Crypt of the NecroDancer

Crypt of the Necrodancer has a pretty intriguing elevator pitch - it's a roguelike turn-based rhythm action game with a powerful 8bit Zelda influence.

The high concept does, basically, say it all, but let's make sure we're all clear. To move, you tap the direction you want to go in time with a beat. To attack some sort of underworldly monster, you tap in its direction in time with the beat. To buy something from the singing shopkeeper... well, you get the gist. Were the rhythm element a tacked on gimmick, it would probably be annoying. But it's not - it's right at the heart of everything this game does, and it's been lovingly engineered to feel deeply satisfying.

Where a more lightweight game might have rested on that rhythm mechanic, however, Crypt of the Necromancer demands that you go deeper. There are strict rules around how the massive roster of enemies works, behind how weapons operate, on what spells can and can't do. Fail to learn them at your peril. The dungeons, which are procedurally generated, are constantly on the move, but that rule set is your key to getting through it.

Plus, the Danny Baranowsky soundtrack is great. PLUS, with this console edition you get the added bonus of the AMPLIFIED prequel DLC.

Crypt of the Necrodancer is definitely idiosyncratic in its strange genre mash-up, but it has been executed with a precision and a focus that make it a worthy addition to the libraries of roguelike fans and rhythm game players alike.