One of my favorite things about covering the indie space is getting to see games that break new ground, combining elements typically from two different genres to make something new and unexpected. Where things can get really crazy though is when they push even further. BALL x PIT is one such title, not just meshing two styles of play together, but throwing in a third or fourth just to make it interesting. The result is something I don’t ever think I could have imagined before, but having spent many hours with it, I can say that even though it doesn’t get everything right it’s most definitely an often entertaining challenge.

Mixing together gameplay elements of the classic Breakout, a twin-stick shooter, roguelike perks, and even a town-building sim that will help you manage your meta progression between runs, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many play styles mashed together into one title. A fair portion of your time will be spent in the pit, simply trying to survive the onslaught of varied enemies and bosses by working with whatever character and perks you may have. Then, once you’re done, you’ll be setting up your town with different resources and buildings, again playing a sort of game of Breakout to ricochet your people around to try to grab or build as much as you can, before once again returning to the action.

What works well, though initially it can be pretty overwhelming, is the play in the pit. You’ll need to be quick on your feet to avoid enemy fire, pick up gems and power-up opportunities, and destroy everything the game throws at you. While there’s absolutely a skill component to success, what will really make the difference between good and bad runs will be what perks you’re able to pick up and upgrade along the way. Between learning the different perks, which ones are the most effective when fused or evolved, and making smart upgrades to your town, you’ll have what you need to survive. If you’re not on top of any one of those things though, you may find it to be brutal at times… and that makes for what can be an intimidating early-to-mid game challenge curve.

The thing is, once you get over the hump and start unlocking new heroes and base abilities, the game really begins firing on all cylinders and offers up play I can’t say I’ve ever encountered before. There are absolutely inspirations from Vampire Survivors present most of all, but given the emphasis more on it being a shooter it also plays very differently. In particular, once you’re able to choose two heroes to work with together on your runs, that opens up the experience pretty significantly. Now you’ll find that heroes who felt hopeless on their own can be very powerful when paired with the right companion, that there are some potentially powerful synergies to be found, even moreso if you’re able to get some of the right perks on your side as well. I’m not sure that the game ever feels easy, even when you clear the board it won’t usually take long to get stacked up. The enemy feels like they scale in difficulty at a pretty steep rate, and that’s why knowing what you want for your weapons and passives, as well as which are best suited to your heroes, is so critical. 

One area where the game could have done better is in how the town is implemented. I get that building certain structures will give you new heroes to work with, as well as enhanced powers and abilities in the pit. I just wish it all could get a little more streamlined in some way. You’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly, and perhaps come up with some smart strategies to help push your success faster, but much moreso than on the action side, this feels like an area that could use more work. With a little more and better guidance the developer could better ensure that player frustration levels remain at acceptable levels. The shame is that the late game has some great surprises to offer, like playing with the Tactician hero that turns it into a turn-based experience, completely changing things up. It’s really smart and innovative stuff like that I worry most people could miss, either getting frustrated or discouraged and giving up before the formula is really able to thrive.