TouchArcade Rating: A masterful blend of distinct gameplay styles is what makes Ocean Keeper shine. The game seamlessly integrates side-scrolling mining with top-down mech combat, creating a compelling and consistently rewarding experience. Think Blaster Master's vehicle/on-foot action, or the roguelike diving and restaurant management of Dave the Diver – Ocean Keeper achieves a similar level of cohesive gameplay.
In Ocean Keeper, you're a mech pilot crash-landed on an alien underwater planet. Your mission: delve into underwater caves to mine resources before waves of enemies attack your mech. The side-scrolling mining segments involve excavating rocks to uncover resources and artifacts, earning you in-game currency. Time is limited; once your mining window closes, you must defend your base in top-down twin-stick shooter action with light tower defense elements.
Resources fuel upgrades for both your mining equipment and your mech, via extensive branching skill trees. The roguelike nature means death resets your run's progress, but persistent unlocks between runs ensure continuous advancement. Procedurally generated overworld and cave layouts add replayability.
Initially, Ocean Keeper might feel slow, with challenging early runs. However, persistence pays off. As upgrades accumulate and skills improve, the gameplay loop becomes incredibly engaging. Experimenting with weapon and upgrade synergies is a core element of the fun. While the initial slow pace might be off-putting, the game's addictive loop and satisfying progression quickly make it a hard game to put down.
