Maybe since I’ve been on the roguelike roller coaster ride since the start, my standing assumption for them is that they’re out to slap you around a bit and challenge you in a very direct manner. Since they’ve now been around in force for a generation though, perhaps it isn’t so unusual to see examples where the overall difficulty could somehow be a little more softened? While I’m not sure that was the goal of Eko and the Bewitched Lands, to some degree as I reflect on my time with it I can see that pathway emerging.

It’s possible that the more classic action-adventure base feel of the game has reinforced that perception in some ways. Yes, you’ll be moving between different rooms, and some of them will throw some challenging battling at you, or potentially a little temptation like a cursed chest that will summon a few waves of enemies to deal with in order to gain a reward. Those elements are absolutely roguelike hallmarks, but you’ll also encounter rooms with puzzles or some environmental hazards to deal with, and these generally do help soften the experience a bit, and can be a nice change of pace for people who want something a little more moderate in its challenge. In this way there’s a bit of an essence of games like the Legend of Zelda series and others, though lacking the grand story and structured planning of dungeons, just doling out tastes of that style a bit more randomly.

Perhaps some of that lack of greater structure or challenge is why it also feels a bit bland. Yes, you’ll slowly get access to different gear and abilities, all of which can help each run to have its own distinct flavor. You’ll also continue to earn the choice of different elemental perks along the way that can be combined to make you a more formidable warrior. The problem is, there just seems to be something missing in the formula to help it all come together. Lacking an engaging story, combat that’s a bit more refined, or deeper and more satisfying puzzles, this just feels like a game that’s raised itself to a rating of decent in multiple areas, but has failed to crank any of them up to being better. Lacking that clear hook, especially considering the higher degree of polish and depth in games like Sparklite, Moonlighter, and The Swords of Ditto: Mormo's Curse, this just qualifies as playable but not necessarily compelling.