TouchArcade Rating:

I adore games that seamlessly blend disparate gameplay styles into a cohesive whole. Think Blaster Master's blend of side-scrolling platforming and top-down shooting, or the recent hit Dave the Diver, which masterfully combines roguelike diving with restaurant management. Ocean Keeper from RetroStyle Games joins this elite club, successfully merging distinct mechanics within a compelling loop and rewarding upgrade path that keeps you coming back for more.

In Ocean Keeper, you crash-land your awesome mech onto a bizarre underwater planet. Your mission: delve into underwater caves to harvest resources. But be warned, waves of enemies are constantly closing in, forcing you to defend your base in your mech. The mining sections unfold from a side-on perspective, requiring you to excavate rocks for resources and artifacts, earning you coins in the process. You have a limited time to mine before the enemy onslaught begins. Once back in your mech, the perspective shifts to a top-down twin-stick shooter with light tower defense elements, as you fend off waves of strange underwater creatures.

All resources fuel upgrades for both your miner and mech, with extensive branching skill trees for each. This is a roguelike, meaning death during the combat phase ends your run, losing any upgrades earned. However, persistent upgrades and customizations unlockable between runs ensure consistent progress, even after a few setbacks. Expect varied overworld and cave layouts with each playthrough.

It's worth noting that Ocean Keeper starts slowly, and early runs can be challenging. Persevere, though! As upgrades flow, skills improve, and you grasp the game's rhythm, you'll transform into an underwater mech-wrecking machine. The synergistic interplay between weapons and upgrades is the game's core strength, making experimentation with builds and tactics endlessly fun. While I was initially hesitant due to the slow start, Ocean Keeper's addictive gameplay loop has captivated me completely.