Gods is an excellent rogue-like, and the massive variety of curses, weapons and buffs creates a different experience each time.

The entire Curse of the Dead Gods experience at launch has a wonderful difficulty ramp only matched by the best in the genre. Combat is smooth and always challenging, but victory is never out of reach. Rooms get more complicated as players move on, but they're welcome obstacles rather than brick walls that kill a run dead. Add in a stylish presentation and a unique theme and it's hard to find much to complain about with this final release. Passtech Games has carved out a new space in roguelikes that should appeal to fans of The Binding of Isaac and Darkest Dungeon alike.

While most roguelikes eventually frustrate me, Curse of the Dead Gods has a rewarding treadmill that I didn’t really tire of, especially because of its excellent combat that feels great once you learn its intricacies. While certain aspects did frustrate me, that simply comes with the territory in the genre. Never once did I die and felt as if it was unfair, as I knew it was something I did or didn’t do, and the blame was directly on me. If you’re looking for a challenging yet gratifying roguelike, Curse of the Dead Gods should be on your list.