“It’s just a 30-hour tutorial, and that’s it,” says the father of one of Steam’s biggest hits, taking aim at most of today’s RPGs. Luca Galante, creator of Vampire Survivors, believes that role-playing games often only become enjoyable once they’re nearly finished.

Luca Galante, best known as the mind behind Vampire Survivors, has once again sparked headlines after sharing his views on RPGs and how they handle progression. In a recent interview, he revealed that he often feels massive story-driven games act more like “extended tutorials,” since the most exciting abilities and combat options only unlock toward the end, leaving players little time to enjoy them.

He cited his experiences with recent genre heavyweights, claiming that he only began to truly enjoy their combat systems in the final hours. “It felt like 30 hours of story mode were just the tutorial”, Galante admitted. For him, this design philosophy robs many players of the chance to fully explore the mechanics when they’re at their most engaging.

For the Vampire Survivors Creator, Roguelikes Provide the Answer

This is where roguelike philosophy shines, according to Galante. Such games allow players to enjoy the mechanics from the very first minute, presenting constant challenges and offering replayability without forcing you to replay an entire storyline. “That’s when a roguelike is at its best: when you’ve mastered the mechanics and can just focus on the fun”, he said.

The rise of roguelikes is clear, and Galante welcomes how more franchises are experimenting with the format. Major titles like God of War: Ragnarök and The Last of Us Part II have added special roguelike-inspired modes, while indie successes show how the genre has spread across the industry. Even Nintendo has embraced it with the Donkey Kong Bananza DLC, which incorporates roguelike mechanics into its challenges.

Despite his enthusiasm, Galante acknowledges that all trends eventually fade. Still, he argues that this style of design offers a “natural” way to play, since it allows for fun from the very beginning. “These games let you enjoy yourself in so many different ways that, for me, it’s almost the right way to play”, he concluded, confident that roguelikes still have a long future ahead.

Source: 3djuegos