Helvetiiis the latest indie roguelike to hit the scene. It’s different than most as they often tend to be top-down dungeon crawlers. This game, instead, is more stage based with the layout looking similar to a Metroidvania. The game doesn’t play like a Metroidvania though and is instead more likeMuramasa: The Demon Blade.
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The art style looks a lot like, other Vanillaware games, and another recent 2D action game,Sword of the Vagrant. So, it’s clear thatHelvetiiborrows a lot from other games, but how does it operate? Let’s go through some need-to-know early pointers.
6Lower Or Raise Enemy Damage
For those not accustomed to roguelikes, there is good news aboutHelvetii. There are two difficulties in the game, Normal or Hard, but only Normal can be chosen from the start. There is no Easy or Casual mode in the game but don’t lose hope yet.
There is alsoan assist-like featurethat can only be accessed on the title screen options. Players can raise or lower the amount of enemy damage they receive. 50% is the lowest level and 200% is the highest damage level. For starters, it’s best to turn that meter down to 50%. It depends on how fast players want to get through the game.
5Character Tips
Players get to choose between three characters on their runs. Divico has the best attack and defense and is like a noble samurai. Renart is like a thief and is agile. What he lacks in power he makes up for with his counterattack ability. Finally, there is the mage of the group, Nammeios, who is the toughest to master. His physical attack sends a bird out, leaving him vulnerable to attacks. While his magic is strong, it takes a while to charge up.
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Thankfully, players can go through a tutorial for each character to figure out their moves and how to play them more effectively. It’s recommended to try these tutorials out as they won’t take long. As far as recommended characters go, Divico is the obvious choice for beginners but Renart’s counter ability can be devastating in the right hands too. It’s a tossup but Nammeios is assuredly dead last due to his high learning curvefor a roguelike.
4Combat Tips
There are traps in the environment that can damage the heroes. For example, there are green vases that emit explosive poison once hit. Trigger those vases so that they harm enemies instead. It’s just like blowing up red barrels in a shooter. Another good combat tip forany action gamethat will allow it is to juggle enemies in the air.
If they are off guard then they can’t attack back. It’s as simple as that and this strategy even works for bosses. Finally, the best combat tip of all is to master the art of dodging through attacks. Most enemies will signal when they are about to attack and have repeated attack patterns. Learning these patterns will help players stay safe during combat.
3Upgrades To Focus On
There are four types of upgrades that players can purchase. First, it is important to note that players will earn skill points based on how well they did on the stage. Good grades will net more skill points and the reverse is true for a bad score. The more players repeat levels, the more upgrades they will unlock.
They can purchase skills for the whole team, or upgrades for each of the three heroes individually. At first, it’s wise to focus on team upgrades until players figure out who they want to main. A good early choice for the team is Breath of Lug 1, which will revive players slightly once per stage. Any sort of auto-life ability is appreciated inan action game.
2Explore The Full Map
Once bosses are defeated, a portal will open up. Jumping through will end the stage and award players with the aforementioned skill points.Helvetiishould not be treated as game playersshould speedrun through. It’s important to emphasize that players should take their time on each stage. If they find the boss early and defeat it then they should go back through the map and uncover unfinished business.
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The more battles that are fought, even if they go poorly, the more skill points can be earned. Also, one never knows what kinds of temporary bonuses are awaiting on a map. It’s best to power up heroes as much as possible early on because it gets hard fast for a roguelike.
1What To Buy
Each stage will have a vendor owl who is trying their best to sound likeThe Merchant fromResident Evil 4. “Howdy, Whatcha Buyin’?” That’s a pretty close catchphrase, but that’s not important. The owl’s inventory will rotate per stage and per run which should not be surprising for roguelike veterans.
The one thing that should always be there is Fae’s Apple which will heal the player for a measly five gold. Always be sure to stop by here before and after a boss if necessary. Healing, and having enough money for it, is more important than wasting money on other items in the store.
Helvetiiwas released on July 31, 2025, and is available on PC, PS4, and Switch.
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