Runix: Pinball Roguelike

Pinball tables come in all shapes and sizes, but what if you’re looking for one that fights back? If your favorite pinball tables don’t have enough one-on-one combat, then let me introduce you to Runix: Pinball Roguelike, a fantasy-themed adventure that turns you into a real (literal) pinball wizard. That’s a cool setup for a game, but does this debut release from Meteor Forge live up to its full pinball potential? That’s what we’re about to find out in this review of Runix: Pinball Roguelike.

So, you want to use your magical powers to restore the Pinball Order? If that’s the case, then you’re going to need to go up against a series of increasingly powerful monsters on a series of fantasy-themed pinball tables. Runix is a one-on-one battle to the death using a small ball, a couple of flippers and lots and lots of objects to bounce off of. The goal is to choose a randomly assembled path that consists of battles with monsters, item shops, rest areas and story beats that will ask you to make a difficult decision. If you can survive long enough, you’ll reach the top of the path, where one of three massive bosses will keep you from advancing to the next pinball table.

For as wordy as the pop-up instructions are, Runix isn’t that hard to wrap you head around. For the most part, the trick is to fling the ball at the enemy in order to attack. Over time, the boss will charge up an attack that does a little damage to the player, but we can stop it in a number of different ways (depending on the enemy). You can also take damage to losing a ball, so, in that sense, normal pinball rules apply.

What takes this concept to the next level is how it uses the different bumpers and traditional pinball tropes to both command your troops and also complete helpful mini-quests that will pop up throughout the battle. This translates into sending an onslaught of arrows at the villain, backing you up as you smack them around with your pinball. You can also equip weapons that will give your ball both short and long-range attacks, which is yet another way to take down the monster, no matter what it is.

Of course, that thing you’re fighting against might actually be more prepared than you think. Sometimes you’ll want to hold back, because attacking with a ball will cause you damage, not him. Or maybe the monster will summon a magical whirlwind that will pull you in and cause the player trouble. A lot of this game comes down to you learning how to attack and defend against each of the different types of repeating enemies.

You can also buy permanent upgrades that will make your next run a whole lot easier. The player will collect a bunch of jewels from each run, no matter how far into the adventure they get. The idea is to trade these jewels for upgrades, which can include stronger attacks, better armor, more aggressive arrows and longer-lasting spells. You can also upgrade the boss cards, giving you a much better shot of taking more damage and getting those critical hits. These permanent upgrades make a huge difference and can affect the game in a lot of substantial ways.

The same is true about the balls. While you start out with the typical silver pinball that we’re all used to, we’ll be able to earn and buy new balls that have special perks. For example, one might burn the enemy for a set amount of time, while another ball might be made out of a harder and more durable material. These perks are amplified through both the upgrades you buy between plays and the perks you collect from battling bosses and completing quests. These can make a big difference when it comes to battling some of the tougher bosses, especially in the final leg of your adventure.

Despite all of the fun roguelike elements, I suspect many will be disappointed by the lack of different tables. There are only three locations to fight through, each with their own table. It doesn’t change over time, so you’ll end up battling on the same table a dozen or so times before moving onto the next one, which can start to feel a bit repetitive over time. The problem is that these stages aren’t big or elaborate enough to sustain the repetition, so a lot of the battles end up feeling exactly the same.

It is worth mentioning that the second and third tables are a bit more involved than the first, offering ways to expand and change the table. For example, when battling through the icy tundra, you’ll be able to aim the ball into isolated parts of the board, where you can quickly earn more gold and magic. The volcano region has new ramps you can add to the board, which will mix things up a little bit. Unfortunately, neither of these additions make much of a difference in battle, only hinting at what could have been more ambitious and compelling pinball tables.

What I find so frustrating about Runix is that it’s so close to being great. As you can tell from the different balls, magical attributes, and upgrades you can buy, there’s a lot going on both during and after each run. The problem is that it doesn’t amount to much. It will only take you a few attempts to beat all three locations, and once you’ve done that, there’s nothing else to do. Oh sure, you can battle a never-ending string of boss battles on the table of your choosing, but all that does is remind you how limited the pinball elements are.

It doesn’t help that the graphics are bland and there’s basically no story to speak of. The draw of this game is the combination of pinball action and role-playing combat, yet only one of those is fleshed out enough to hold your interest. Once you’ve grown tired of the three tables and repetitive quest, you’ll have very little reason to jump back into Runix. The idea of a roguelike pinball game is a good one, but this game only gets us halfway there.