The demonstration of Ball X Pit, showcased prominently by Devolver, effectively combines Atari's Breakout with thegame Vampire Survivors, thus alleviating my weariness associated with roguelike games.

The demonstration of Ball X Pit, showcased prominently by Devolver, effectively combines Atari's Breakout with thegame Vampire Survivors, thus alleviating my weariness associated with roguelike games.

If you're anything like me, a rambunctious Gen Z gamer hooked on caffeine and distractions, ancient games like Pong and Breakout won't tickle your fancy. I mean, what's the point if it ain't got roguelite elements, a mountain of stacking upgrades, or an immersive setting? Ball X Pit, Devolver Digital's summer star, spilled the beans about this high-octane brick-breaker that's been supercharged with fresh twists during their Summer Game Fest show. I got my hands on a demo prior to the big reveal.

Skeleton troops, shaped as blocks and rectangles, relentlessly march down a vertical column in an attempt to blast you to smithereens and get to the bottom, while you zip around blasting balls left and right. When you catch these balls mid-air, they sear off wherever you aim. The core mechanics already have some depth to them: aim wide and let your balls scatter to take down large groups with ricochets, or pin them down by getting up close and splattering them with rapid-fire.

But the real fun begins once you start leveling up and collecting special balls. This rollicking arsenal includes the broodmother ball, which spawns offspring as it soars, the incendiary ball that charbroils enemies, and the midnight oil ball that turns flaming enemies into ticking time bombs, among countless more vibrant selections. Ball X Pit transforms from a minimalist layout to a pulsating, in-your-face spectacle in minutes.

Each special ball brings its own arsenal of upgrades and potential fusions with other special balls. Before long, you're wrestling with split-second decisions amidst a torrent of automatic laser fire and screen-coating explosions. Boss enemies will push your strategy to the limit as skeleton hordes get tougher and tougher, leaving you hankering for just one more level-up to survive a few more seconds.

Between battles, you dart back to New Ballbylon (yes, seriously) and splurge whatever coins you've earned on meta-progression stuff. New buildings, new playable characters, new power-up opportunities—it's business as usual, but this time you're doing it in a remarkably madcap ball-bouncing brick-breaker.

Honestly, I thought I'd grown weary of the roguelike formula, and Ball X Pit delivers an impressive buffet of familiar concepts formerly seen aplenty. But the sheer, adrenaline-spiking excitement within the demo was akin to a power-scaling drug I can't get enough of in games like Risk of Rain and Enter the Gungeon.

Keep in mind, Ball X Pit claws at your attention, and it knows exactly what it's doing. You might think you're sick of the genre, but trust me, a few minutes with its ball-bouncing brick-breaking action will hook you like a fish. If you wanna get a taste of the arena, you can wishlist Ball X Pit or join the demo on Steam.

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If you're eager to check out Ball X Pit, give the wishlist a tick or play the demo on Steam.

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Contributor: Justin WagnerJustin caught the PC gaming buzz when World of Warcraft and Neverwinter Nights 2 infected his innocent mind as a wide-eyed minor. Since then, he's hoarded an embarrassingly large library of retro shooters, role-playing games, and quirky '90s relics. If he's not typing away at his trusty keyboard, he can often be found birdwatching or fantasizing about the glory days of real-time with pause combat. Stay tuned—he'll someday make that extraordinary comeback!

1. If you're a fan of technology-driven games and are looking for the next big title, be sure to add Ball X Pit to your wishlist on Steam, or try out the demo for a taste of its adrenaline-spiking brick-breaking action.
2. In Ball X Pit, you'll find an impressive array of gadgets and special balls that add depth to the gameplay, including the broodmother ball, the incendiary ball, and the midnight oil ball, among others.
3. As you progress through Ball X Pit and collect these special balls, you'll unlock a variety of upgrades and potential fusions, transforming the game from a minimalist layout to a pulsating, in-your-face spectacle.

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