Anomaly Collapse [Review]
Anomaly Collapse is a 1D turn-based strategy roguelite that fails to iterate enough on its core concept.
Anomaly Collapse. Credit: RocketPunch Games / Spiral Up Games.
RocketPunch Games’ and Spiral Up Games’ Anomaly Collapse is a roguelite focused on turn-based combat. While the combat mechanics are interesting at first, the game quickly becomes dull and repetitive.
You’ll take control of a party of anthropomorphized animal commandos trying to save their city from an invading menace. You’ll begin with three available characters and can unlock more by meeting different game requirements. Each has its own strengths, weaknesses, and default abilities.
Anomaly Collapse. Credit: RocketPunch Games / Spiral Up Games.
In each sector of the town, you must complete random turn-based battle encounters. After winning each fight, an “investigation” meter slowly gets filled; once you’ve won enough, the sector’s boss will appear on the map. Treasures, bases, special events, and shops can also appear.
Battles take place on a one-dimensional battlefield where position is key. Heroes sharing a space will get assist bonuses, or if you surround an enemy you get a flanking bonus. Obstacles or too many characters on a space can block movement past. Enemy attacks target spaces and not characters, so it’s possible to move away to avoid getting hit.
Anomaly Collapse. Credit: RocketPunch Games / Spiral Up Games.
Attacks and other actions consume action points and movement consumes movement points; both carry over to a character’s next turn if left unused. You need to balance when to use your moves and when to hang back, taking into consideration how your trio’s abilities might synergize.
After battle, you’ll earn “abnormalities,” items each character can equip for passive perks or new combat abilities. These open up more strategies and synergies, adding some variety to combat. After each run, new abnormalities will become available for future runs.
Anomaly Collapse. Credit: RocketPunch Games / Spiral Up Games.
Unfortunately, the game proves to be one-note. There isn’t anything beyond these combat encounters, which don’t have enough variety despite sector biome differences and new abnormalities. It makes Anomaly Collapse feel more like a proof of concept demo than a complete game. There’s a story, but without enough substance to make that a draw to stay engaged. You can compare this game’s combat to Inkulinati, which finds ways to spin and expand the idea of 1D combat in enough ways to carry a whole game; Inkulinati created enough strategic depth to hold my interest despite not really having a story.
There are better turn-based strategy games to dive into than Anomaly Collapse. The game proved to be a short distraction and nothing more because it simply doesn’t take the time to evolve its core gameplay concept.
Anomaly Collapse is available now on Steam for PC.
Overall Score: 4/10
Played on: Steam Deck
