Developer: Panik Arcade
Publisher: Future Friends Games
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
CloverPit – Review
Roguelike or roguelite titles with a gambling theme seem to be the next big thing, thanks to titles such as Balatro and Buckshot Roulette, and it seems that this trend is here to stay. We had our encounter with Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers not too long ago, and now CloverPit is going to be added to that list. CloverPit brings a dark theme to the gambling table, as you’ll find yourself playing a slot machine in a dank prison cell to stay alive. We were intrigued by the concept and ended up very entertained by what CloverPit had to offer.
Story
CloverPit doesn’t really have a fleshed-out narrative, but there is an overarching ‘setting’. You find yourself in a dark cell with a slot machine and an ATM. You’ll have to try your luck with the slot machine to pay off an ever-increasing debt, to hopefully win your freedom. There are some story-like qualities to what is happening, and you’ll also be talked to by an unknown observer, but everything stays fairly superficial. The game is all about the gameplay, and that is exactly what CloverPit does amazingly well.
Graphics
The low-poly pixelated visuals of CloverPit reminded us very much of PS1 visuals, albeit with a bit more detail. This graphical style is becoming the choice for many horror-like games, and we have to say that this feels like a smart choice for CloverPit as well. The rugged look contributes to the tense air in the cell your character finds themselves in, and the tiny space remains intimidating, even after several hours of playing the game. There are many different items to unlock, and after a few runs, you’ll still find small new details or new grim ‘charms’ to unlock that are neatly designed.
Sound
The sound design of CloverPit is very basic, but it works well given the setting of the game. While playing, you’ll have to make do with the sound effects of the slow machine, the red telephone that rings after deadlines, and a few other noises. There were some other environmental sound effects, but that’s pretty much it. After playing for a while, however, we were a bit disappointed by the lack of a soundtrack or a more expansive sound design. We eventually decided to listen to our favorite tunes while playing.
Gameplay
CloverPit is a roguelite gambling game in which you’ll play a slot machine to earn money, while your debt keeps increasing exponentially. If you miss the deadline of when your debt is due, then you’ll simply fall through the floor to meet your untimely demise. The offset is extremely simple, but the game does have a lot of finer mechanics that you’ll have to keep track of if you want to survive as long as possible.
If it were just gambling and hoping for the best, we assume the game would get old really quickly. Luckily, there are some finer mechanics, such as the option to buy charms that give you passive and active abilities or boosts. You can find items that add multipliers to your winnings, but some items give you additional spins on the machine, or some give you more interest from your deposited money. The more money you insert into the ATM, the more interest you will get after each round. The interest is paid out after each round, and can be used for spins or deposited to earn an even higher interest payout.
Each deadline (three rounds), you’ll have to pay the money that is due. There are different ways to approach this, as you can opt for the maximum number of spins to aim for more money in that round, but you’ll receive fewer clover tickets if you do. These clover tickets are needed to buy charms. Of course, you can only have a specific number of charms in your possession, but you can expand your limit during a run. Charms make or break a run, and you’ll have to actually try and plan ahead, and sometimes even decide to turn in a deadline’s money earlier to get a bigger reward. The further you progress, the more charms will be unlocked, as well as other options that allow you to store charms. There’s a fun progression system, even though the RNG can sometimes feel a bit ‘pre-programmed’. On more than one occasion, we could predict when we would lose our money after hitting a high roll or jackpot due to the ‘666’ mechanic. The latter makes it so that when a ‘666’ appears on the slot machine, you’ll lose the money you made in that round so far.
Conclusion
CloverPit is a very addictive roguelite that will please fans of Balatro, Buckshot Roulette, and Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers. While the gameplay loop may be rather simple, the mechanics are engaging, and the overall experience evokes that addictive ‘just one more game’ feeling without the actual dangers of gambling. On top of that, the presentation also hits all the right notes, even though we would have perhaps loved a more engaging soundtrack. All in all, this is one of the more interesting roguelite experiences we have played in a while. If you’re a fan of something quirky, addictive, and mildly spooky, we suggest checking out CloverPit.
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