33 Immortals revolutionizes the roguelite genre with its multiplayer setup, allowing up to 33 players to cooperate in battles against monstrous foes. Drawing inspiration from Dante’s Divine Comedy, players embody damned souls fighting against divine judgment, utilizing various character abilities and weapons. The game features a visually stunning art style and encourages teamwork, with a focus on strategic cooperation. While challenges like repetitiveness exist, its unique premise and potential for growth during early access make it an engaging experience.
We had the opportunity to dive deep into the Windows version of the game alongside fellow journalists and content creators, as well as experiencing the official version available on the Epic Games Store.
A New “Expedition 33” for This Year
33 Immortals brings a fresh twist to the roguelite genre, featuring isometric action gameplay that draws inspiration from Hades, yet introduces a groundbreaking multiplayer aspect that sets it apart. Unlike traditional cooperative games designed for two or four players, such as the enjoyable Ravenswatch, Thunder Lotus Games elevates the experience by accommodating up to 33 players in a single match, as the title implies.
The significance of the number 33 also pays homage to the 33 cantos found in Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, which serves as a foundation for the game’s universe. Players take on the role of damned souls rebelling against divine judgment, combining their strengths to battle against swarms of monsters and formidable bosses. In addition to the elements from Hades and its Greek mythological characters, 33 Immortals features several iconic figures from the Divine Comedy, each offering unique services to aid in the progression of your journey. For instance, Charon helps you alter your character’s appearance, while Dante provides passive bonuses to enhance your skills, all of which can be unlocked as you advance through the expeditions.
You will explore a hub area known as the Dark Forest, which you can navigate freely before stepping through a portal to Hell. After completing the tutorial using a bow, you’ll discover three additional weapons at your disposal: the mage’s staff, daggers, and a great sword. While this may seem limited at first, we anticipate that more weapons will be introduced during the early access phase, potentially including at least three more connected to the seven deadly sins.
Despite the chaotic potential of a game featuring 33 players, Thunder Lotus Games has ensured that cooperation remains central to the experience. Teamwork quickly becomes instinctive after a few attempts, and solo play is not a viable strategy: unity truly is strength.
A Beautiful Ascent Awaits
With its innovative concept and captivating gameplay loop, 33 Immortals establishes a strong foundation that can evolve during early access, benefiting from player input. However, players should be prepared for some degree of repetitiveness, compounded by a challenging difficulty curve. Given the emphasis on collaboration, individual performance may feel somewhat limited when competing in a group of 33.
Once equipped, players embark on a vast map to explore. In this expansive area, you will confront enemies and gather resources, with mini-dungeons (capped at 6 players) as your primary goal. These excursions yield random relics that progressively enhance your character’s abilities. After completing 12 dungeons, you will face a climactic battle for the ascent, with survivors split into three teams to combat waves of monsters in a confined space. Success will reward you with legendary relics that grant overarching bonuses for the entire team.
The session culminates in a showdown against a major boss, where effective coordination and the strategic deployment of each player’s abilities are crucial for victory. After each game, players return to the Dark Forest to adjust their gear and interact with NPCs to unlock new relics and statistical advantages, aiming to strengthen themselves for future challenges. The game’s procedural generation of enemies, challenges, and rewards ensures a high level of replayability.
The necessity for player coordination during exploration, ideally by forming smaller groups, along with the boss fight phase, adds complexity to the gameplay. However, this also amplifies the satisfaction of progression. During one session, we managed to take down the boss “Lucifer” with only seven players. It’s clear that these final battles are no easy feat. If the studio can diversify objectives beyond simply defeating enemies in dungeons, the game could have a tremendously bright future.
The Power of Friendship
The gameplay of 33 Immortals is distinct; it must have been a challenge for developers to create a system that is both fluid and conducive to a cooperative experience with thirty-three players. Veterans of the roguelite genre may find the controls a bit cumbersome, as it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by enemy attacks, and the dodge dash, while useful, comes with a cooldown period.
The multiplayer aspect truly showcases its relevance. Each weapon possesses unique traits that synergize effectively with one another. The mage can slow foes, the archer can weaken them, the swordsman can absorb hits, and the rogue with daggers can deal significant damage. Additionally, each role has a gauge that, when filled, allows the activation of a powerful cooperative ability. Three zones will then appear, requiring simultaneous activation by multiple players. This could manifest as a vast magical mist for mages or a barrage of arrows for archers.
Effective positioning and teamwork are essential. The game design encourages players to cluster together for damage multipliers, and there is little incentive for toxicity; if a player falls, others can continue the fight. While it is possible to resurrect a downed ally at least once, it comes at a steep cost, requiring the resurrector to sacrifice a significant portion of their health permanently.
Visually, 33 Immortals captivates with its hand-drawn environments. Though the NPC designs may not stand out, the monsters are particularly striking. The first encounter with Lucifer beautifully illustrates the game’s artistic prowess, leaving a lasting impression from the outset.
33 Immortals promises a one-of-a-kind experience that is well worth exploring. With its unprecedented cooperative gameplay for 33 players, captivating art style, and rich universe inspired by the Divine Comedy, Thunder Lotus Games has laid a strong groundwork. While challenges remain, including potential repetitiveness and balance adjustments, the game’s potential is clear, and we highly encourage you to embark on this infernal adventure.