Lost in Prayer is a unique Traditional Roguelike You Can’t-Miss
While exploring games and discussing them on TBL, I often come across countless projects that make me marvel at how there’s still room for innovation despite the ocean of video games available today. Often, innovation stems from a simple concept that, once discovered, makes you wonder, “How did I not think of that before?” This is precisely the case with Lost in Prayer, a traditional roguelike developed by the indie studio Nine Dots Studio, which many of you might remember for the excellent Outward.
The core idea is brilliant: if you’re defeated, your next run can start as the very monster that defeated you. Genius, right? But let’s dive into a bit more detail.
In Lost in Prayer, players embark on a harrowing journey through the afterlife, taking on the role of a disembodied soul navigating the perilous realms of Heaven and Hell. This traditional grid-based roguelike offers a unique twist: every enemy or force that leads to a player’s demise becomes a tool for future runs. As players possess the very beings that killed them—whether they are angelic warriors or demonic monstrosities—they slowly unravel the mysteries of purgatorial existence. The game’s procedurally generated levels ensure that each attempt feels fresh, with new enemies, encounters, and environments.
All the creatures that can defeat the player and thus be controlled promise to be well-characterized and unique, both in terms of the available skills and how they are managed. For instance, a gigantic and powerful boss might have no inventory slots, balancing the difficulty.
There’s talk of permadeath, but in this case, players might often choose to get killed just to take control of an enemy they find fun to use. This simple idea practically changes the entire concept of a run and survival. Of course, there are also combat dynamics that allow players to exploit the maps to their advantage, such as throwing an enemy into the void or pushing them onto a burning tile to give them a good disinfecting—and much more.
The PC release date for Lost in Prayer has yet to be announced. In the meantime, below is an overview, screens, and alpha trailer.
About This Game
Lost in Prayer is a turn-based roguelike true to its roots.
Expect all the qualities that make the genre so compelling, such as mind-twisting tactical decisions and expansive build options.
- High replay value, rewarding progression and tough challenges awaits.
- Procedurally generated levels ensure no two runs are the same.
- Explore Hell and Heaven each with their dedicated enemies, encounters, and environment.
- Unique skill trees that offer a variety of playstyles.
- Loot weapons and armor with dedicated abilities to widen your tactical options.
- Permadeath keeps tension high, but if you die…
Anything that kills you becomes playable for your next runs.
Will you be tempted to die on purpose in a successful run to unlock the enemy you face? Dying is more bittersweet when the boss that took you down becomes the instrument of your revenge.
With dozens of playable characters, you’ll find your favorite playstyle. Play to its strengths, go beyond Hell or above Heaven, and discover why you’re stuck in the Purgatory.
Lost In Prayer’s characters have:
Specific equipment slots: Not every loot will be useful for your character. Sadly, our big turtle-like guy, the Godly Terapin, can’t fit any chest armor on him.
- Unique skill sets to unlock: You can play the same character in different ways thanks to a wide skill tree.
The odds are stacked against you, so whether it is part of your environment or a combination of your own abilities, seize any opportunities to gain the upper hand. You’ll need it.
Create deadly Combos. Leave a burning circle at every step, swap your place with your enemy, and push them into traps using the Tango skill. Freeze enemies where they are before launching an area-of-effect attack
Create the perfect outcome for you with Lost In Prayer’s extensive skill system:
- Pull an enemy into the projectile of its allies.
- Build up your Power at every step before inflicting a deadly blow to that pesky demon.
- Push that pretentious Angel into burning lava with a well-placed headbutt.
- Use hit-and-run tactics to inflict damage at every step before heroically escaping to the other side of the room.
- Hit multiple enemies in your line of sight with a deadly ranged attack.
With their own inhabitants, environments, traps, and quirks, Heaven and Hell propose radically different experiences. You’ll need to explore both to unlock all characters in Lost In Prayer.
So if you’re tired of dying in one route, try your luck and skills with the other.
No matter the path you choose, every floor will challenge you more than the last. Victory is going to be a hell of a challenge.
