Now that the Balatro dust has settled, if you’re always on the lookout for the best new roguelike games like I am, newcomer Ants Took My Eyeball is one you’ll definitely want to check out. A Spelunky style descent into an ever-shifting anthill, with combat striking a satisfying blend between Terraria and Dead Cells, and boasting a range of delightful, customizable weaponry that would make Enter the Gungeon proud, this 2D action platformer just launched on Steam, and you can even get a little discount if you pick it up soon.
Ants Took My Eyeball is a gorgeous pixel graphics adventure that sees you on the ultimate revenge mission: descending into the depths of an anthill in an attempt to reclaim your stolen eyeball. There are comparisons to draw to many of the best roguelike games; the sprawling network of corridors and its blend of biomes, foes, and loot are all very reminiscent of Spelunky, Dead Cells, and maybe even the original Risk of Rain, but the overall vibe and pacing of exploration and combat actually most reminds me of Terraria, especially during some of its bigger boss encounters.
As you explore, you’ll grab lots and lots of loot – a wide variety of both melee and ranged weapons are at your disposal, along with plenty of bonus gadgets and trinkets bestowing all manner of bonuses to complement your build. Unwanted items can be scrapped for gold and parts, which you can then use at upgrade stations to improve the gear you’re actually using.
There are lots of other fun features to discover, too – one of my personal favorite risk/reward mechanics is the sarcophagi that typically appear at the end of slightly awkward corridors. Break one open and you’ll be showered in money and components… but it also revives all the nearby enemies in a ghostly form, creating a rather frantic problem for you to solve.
You’ll return to your base between runs and unlock Hades-style house upgrades that can give you a headstart on future runs or even offer mid-run bonuses. For example, installing the coffee maker will cause a coffee consumable to appear in each level that temporarily buffs your melee speed, fire rate, and reload speed when drunk, while the ammo belt rack gives you a capacity upgrade to all ammo types from the start of every run.
Ants Took My Eyeball is out now on Steam, with a 10% launch discount available until Friday May 3. That means you can expect to pay $15.29/£12.86 if you buy it before that date, or $16.99/£14.29 afterwards. It also supports up to four-player local co-op, although there’s currently no online support so you’ll have to turn to Steam’s remote play tools if you want to join friends over the internet.
Looking to put your platforming proficiency into practice? Check out even more of the best platform games on PC. We’ve also rounded up our picks of the best indie games out right now, with plenty of smaller titles that you might have missed.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.