TouchArcade Game of the Week: ‘Ocean Keeper’

TouchArcade Rating: A masterful blend of distinct gameplay styles is what makes Ocean Keeper shine. Think Blaster Master's seamless transition between side-scrolling platforming and top-down shooter sections, or the unique combination of roguelike diving and restaurant management in Dave the Diver. Ocean Keeper, from RetroStyle Games, achieves a similar feat, creating a compelling gameplay loop and upgrade system that keeps you coming back for more.

In Ocean Keeper, you're stranded on an alien underwater planet in your powerful mech. Your mission: delve into underwater caves to mine resources. However, time is of the essence – waves of enemies are constantly approaching, requiring you to defend your base in your mech. The mining segments, presented in side-view, involve excavating rocks to uncover resources and artifacts, earning you in-game currency. This mining phase is time-limited, leading to intense action once the enemies attack. Back in your mech, the game shifts to a top-down twin-stick shooter with light tower defense elements, challenging you to repel waves of bizarre underwater creatures.

All mined resources are used to upgrade both your mining equipment and your mech, with extensive branching skill trees for both. The roguelike nature means death ends your run, resetting upgrades and abilities. However, persistent upgrades unlockable between runs ensure continuous progress, even after setbacks. Furthermore, the overworld and cave layouts are procedurally generated, guaranteeing replayability.

It's worth noting that Ocean Keeper has a slow start, and early runs can be challenging. However, persevere! As upgrades accumulate and skills improve, the game's flow becomes clearer, transforming you into a formidable underwater mech warrior. The synergy between weapons and upgrades forms the game's core, encouraging experimentation with different builds and strategies. While initially hesitant, the game's momentum is undeniable, making it difficult to put down once it picks up.