PERISH | PS5 Review

A longing soul seeking sanctuary in Elysium is the driving force behind this sectional arena based FPS roguelike. From the haunted depths of the Greek underworld to the brilliant shores of Elysium our would be hero will makes his way through various rites, and trials as he seeks to defeat the guardians lying in wait. The ultimate prize being that of the release from eternal suffering. 

Using period inaccurate weaponry, power imbued crowns, special effect rings, throwing daggers, and consumables the hero trudges forward against a seemingly endless army of darkness that is Hellbent on stopping him dead in his tracks. The only guiding light being that of a priestess who leads the path forward as the orator of the epic adventure. 

As a nameless dead soul damned to the Geek underworld, and it's labyrinthine interior you find yourself at the mercy of the only guidance afforded to you there. That guiding light being the resident priestess who will aid you on your journey as you face Orphic and Dread trials in hopes of defeating the guardians of each area. Through a portal in Pantheon you'll trek forth into the randomized ritualistic rooms harboring individual trials wherein different objectives must be completed, not only to progress, but to deck out your passive abilities via ability cards. That, and unlocked weaponry/items will be your reward for success.

As you lay down the smack on the denizens of the damned using melee weapons, guns, or throwing weapons you will earn currency that can be stored, and spent back at the Pantheon on return visits to shop for better gear, and loadout items. This includes rings, crowns, consumables, and even bonus Orphic rites which are add-on objectives that can be completed to further unlock equipment options. It is this grinding for currency and unlocks that will better prepare you for the grueling tasks ahead.

While PERISH comes in four different difficulty settings including easy, normal, hard, and Tartaros I'd be lying if I didn't say they were all challenging to some degree. On top of that the game offers up two different routes that further the challenge, respectively. You have the basic journey to Elysium which is a randomized roguelike consisting of sectional trials, and the occasional boss fight as well as the secondary Exodus route which will require a completion of the former route, and the better equipment earned through that to master the four named chapters there.

Weaponry, and equipment aside PERISH has some base mechanics that will come in handy in the traversal of the various arenas, and areas. Your character, with a melee weapon on hand, has a guard and attack option. Alternatively with a gun it's an ADS option that replaces the guard. With R3 they also have what I like to call a "THIS IS SPARTAAAA!" kick for disarming/staggering armored foes as well as downing lesser enemy types. 

As far as throwables go you gain access to a limited explosive Saltpetre flask, and throwing daggers that can be replenished over time. The throwing daggers, in particular, can be used in certain Orphic rites as a means to kill enemies or as a means to break environmental objects like chains. In the way of movement options you have a dash that is reliant on stamina, and an air dash that allows for crossing platforming pitfalls or for avoiding traps/enemy attacks. Combining these mechanics in the most efficient manner is the key to overcoming the odds that are stacked against you.

Aside from weapons gear like crowns, and rings add to your characters passive abilities. Some rings like the Arc ring will blast enemies with lightning while certain crowns will add to the health pool or make currency earnings more lucrative, among other things. Depending on the ring or crown the effect will vary, but only one of each can be equipped at a time. In addition to these loadout options each run will net you a passive ability card of choice after you have completed a trial, or found a corpse that gifts them. These ability cards are randomly offered, and do things like enhance damage for certain attacks or add to mobility as well as up the currency earnings. These are stackable so long as you continue forward to the next priest statue, and don't stop to store currency back at the Pantheon.

After each and every trial there is a room wherein you can restock Saltpetre flasks, change weapons, change crowns, and can refill one chain of health. Early on you'll also be able to unlock your first alternate melee weapon. From that point you can opt to take the portal back to Pantheon to bank your current currency, or go forward activating another priest statue kicking off another trial or boss encounter depending upon how far you are into the playthrough.

When it comes to secrets, and hidden items the game does have a few in the form of codex tablets, relics, and skins that can be interacted with, and unlocked. Most of which is catalogued in the lore inclusive Codex menu. This includes background info on weapons, items, enemies, bosses, and lore related to the game's underworld. These secretive collectibles are, of course, for those looking for some side objective that is worthy of entertaining. It also plays into the PSN trophies allotted for the game.

The Presentation ...

Visually PERISH has a mixture of Egyptian and Greek themes of the mythological persuasion. All with a twisted cosmic horror vibe. Creatures are often times dark, grotesque, and twisted in form lending credence to the fact that you are traversing the afterlife from the river Styx forward. The environment itself is also dark and foreboding. A mixture of blacks, blues, reds, and yellows, but mostly blacks. 

As far as graphics are concerned it's very well polished for the PS5 era of hardware. A true new-gen quality fitting of modern day gaming. Audibly the soundtrack is filled with ambiance, and haunting tunes the reverberate through cavernous interiors. There's always the clashing and clanging of metal, and the moans, groans, and roars of the evil residents. That's and environmental sounds that incorporate the usage of trap based mechanisms, and things like pools of water.

The Verdict ...

In all honesty what PERISH turned out to be is not exactly what I expected. I had expected a more faithful QUAKE or DOOM-like experience. The fact that it's sectional with a rinse and repeat focus does hurt my opinion just a teeny bit. That being said it is a proper roguelike with tremendous replay value. The fact that no two runs will be the same incentivizes return playthroughs. And as challenging as the game might be even on the lowest difficulty setting it is not so off putting that it will turn you away. 

The combat itself is fast, fluid, and exceptionally satisfying. Every attack or kick holds weight, and even the gunplay is not so bad. I like that you have multiple options to deal with enemies, and that those options can be enhanced through ability cards and equipment. It allows the player to form their own playstyle. Overall PERISH earns it's place as one of the more impressive roguelikes of 2024. If you fancy a proper challenge, and love FPS games this will fill that void.