Endless Alice Review Summary

Unique character mechanics and chaotic four-player co-op shine with friends, yet poor character models, empty maps, and heavy Risk of Rain 2 imitation drag it down.

Unique character mechanics: Each of the six characters has distinct attack methods, skills, and playstyles. This variety in attributes and abilities adds depth and replayability to the game.

Great with friends: The game is highly praised for its co-op experience, with many players enjoying it both solo and with friends. The multiplayer aspect is a major highlight for most reviewers.

Overall high quality: The game is described as very good, fun, and engaging overall. Players find the gameplay excellent and the game well worth its price.

Chaotic four-player co-op: Four-player co-op is described as chaotic but fun, with players enjoying rescuing each other and the stress-relieving flashy effects. The co-op mode is stable even with heavy screen effects.

Enjoyable roguelike gameplay: The roguelike elements are well-received, with players finding the gameplay enjoyable and satisfying. It is considered a good and decent roguelike.

Poor character models: Character models are widely criticized as low-quality, with poor faces and a cheap mobile-game look. The 3D models also fail to match the original 2D art, creating an uncanny valley effect.

Heavily copied from Risk of Rain 2: Players consistently report that the game is a near clone of Risk of Rain 2, with items and content being almost identical. This lack of differentiation is a major criticism.

Empty and poorly designed maps: Maps are described as empty, lacking secrets and treasures, and not interesting to traverse. There are also not enough maps, which reduces exploration value.

Lacks content and depth: The game is seen as having too little content, with currency overflowing late game and a general feeling of emptiness. This limits build variety and long-term engagement.

Buggy with collision issues: Multiple bugs are reported, including getting stuck on walls, collision errors causing flying or levitation, and other glitches that disrupt gameplay.

Roguelike gameplay core: The game is widely described as a roguelike or roguelite, featuring random elements, build variety, and meta-progression. It combines fast combat with loot-based mechanics, similar to other titles in the genre.

Four-player co-op support: The game supports online co-op for up to four players, allowing friends to play together. It also includes features like reviving teammates and drop-in, drop-out multiplayer for flexible sessions.

Progression systems included: The game features both in-run and out-of-game progression, including skill trees, character perks, and meta-upgrades. This dual-layer progression keeps players engaged and encourages repeated playthroughs.

Multiple difficulty levels: The game offers a range of difficulty settings, from Easy to Nightmare, with customizable options. Players can tailor the challenge to their preference, including a special Nightmare mode for experienced players.

Diverse character roster: Players can choose from multiple characters, each with unique playstyles, abilities, and upgrade paths. This variety allows for different strategies and builds, enhancing replayability.

Generally well optimized: Many players praise the game's optimization, noting it runs smoothly on various hardware, including older machines and laptops, and maintains high frame rates even in chaotic situations. This positive feedback contrasts with performance issues reported by others.

Crashes occur during gameplay: Several players report crashes at various points, such as after completing levels, during long runs, or after updates, though some crashes were fixed by patches. This indicates stability issues that can disrupt the experience.

Optimization needs improvement: Some players feel the game is not well optimized, citing high power consumption, poor performance on older hardware, and the need to lower settings for playable frame rates. This indicates a need for further optimization efforts.

Performance drops with many enemies: Multiple players report significant frame rate drops, stuttering, and even severe freezes when many enemies or effects are on screen, especially during multiplayer or with stacked items. This is a common issue affecting gameplay smoothness.

Visual effects cause performance issues: Heavy visual effects, such as light pollution and numerous special effects, can cause screen lag and freezes, especially on weaker GPUs. Players suggest that optimizing visual effects could improve performance.

Recommended for Risk of Rain fans: Many reviewers recommend this game to fans of Risk of Rain and Risk of Rain 2, noting its similar gameplay style. It is also suggested for those who enjoy the combination of Risk of Rain mechanics with anime aesthetics.

Worth buying on sale: Several reviewers recommend purchasing the game on sale, noting that it is a good deal at a discounted price. Some suggest waiting for a discount if not buying at full price.

