Yeah alright you know what I can 100% say you're in the right on what a Rouge-like is. This game got me turned around on the two types, "like" and "lite" but that's half of what I was getting at in my post. I have played and beaten most big named rouge-like's and lite's on steam, hence why I felt comfortable enough to review.
But interestingly enough now that I have slept on it I think I was hitting close to the mark when I brought up lack of content in my last post. I stand by the progression statement even more so now. What you have created so far
IS a Rouge-LITE in its frame work. The most recent one I played is Against the storm so I'll use that as comparison, Hour long rounds that have a lot of RNG involved BUT you get points to build a skill tree that gives you small but stacking benefits to play the nest round. Where as A rouge-Like would have you learning from your mistakes in a structured environment, choose the better path for the task ahead, what skills and items best suits the challenge you are currently facing. You can't do that If the path is completely RNG... from the start you choose your RNG skills, the map is RNG, the chests and bosses drop RNG loot. There's nothing to learn from, nothing to take with me into my next run... soooo having the small but stacking benefits is the next logical thing is it not?
And that brings me back to the lack of content comment, you can wave all that away with the simple statement like "the game needs balancing, and there's a plan to add 30 more floors!". Which is fine but everyone here isn't playing / critiquing what the dream is only what is here now. That's the double edge of early access.
Also I see a few posts comment on mine saying or trolling the classic "skill issue" more or less assuming I didn't beat the game? Weird assumption... Of course I finished the game or at least what is currently there, how else could I speak to the systems within it? Is the well truly that poisoned that people jump to that conclusion if there's a different opinion?
Last item that is indicative of wasting your time in a game. The game play loop is simple if not insanely time consuming. There is absolutely nothing stopping the dev from cutting travel distance by 50% and bumping all damage types inflicted 2x higher and gold earned by the same. Even 25% travel and 4x damage and earnings would effect absolutely nothing in the actual gameplay aside from the feeling you are accomplishing something with bloated time sinks. Whether you like it or not people will notice that, even if they don't know how to put it into words. I can plainly see I hit a nerve with
Trongle and hopefully you believe me when I say if I didn't see potential or thought your game was a lost cause I would never have left a review, never bothered to type this out. Take it or leave it but being surrounded with "yasss queen! 5/5" can do more harm than any honest but harsh review could.
Best of luck again!