TouchArcade Rating: A masterful blend of distinct gameplay styles is what makes Ocean Keeper shine. It successfully merges side-scrolling mining with top-down mech combat, creating a compelling and replayable 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 caves to mine resources before facing waves of enemies. The side-scrolling mining segments involve excavating rocks for resources and artifacts, earning in-game currency. This mining phase is time-limited, forcing a strategic balance between resource gathering and combat preparation. The subsequent top-down twin-stick shooter sections feature light tower defense elements as you defend your mech against increasingly challenging underwater creatures.
Resources fuel upgrades for both your mining equipment and your mech, with extensive branching skill trees offering diverse customization options. The roguelike nature means death results in lost progress within a run, but persistent upgrades between runs ensure continuous advancement. Procedurally generated overworld and cave layouts add to the replayability.
While the initial stages might feel slow with challenging early runs, persistence is rewarded. As upgrades accumulate and skills improve, Ocean Keeper transforms into a thrilling cycle of resource management, strategic combat, and satisfying mech destruction. Experimenting with weapon and upgrade synergies forms the core of the gameplay loop, encouraging diverse playstyles and build experimentation. Despite a slow start, the addictive gameplay loop and rewarding progression make Ocean Keeper a truly captivating experience.