Recommended for anime roguelike enthusiasts: The game is highly recommended for players who enjoy anime-style roguelikes, especially those looking for a 3D anime roguelike experience. Reviewers highlight its appeal to fans of roguelike gameplay and anime-style characters.

Great for multiplayer with friends: Reviewers strongly recommend playing the game with friends, noting that multiplayer is fun and enhances the experience. It is suggested for those who have friends to play with, especially with good coordination.

Easy recommendation for genre fans: Reviewers say the game is an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys this kind of gameplay and aesthetic. It is particularly recommended for those who like Risk of Rain and similar games.

Community fair range: $8.00 - $15.00.

Game completion: 7.0h.

Session length: 2.0h.

Endgame: 5.0h.

Endless Alice starts with noticeable early friction—boring first levels, a weak tutorial, and overwhelming systems—but becomes genuinely fun once players reach late-game runs or invest in meta progression. The game clicks after a short learning curve and a few runs, though some players never find it engaging.

Friction: early levels are boring; overwhelming information; poor tutorial; clunky controls or bugs; disgusting early game without meta progression; feels empty at first.

Unlock drivers: meta progression skill tree; playing a few runs; reaching late game in a run; learning the game systems.

Risk of Rain 2 Veterans: They experiment with builds, play on higher difficulties, and appreciate meta progression and item synergies. Motivation: To experience a similar but enhanced roguelike loop with deeper character builds and quality-of-life improvements. Stance: buy.

Anime Aesthetic Seekers: They play casually, collect outfits, and enjoy the visual style without focusing heavily on optimization. Motivation: To enjoy cute anime girls, outfits, and fanservice while also having a fun roguelike to play. Stance: buy.

Co-op Multiplayer Enthusiasts: They play in groups, coordinate loot distribution, and focus on team synergy. Motivation: To enjoy chaotic multiplayer sessions with friends, trading items, and reviving each other. Stance: buy.

Performance is generally positive across most VRAM tiers, with the 16GB+ cohort reporting excellent results and the <8GB and 8-11GB cohorts mostly positive despite some optimization complaints. The 12-15GB cohort shows mixed feedback, with crashes and inconsistent FPS.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: mixed. Performance is inconsistent: some users report high FPS at 4K, but others experience crashes or only 50-60 FPS at medium settings.

Windows <8GB VRAM: positive. Most users report the game runs smoothly, though a few mention crashes on long runs or high GPU usage.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: positive. All reviewers recommend the game, but several note optimization issues such as low FPS even on low settings and poor graphics optimization.

Steam Deck: The game has Steam Deck verification but suffers from performance issues (sub-30 fps, blurry visuals), frequent crashes, and controller compatibility problems, making it not a seamless experience.

Linux and Proton: The provided reviews indicate the game runs on Linux/Proton but exhibits Linux-specific friction. A locale detection issue causes the game to start in Japanese under Proton, and a recent update has reportedly degraded performance on Steam Deck. Generic performance complaints about FSR reliance were excluded as they lack a Linux-specific context. Overall, the game appears playable with minor tweaks or accepted performance quirks.

Monetization: The game is a buy-to-play roguelike with optional cosmetic DLC. User feedback indicates no pay-to-win mechanics, no real-money gacha, and no microtransactions. Some players note the presence of paid DLC during early access, but it is cosmetic and reasonably priced, with many praising the fair model and supporting the developers voluntarily. Overall, monetization is fair and non-predatory.

Frequently compared to Risk of Rain 2: Many reviewers draw direct comparisons to Risk of Rain 2, noting similar gameplay mechanics and structure. Some find this game better, while others prefer the original.

Improves upon Risk of Rain 2: Several reviewers find this game to be an improvement over Risk of Rain 2, citing better mechanics, more personality, and more fun gameplay. Others disagree, preferring the original.

Low price and good value: Reviewers consistently mention the game's low price point, often noting it as a great value for the content offered. Many purchased it on sale or at a discount.

Anime-style aesthetic and characters: A significant number of reviews describe the game as an anime-style version of Risk of Rain 2, featuring cute anime girls. This aesthetic is a key differentiator for many players.

Early access with active development: The game is in early access, with reviewers noting substantial content and active development. Some mention rough edges and plans for future updates.