REVIEW – It’s becoming increasingly exhausting to see one successful game spawn a wave of imitators, each developer jumping on the same formula. Polish studio Dark Point Games has followed suit: we’re looking at yet another roguelite with auto-battling mechanics, though this time it’s a follow-up to Achilles: Legends Untold – which, at least, was a Souls-like action RPG. This franchise, however, has veered off in a completely new direction.

If you’re only interested in moving your character while the game does most of the aiming and attacking for you, you’re in the right place.

Mythology Meets Survivors

Essentially, this is Vampire Survivors with an ancient mythological skin: skeletons, spiders, giants, and all sorts of monstrous foes flood the screen. Maps offer varying objectives – kill a boss, survive a set time, open or close a portal – but the real test is holding your ground against hundreds, sometimes thousands, of enemies. To survive, you need to dodge efficiently and pick the right moment to attack. The controls are straightforward: you use only the left analog stick on the DualSense for movement. So far, so good. Level-ups let you choose from four perks, adding light progression – it’s not a deep system, but picking the right bonuses does make upgrades enjoyable. There are also permanent upgrades available between runs.

Statistics here are labeled “Favors” (in A:S terminology), improving combat, economy, or survivability. While it’s tempting to go all-in on attack, you’ll regret neglecting other stats. On top of this, you’ll find build points on the map where you can place flame-spewing cannons, spinning blades, or healing and merchant stations – sometimes increasing your maximum health, too. This little innovation gives the game a touch of identity in a crowded genre. Multiple characters and challenges are also unlockable, so there’s plenty to do.

But that’s also a weakness: this is the kind of game that only asks for half your attention. You can easily play it “one-eyed,” as repetition quickly sets in, making it lose its spark. Levels are fairly small – which might actually be an upside. The construction mechanic adds a tiny bit of tactical depth, lending Dark Point Games’ effort a slight edge.

On the graphics front, Achilles: Survivor holds its own. That’s rare in this genre, where visuals are often bare-bones, or if they are 3D, they feel like relics from two decades ago. Here, everything is pleasingly detailed, and the action remains clear and readable at all times.

The Achilles’ Heel

Once again, here’s a game that doesn’t merit – or even allow – lengthy analysis. If you’ve played one of these, you’ve basically played them all. I’ve already covered the minor tweaks and differences. In terms of sound, there’s nothing of note: it works, but not much more. The Greek motifs are a nice touch, though. The story is forgettable, but that’s not why anyone will boot this up. The classic visuals – ruined castles, temples, beaches – are mixed nicely with modern presentation, and overall, the design is solid. On PlayStation 5, the top-down view is serviceable… mostly. Sometimes textures load too late between levels. And in endless mode, the frame rate can drop sharply, which is a pain. Even though the controls are generally smooth – including the use of the DualSense touchpad, which takes getting used to – those performance drops really mess up your rhythm. That alone warrants a harsher score. On PC, I’d probably rate it a bit higher than on console – it’s one of those “deserves two scores” situations.

If you’re considering a longer-term commitment, it’s probably smarter to stick with the PC version.

I’ll Survive (Well, Maybe Not)

There’s not much reason to dwell on Achilles: Survivor. The visuals are nicely done, the building mechanics add some variety to the familiar gameplay loop, and it can genuinely be entertaining… until the repetition takes over. That’s when it stops deserving an 8/10 and slides down the scale. Generously, it gets a 7/10, or 7.5 on PC, but lower on PS5 due to performance issues. It’s not bad, just not memorable. If you enjoy Vampire Survivors-style games and dig ancient mythology, it’s worth a shot. That’s about it.

-V-

Developer: Dark Point Games
Publisher: Dark Point Games, Galactus
Genre: Vampire Survivors clone
Release date: July 29, 2025