TouchArcade Rating: A masterful blend of distinct gameplay styles is what makes Ocean Keeper shine. It successfully integrates side-scrolling mining with top-down mech combat, creating a compelling and consistently engaging experience reminiscent of titles like Blaster Master and Dave the Diver.
In Ocean Keeper, you pilot a mech on a strange underwater planet, venturing into subterranean caves to gather resources. Time is of the essence, however, as waves of enemies relentlessly attack your base. The side-scrolling mining segments involve excavating rocks to uncover resources and artifacts, earning you in-game currency. This mining phase is time-limited, forcing a strategic balance between resource acquisition and defense preparation. Once the enemies breach your defenses, the game shifts to a top-down twin-stick shooter with light tower defense elements, requiring you to repel various aquatic creatures.
Resources are crucial for upgrading both your mining equipment and your mech, with extensive branching skill trees for both. The roguelike nature means death results in the loss of run-specific upgrades, but persistent unlocks between runs ensure continuous progression. Procedurally generated overworld and cave layouts guarantee replayability.
While the initial stages might feel slow, and early runs challenging, perseverance is rewarded. As upgrades accumulate and skills improve, the gameplay loop becomes increasingly rewarding. Experimenting with weapon and upgrade synergies is a core element of the game's appeal, encouraging diverse playstyles and strategic depth. Despite a slow start, Ocean Keeper's addictive gameplay loop and satisfying progression make it difficult to put down once it gains momentum.
