Ending this look at the Jingle Jam Games Collection is Rogue Waters, a turn-based tactics game wrapped up with roguelike trappings. Developed by Ice Code Games, I’ve found myself enjoying what is offered here. There’s plenty of tactical moves to make, with the roguelike elements adding more to those choices rather than upending them. It is a major strength of the game.

Starting out with a battle on board a ship, Cutter is under Captain Blackbone as he hunts for the Eye of the Goddess. Some rival pirates have boarded, with this first battle teaching how things are done through the tooltips as it progresses. Pirates have movement and attacking options, with them needing to be in range of the enemy to attack.

Environment plays a part in these battles, as attacking forces units backwards. As such, they can be forced to impact against objects or even each other to take more damage. Ropes can extend movement range, while fires will burn enemies while they stand on them. Tactics in boarding battles are further fuelled when ranged attacks and bombs come into play.

With the first battle complete, things move onto the ship battles. Again turn-based, there are three turns in which to do damage to parts of the enemy vessel. Whether the cannons they use to attack me, the modules installed to buff their forces, or even trying to reduce the number of units faced during the boarding battle. Indicators will show what the enemy intend to do each turn, allowing me to counter those actions before they happen.

Once at the temple where the Eye of the Goddess rests, Cutter takes the gem. And against his will is forced to replace one of his eyes with it. Blackbone feels betrayed from that action, demanding the gem back. Trying to flee, Cutter falls down a pit. Waking up 14 years later to find only Wilkes remaining, he finds himself at a pirate cave with a ship waiting for him. Everything he needs to get revenge against Blackbone is here.

This being a roguelike, things aren’t easy to start with. Whether progressing the story or on expeditions, failure is sure to happen. Fortunately, everything utilised at the pirate cave are permanent upgrades. New cannons, new modules, new crewmates can all be bought here using the glass and blueprints earnt from heading out onto the seas. Along with improving the crew when they have levelled up from battles out on the seas.

During the adventures on the sea, new equipment and upgrades are temporary. Only for that run. Alongside the battles will be quests, which offer rewards the same as battles. But sometimes there can be a great cost involved, whether that just be paying up some gold or even reducing a unit’s health. Whether ship or crew. The choices of where to go on this adventure are also more tactical, with less crossover between choices than other roguelikes might offer.

One thing I enjoyed about Rogue Waters is the story. Cutscenes, while being nothing but portraits on a background, are fully voiced. Interactions are fun to listen to, providing a lot of personality to the characters involved. While I’ve not progressed far into the story yet, I have enjoyed what the characters discuss on story quests. And even with the text-only quests found out on the sea.

There’s four difficulty options, allowing all skill levels to enjoy what it holds. The higher the difficulty, the greater the currency and experience earnt in battles. I settled on normal, which is the just on the threshold of my skill at tactical games, and feel that the difficulty I’m facing is fair when also considering the roguelike trappings that favour repeat runs.

With everything I have said about it, I can easily recommend Rogue Waters. The fun interactions in the story, the strategy of the gameplay, the ease of controlling it, all combine to make a great game. All the information that needs conveying is easily read, with the glossary making it easy to look up things if needing a refresher. And so far, I’ve encountered nothing that impacts the overall experience.

Rogue Waters is part of the Jingle Jam Games Collection. Jingle Jam, running from 1-14/December, is a charity event that helps support various charities each year. Various fundraisers are streaming across these two weeks, all to help raise awareness and funds for the charities. For donating £35 or more to the cause, you will get the Games Collection, which features this game along with 14 others. And a few extras, such as a Fanatical Wheel Spin.

Images Taken From:
Rogue Waters | PC