Backpack Hero Review (PC)

The ratwolf might not look like much on his own but he has a buddy and a goblin backing him up. The group is dangerous because it is throwing up shields while also launching attacks. This means I have to keep my own armor up during every turn and it’s getting hard to deliver solid damage to the three enemies. I use a poisoned kunai to soften them up a little.

I then use two of my energy reserves to click on the shield and make sure my health isn’t affected. Then I use the machete, which can only be used once a turn, to slash and, finally, deliver a trike with my wooden sword (I really hope someone drops a better weapon soon). It takes three more turns, but I eliminate the group.

With enough experience to level up, I chose to add three new spaces to my backpack on the right-hand side. I put a new piece of armor there, as well as a warm drink that will give me back health on use, and another throwing dart. The dungeon map reveals one place where I will get back 5 HP, as well as another battle and a mysterious encounter. It’s a guard soldier willing to give me a better weapon, which is very lucky.

Backpack Hero is developed by Jaspel and published by Different Tales and IndieArk. I played the PC version using Steam. The game is also offered on the PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series X and S, and older consoles from Microsoft and Sony. The title has a unique backpack-driven combat system that pairs well with a rogue-lite structure.

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The title offers a story mode, centered on a village named Haversack Hill. It’s right next to the dungeon and the home of the Purse, which is both a blessing and a curse. She’s looking for her mother and a large cast of characters is ready to give her advice on how to reach that goal while also developing the village in a variety of ways.

It’s a pretty basic fantasy setup but offers motivation and includes handcrafted quests. New characters stop by, opening up access to new buildings and offering players more information about the dungeon. Gamers will eventually be able to recruit other heroes who come complete with their unique playstyles.

Backpack Hero is, as the name suggests, all about managing space while using limited energy reserves to actually use weapons and items. At first, the backpack is made up of only nine squares, barely enough to fit a weapon, some armor options, and maybe a consumable. Players need to use them to defeat enemies.

When the backpack levels up, gamers can choose where to add three new empty squares. From defeated enemies, they can pick up exactly three items, which range from new weapons to armor (all have quality tiers) and from healing items to combat consumables. Some have special effects that activate depending on their position in the backpack or near other items (make sure to read the unique cards to see keywords and get full details).

There are always more things to put in than there’s space, so players need to focus on what they need and drop everything else. Some enemies also directly mess with the backpack, adding negative effects to items. There are also opportunities to re-organize in the middle of combat to acquire certain rewards. The system has depth and opens up a variety of approaches. As players move through the dungeon map, they need to make strategic decisions about points of interest, healing opportunities, and branching paths. There are also encounters with friendly faces, including merchants.

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Backpack Hero features boss battles at the end of each dungeon. It’s easy to fall in battle against them, especially when lacking a strong weapon or the ability to gain armor quickly. If players manage to exit to the overworld, they will turn their items into resources and then use those to improve Haversack Hill. This draws in more inhabitants and opens up the opportunity to research better items and new quest lines. Missions feature different starting loadouts and magical trinkets that tweak the mechanics, for example by adding a gem that gives players one extra energy point but disables items around it.

Backpack Hero’s biggest issue is the actual combat. The title offers perfect information about what enemies will do next, which is good. But battles become a little repetitive once players find a good configuration and stick with it. Town development is also pretty basic and relies too much on adding extra citizens. And after I made the change and lost to a boss, I spent the rest of the run thinking if the previous version would have served me better.

These complaints don’t make the backpack management concept less unique. I once spent around five minutes evaluating if I could modify a load-out and my combat approach to accommodate just one new weapon and its unique requirements.

Backpack Hero uses pixel graphics, like many other indie entries in its genre. The game’s combat and exploration take place in drab dungeons, although there are nice touches for the items and enemies. Things are a little more colorful when players talk to other characters and build in Haversack Hill. The game does a good job of giving players details about items and tactical info.

The sound design is less successful. Characters are not voiced but chirp in a made-up language, which becomes a little annoying and the world never comes alive through effects. The soundtrack, especially the one associated with dungeon action, is decent but needs more tracks to remain engaging in the long run.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion