TouchArcade Game of the Week: ‘Ocean Keeper’

TouchArcade Rating: A masterful blend of disparate gameplay styles is always a treat, and Ocean Keeper delivers just that. Think Blaster Master's blend of side-scrolling and top-down action, or the recent hit Dave the Diver's fusion of roguelike diving and restaurant management. Ocean Keeper from RetroStyle Games seamlessly integrates two distinct mechanics, creating an addictive gameplay loop and upgrade system that keeps you coming back for more.

The core concept is simple: you've crash-landed on an alien underwater planet in your powerful mech. You'll explore underwater caves in side-scrolling mining sequences, gathering resources and artifacts while earning coins. However, time is limited; waves of enemies are approaching, demanding you return to your mech to engage in top-down twin-stick shooter combat with light tower defense elements.

Resources fuel upgrades for both your mining equipment and your mech, with extensive branching skill trees for each. The roguelike element means death resets your progress within a run, but persistent upgrades between runs ensure steady advancement. Expect varied overworld and cave layouts for replayability.

Initially, Ocean Keeper might feel slow, with challenging early runs. However, persistence pays off. As upgrades accumulate and skills improve, you'll master the game's flow, transforming into an unstoppable underwater force. The synergy between weapons and upgrades is the game's strength, encouraging experimentation with different builds and strategies. While the initial slow pace might be off-putting, the later stages of Ocean Keeper are incredibly engaging and difficult to put down.