Aramatus immediately caught my eye, as I consider myself a big fan of the roguelike genre. These days, it seems like most roguelikes tend to rely on 2D graphics, while Aramatus features fully realized 3D graphics powered by Unreal Engine, set in a post-apocalyptic Paris overrun by demons, making it something I wanted to check out when given the opportunity.
One of my favourite roguelike games is Returnal, which I fell in love with on the PlayStation 5 back in 2021. At a glance, Aramatus borrows the fast, frenetic third-person shooter action of the former, with Counterplay Games Inc. adding its own unique twist. Aramatus is set in a demon-infested Paris, where a cataclysmic event known as the Vanishing has transformed the most promising of humanity into demons. Players assume the role of a gunslinging immortal, summoned to earth by a holy order in the hopes of eliminating the demon scourge.
I was given access to the first biome in Aramatus, which consists of roughly 13 rooms and eight sectors. Sectors serve as the primary combat zones within the biome, while the total room count also includes the interstitial spaces between hostile encounters. These transitional areas function as pit stops, where players receive a random boon, such as weapon upgrades, secondary abilities or healing pools, along with other RNG-based modifiers.
“At a glance, Aramatus borrows the fast, frenetic third-person shooter action of the former, with Counterplay Games Inc. adding its own unique twist.”
In Aramatus, players can wield a range of modern firearms, including automatic rifles, shotguns, precision weapons and submachine guns. Weapons are divided into tiers, which determine their effectiveness as well as their secondary firing modes. Secondary fire adds variety by introducing both practical and fantastical abilities, such as grenade launchers, flamethrowers and energy-based sonic blasts. Players also have access to a powerful melee option in the form of a scythe, which, like a weapon’s secondary fire, operates on a cooldown timer.
Augmenting your toolkit further, in addition to the powerful melee and secondary fire mode of your weapon of choice, Aramatus features unique special attacks that players can earn by clearing rooms. With only the first biome currently playable, I was only able to discover two of the unique power-ups, including a Max Payne-style bullet time augment and a devastating groundpound AoE attack.
Progressing deeper into the first biome of Aramatus unlocked additional enhancements for my special abilities. These included an extended radius for my ground pound and increased damage per second for my firearms, depending on proximity to enemies.
Other notable upgrades I encountered during my time with the Aramatus demo included homing-style shots, extra melee charges and additional projectiles that trigger after landing a hit. Ideally, the full release of Aramatus will introduce even more over-the-top upgrades that allow players to push builds to their limits, as those moments of excess are often what make roguelikes so compelling.
As far as the first biome is concerned, Aramatus presents a contemporary Paris transformed by medieval and Gothic-inspired characters and demonic creatures. The setting blends modern architecture with otherworldly corruption, creating a striking visual contrast. The art direction is strong, featuring stylized character designs that lend the game a comic-book aesthetic while remaining grounded in a recognizable real-world environment.
“Death can come quickly in Aramatus, though players begin each run with three charges of a health-replenishing item that can help offset mistakes.”
Gameplay is fast and responsive, with each weapon offering distinct advantages suited to different situations and playstyles. Secondary attacks feel impactful and can often determine the outcome of an encounter. Death can come quickly in Aramatus, though players begin each run with three charges of a health-replenishing item that can help offset mistakes. That said, falling into pits frequently caused moments of disorientation, which were sometimes compounded by enemy mobs closing in for a swift defeat. With further balancing ahead of release, these scenarios may become less punishing.
From a technical standpoint, Aramatus performs well and delivers strong visuals, with the exception of some noticeable judder early in the experience, likely related to shader compilation. I was also unable to get the game to recognize my controller, whether using XInput or Steam’s controller override. These issues are expected to be addressed as development continues toward release. On the subject of controls, keyboard and mouse input felt responsive and intuitive, and will likely remain my preferred way to play the game.
Overall, the short vertical slice of Aramatus that is playable is already promising and something that fans of the roguelike genre should definitely keep on their radar.
