Umigame opens in an almost cosy fashion. Soft lute strums fill your ears while scrolling text tells the story, accompanied by the oddly satisfying tap-tap of a keyboard. You play as an Umi, a water spirit summoned into the Haunted Swamp by the wicked Witch Maeve, whose corruption has turned nearly every creature against you.…
When a game drops you into a haunted swamp and keeps you there for the entire playthrough, you know you’re in for something different. Umigame, developed by Nimblegames and published by Phoenix Game, takes the roguelite formula and dunks it straight into murky waters. And honestly? I’m here for it.
This early access title wastes no time setting the stage. You’re an Umi – a water spirit – summoned by Witch Maeve who’s turned the swamp into her personal nightmare realm. The story unfolds through satisfying keyboard taps and soft lute music, creating an atmosphere that’s surprisingly cozy before everything goes sideways. It’s a charming introduction that quickly gives way to the chaos you’d expect from the genre.
Combat and Character Variety
Umigame starts you off with Lyra (an archer) and Olaf (a melee fighter), but the roster expands to four unique heroes. Each character feels distinct, from their combat style to their exclusive skill upgrades. Pearl, the fire-staff wielder, became my personal favorite. She’s a glass cannon through and through – keeping enemies at arm’s length while melting health bars, but one wrong move and you’re toast. The trade-off makes every encounter feel meaningful.
The combat system itself is smooth and responsive. Whether you’re swinging axes, launching arrows, or slicing through corrupted creatures, the feedback is satisfying. With over 150 unlockable skills to discover, there’s genuine depth here. The variety encourages experimentation, which is exactly what you want in a roguelite that demands multiple runs.
I will say the dialogue choices with NPCs, while appreciated, don’t really impact much. They’re nice flavor text that adds personality, but don’t expect branching narratives. Still, it’s a touch that separates Umigame from more mechanical roguelites.
Guardians: Your Tactical Edge
Here’s where things get interesting. Guardians act as deployable turrets that you place at the start of each run. Think tower defense meets action roguelite. These companions can be leveled up using “petals” currency and positioned strategically in rooms. Place them right, and they’ll clear entire areas while you focus on dodging.
The limitation? You can only activate one guardian at a time, even if you’ve placed multiple. It shifts the strategy from “more is better” to “location and timing matter most.” You’re also locked into your guardian choice for the entire run. No swapping mid-adventure, which forces commitment to your strategy from the jump.
Progression systems layer on top of each other nicely. Soulshards provide permanent upgrades between runs, ensuring death never feels like a complete setback. The Omnicore Resonance system adds difficulty modifiers for completed runs, offering better rewards and extending replayability well beyond your first victory. A methodical run might take four hours, but skilled players can blaze through in under 30 minutes.
Atmosphere and Polish
The soundtrack deserves special mention. Bouzouki tones blend with lute melodies to create something genuinely enchanting. Boss fights ramp up the urgency perfectly, matching the intensity without becoming overbearing. It’s clear the two-person development team put serious thought into the audio design.
Visually, Umigame embraces rich, saturated colors that bring the haunted swamp to life. The digital art style is clean and fluid. Characters only show their upper bodies with water pooling below, but the animation work keeps everything feeling dynamic.
Controls work well whether you prefer controller or mouse and keyboard. I experienced one full freeze that required a restart, and there’s a quirk where nudging the keyboard during controller play locks input. These are minor early access hiccups that shouldn’t persist long.
The Verdict
Umigame already offers a robust experience despite its early access status. The roadmap promises a fourth biome with final boss, additional enemies and guardians, three-player co-op, and expanded build variety. For fans of Hades, Dead Cells, or even Vampire Survivors looking for something fresh, this waterlogged adventure delivers.
The core loop works. The progression systems respect your time. The atmosphere charms. What more do you need? Dive into this swamp – you might just find your new obsession.
