Deflector Hands-PK LUCK on Impressions

Deflector is formatted in an incredibly familiar way to many other action roguelikes, with each run taking 30-40 minutes on average, with you fighting through bosses and enemies while growing in strength as you progress. Each run initially gives you a choice between one of four locations, each area having its unique threats and hazards. Each run consists of completing three of the four areas in succession, with increasing difficulty as you proceed, and then finally defeating The Source at the end. Each area has a set of encounters, each with varying challenges and rewards, along with both a Great Virus and an Apex Virus. These act as minibosses and main bosses, respectively, and lead to some of the most interesting upgrades for your character.

Combat feels utterly wonderful within Deflector PK LUCK. Each room consists of you killing hordes of enemies with a series of different attacks and abilities. As the title would suggest, Deflecting is a big part of the flow of combat, with the latter parts of the game leaning into bullet hell territory; however, the flow between deflecting, dodging and attacking feels incredibly natural and never feels overwhelming. Different Bioshells have functionally different deflect mechanics which makes even the game’s core mechanic have a lot of unique variety. For example, the Slasher Bioshell has a 360-degree deflect, which is incredibly safe but lacks precision, while the first Bioshell has a shield which deflects in a smaller radius but with higher precision (and can also deflect his boomerang, which is unreasonably satisfying).

Upgrade Types:

• Core Attributes: Increase main stats (Attack, Health, Deflect).
• Mutations: Small upgrades to base systems.
• Evolution: Modifies or changes your main attack.
• Nucleolus: Powerful abilities themed around Apex Viruses.

Sources of Upgrades:

• Nucleolus comes from Apex Viruses.

• Evolution comes from Great Viruses.

Build and Playstyle Variety:

• Strong synergy between upgrades and abilities.
• 6 unique Bioshells offer drastically different and creative playstyles.

Meta-Progression System:

• Collect DNA and conduct Research during runs.
• Research unlocks new Mutations for future runs.
• DNA is spent on upgrades.

Enhancements:

• Permanent Enhancements: Passive effects (e.g., better healing, more shops).
• Activated Enhancements: Powerful but limited to prevent overpowered builds.

In summary, the game features a rich upgrade system, diverse character playstyles, and a balanced meta-progression design that encourages experimentation while preventing excessive power scaling.