TouchArcade Rating: A masterful blend of distinct gameplay styles is what makes Ocean Keeper shine. It seamlessly integrates side-scrolling mining with top-down mech combat, creating a compelling and replayable experience reminiscent of titles like Blaster Master and Dave the Diver.
In Ocean Keeper, you're a pilot who crash-lands on an alien underwater planet. Your mission: harvest resources from underwater caves using your mech's mining drill, all while fending off waves of aggressive sea creatures. The side-scrolling mining segments focus on excavating resources and artifacts to earn in-game currency. Time is of the essence, as enemy attacks trigger after a set period. The action shifts to a top-down twin-stick shooter when you return to your mech, requiring strategic defense against increasingly challenging enemy waves.
Resources fuel upgrades for both your mining drill and your mech, offering extensive branching skill trees. The roguelike element means death resets your progress within a run, but persistent upgrades ensure continuous advancement between attempts. Procedurally generated overworld and cave layouts add to the replayability.
While the initial stages might feel slow and challenging, perseverance is key. As you unlock upgrades and refine your skills, Ocean Keeper truly blossoms into a thrilling and addictive experience. Experimenting with different weapon and upgrade combinations is a core element of the game's appeal. Initially uncertain, I found myself captivated by Ocean Keeper's unique blend of mechanics and rewarding progression system. Once the momentum builds, it's hard to put down.
