Necroposting here (apologies), but we just did a preview of Brut@l on the
Laserbeards Gaming Podcast Episode 6Whilst the game is action based, real time, twitch attack and block, it's mechanics are firmly leaning towards the roguelike. Perhaps it is a roguelite, but it pays homage to ASCII RL's much more than any roguelite I've seen about.
Most roguelites take one or two mechanics from roguelikes and build a novel action game around that. Brut@l seems to take quite a lot of roguelike mechanics and adds a splash of action gaming. They take the ASCII purity, but spin it in an artistic (and functional) way to almost celebrate it. You collect the ASCII characters to use in crafting and enchanting weapons. Hunger clock. Pizza. Randomised potions.
Your top down view of the map is pure 2d ASCII.
This game is never going to appeal to purist roguelike players, but it is advancing the genre more-so than most roguelites. This game could bridge the gap between action orientated players and true roguelikes. with luck they will enjoy it and its mechanics enough to dig deeper and come to proper roguelikes in the future.
Worth a look-see, IMHO moreso than the likes of Binding of Isaac or even Spelunky.
spelk/Ian
Laserbeard
Roguelike Enthusiast