Segue
Sasha here! 👋
I spent waaay too long trying to find a game to cover for today. Itch was flooded with very cool looking roguelike games (ones very much inspired by the original Rogue game from the 1980's). This was because of the 7DRL (seven-day roguelike) Challenge. Many of the games I came across looked absolutely fantastic! I just felt the need to talk about something with a little more vibrant art. Slot or Not is just that game! It also fits into the same genre as a roguelike... in a way... so we'll just use that as a segue into this review.
Review
Slot or Not is exactly as advertised. It's a roguelike slot machine battling adventure. The start of the game is a bit slow as it teaches you how to play but it doesn't take long before you're in the actual action of the game itself. With its tight game loop and colourful art style it's a catchy and visually appealing title.
Randomness as a Feature
The battling part of the game (90+% of it) is simple. Select items from your backpack to put in the slot machine and pull the lever. Whatever comes up are the moves performed during that turn in combat, be it attacking, defending, or the enemy taking a swing at you. I personally really like the concept, it felt like it took some of the weight off my decisions. RPGs already have a randomness factor when it comes to combat; probabilities of whether or not your attack will land, you'll get poisoned, etc. This game doesn't hide from that and highlights that randomness as its main feature. It showcases it in a gamified form many of us are already familiar with; a slot machine... except this one's a robot that's also your friend.
Some games mess with randomness to make it feel more fair to the player. I wouldn't be able to tell you if this game does it. I'd need to analyze spin outcomes, ask the devs, or decompile the game... but even if it does mess with it I don't think it really matters. It felt good to me. 👍
Final Thoughts
The game isn't released just yet but there's a free demo available on Steam. I would recommend this game to anyone that's into RPG battles, roguelike deck-builders, or anyone who wants to explore a different take on the genre. It's set to release May 2026.
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