The Serpent Rogue is an action-adventure game built around exploring a medieval fantasy world, mastering the art of alchemy, and taming wild creatures. Playing as a mysterious alchemist known only as The Warden, you will craft, brew, boil and concoct potions all in your stead to protect the realm from the dreadful Serpent Rogue...

Master the art of alchemy and tame wild creatures

The Serpent Rogue is not a game for the novice gamer, or anyone who likes to burn through levels without using their brain much. The player is rewarded for exploring every nook and cranny, as well as thinking carefully about every action.

The game demands your full attention, something I learnt the hard way. Because I had several review games on the go, I started this one just to get a taster. When I returned I realised I was completely stuck in an area where I had no idea what to do, or how to proceed. Everything I tried failed to work... and so I ended up restarting in order to fully focus on the game.

The ominous Serpent Rogue has laid down roots on Mount Morbus. Its evil is spreading quickly, and it threatens to overwhelm the realm. It is your task, as the Warden, to confront the Serpent Rogue and bring peace and tranquility to the land. Explore every inch of the map, unearth secret passages and expand your knowledge to stand against the incoming disaster.

Danger lurks around every corner

To help you in your quest, you'll need to learn and use alchemy skills, craft and experiment with different ingredients to create potions each with its own unique effects.

Every now and then you'll come across quests that you can undertake for the inhabitants of the world, for which you will receive rewards to further help you.

You'll also have to be wary of setting off a chain of events that hinder your progress. For example, if you keep too many creatures in one place you run the risk of attracting blood-thirsty reapers. If you don't bury corpses you may attract corpse-eating ghouls. And if you hoard too many items in one location you could attract plague-spreading vermin. As you progress you'll also learn how to shapeshift into different creatures.

It's an engaging game that can be as deep as you want it to be

The graphics are bright and bold, with the playable character looking like a cross between the Black Spy in Spy Vs. Spy and the eerie plague doctors of the 17th Century.

It's an engaging game that can be as deep as you want it to be. It will also give your brain a little bit of a workout. Just take your time and soak up the environment and you'll be richly rewarded.

7

Darren Rea