If they were trying to sell this game on curiosity alone, the name and main character might actually spark enough of it. Winnie’s Hole sounds like a grimy dive bar that you go to for after-work drinks, and the waitress named Sue (Sorry Sue, love you) already has your order. What hides underneath that name is a clever, well put-together Roguelite that is hard to put down.
Winnie’s Hole provides a shock value moment right at the start. Winnie, our beloved bear from our childhood and adorable t-shirts, has become infected by a mutant virus that is taking over their body. On the journey to find help, he will find many a familiar character, friend and foe, as well as extra limbs that, near the end, make him look like something from Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
The gameplay is fast, decisive, and one of the most original aspects of the game. You are presented with a board with icons representing attacks, defenses, and other boons or banes you’ve collected. In a puzzle-like style, you fit the pieces present to cover the spots you want to use that turn, with your enemy’s intentions already displayed for maximum strategy. It’s all about placing the piece on the board at the right time and covering a large hit or stunning the enemy at the exact moment they are launching a mega attack, which is so satisfying.
The traditional node tree is out the door as well. Instead, it is replaced with a “Virus Tetris” style game, where you fit pieces inside Winnie, collecting power ups and improvements along the way. It really is creative and thought-provoking, and I’m just not sure I can go back to traditional skill nodes after seeing it.
The graphical style goes for a gut punch in horror and shock, and it provides. Grotesque characters and Winnie himself in his many forms create some of the shudder moments for the game. There were a few times, after seeing the newest limb that had been added to his body, that even I gave a little chill or an audible “Ew”, followed by a smile or giggle.
Winnie’s Hole | 94/100
Developer: Twice Different
Yes, the name maybe be provoking, and the initial graphics could really make your partner wonder what you are playing or into, but inside Winnie’s Hole lies a solid, “one more run” catching roguelite. I’m going to be visiting the woods more often and honey is the last thing I’ll be having.
