Blockader is a roguelite arena shooter that sends players to the moon to combat waves of weird enemies in a circular battleground as space mice. The game has automatic weapon selection, random choices for upgrades and a long-term development mechanism for varied character builds each time.
The character starts their turn in the middle of the arena and is always encircled by attackers coming at them from all sides. Instead of just holding down the assault button players can lean into movement, dodging and picking upgrades. Positioning then becomes a key aspect of strategy.
If you kill enough foes, the wave bar fills up, and you’ll see a set of upgrade cards. The direction of development for the current turn is now decided.
Blockader contains 100+ Upgrade Cards in 4 rarity levels.These cards can add ammo, chain lightning, poison, dragon allies, arrows, and many other effects. Because selections appear turn-by-turn, players must consider what they have instead of trying to build a fixed formula.
For example, one turn might focus on a large amount of ammo to clear crowds, while another might prioritize poison or lightning effects to deal damage to multiple targets. The Space key allows you to reroll currently appearing cards, adding another layer of decision-making when the current selection doesn't fit your build.
With different effects appearing during each turn, the upgrade system gives players room to develop distinct builds based on the cards available. Ammo, chain lightning, poison, dragon allies, arrows, and other effects can shape how each run develops.
The interesting thing about Blockader lies in the progression outside of each turn. Stars won in battle can be utilised to enhance Gear into three groups: Offence, Defence and Utility. Each character now gets their own Skill Tree, creating a better foundation for future gameplay.
The game currently features 6 playable characters, along with a system to track unlocked upgrades and discovered mysteries. Besides surviving, players also aim to push the wave higher and compete on the leaderboard.
Don't just focus on eliminating the nearest target. As the number of enemies increases, space to move becomes a crucial resource. Maintaining a sufficient distance allows your auto-attack weapon time to deal with crowds, while also giving you the opportunity to redirect attacks from afar.
Another principle is that upgrades must complement each other. A powerful card unrelated to your current build is sometimes less valuable than an upgrade that completes the existing effect chain.
Blockader, therefore, not only asks "how long can you survive?", but also forces players to consider what fighting style each upgrade will transform their character into.
