Test – Slime 3K Rise Against Despot: a generous Vampire Survivors-like

After two games in the same universe, the Konfa Games studio offers a new episode which this time is inspired by the still very recent genre that is survivors-like. Slime 3K: Rise Against Despot is a very successful iteration of this style of game.

Konfa Games is a small independent studio known for having developed a few games that have their universe in common, but which try their hand at different genres. In 2018, “Despotism 3k” appeared, a management game with a lot of humor. It was then followed by the strategic auto battler “Despot’s Game” released in 2021. Since 2023, the studio has been tackling survivors-like with the early access release of Slime 3K: Rise Against Despot. After a big year of updates, the title is available in version 1.0 on PC, but also on Switch, Xbox consoles and Playstation. This new game takes a lot of ideas from other titles, but reworks them in its own way.

Slime 3K takes place in the same universe as the studio’s previous games. This time we play a slime, a creature made of a sticky substance allowing the creation of artificial humans and which has become aware of its own existence. Our slime will turn against its creator, the evil AI that rules the world. The story context is extremely light, even borderline non-existent, since the game is content to send us to survive in levels.

Slime 3K is a title that draws a lot of inspiration from games like Vampire Survivors. It is therefore a rogue-like asking us to survive waves of enemies for a specific time depending on the level selected. Indeed, the title is divided into around twenty levels with different configurations, even if an infinite mode is unlockable after a certain time. Controller in hand, we can move our character and aim manually in all directions (which is only useful if we are equipped with an aiming weapon, the majority of abilities are activated automatically). In these arenas also appear bonuses allowing you to regain health, earn more money, but more importantly, to access a store allowing you to purchase improvements. The latter are truly the heart of the game since they give firepower to our character, whether directly with weapons, by summoning minions, thanks to different kinds of passive advantages…

Buying several copies of the same capacity allows you to improve it, but you also have to be careful with our inventory, which has limited space. The goal is then to build an arsenal that is strong enough to survive, and if you have a good build, to annihilate all forms of life in the arena. The title will also look a little towards “deckbuilders” type games since each of the improvements is represented by a card that must first be equipped in a dedicated menu. We must then build our “decks” and select one that will be used for the next game, the cards contained in the deck will be those that the shops will offer randomly. These cards also offer a rarity system. The rarer the cards, the more powerful they are, but the less likely they are to appear in the shops, unless we spend our money to improve the latter.

The formula has already proven itself in other titles and is still very effective here, perhaps even more so thanks to the small changes made by the game. More than ever, our decisions have a serious impact on the progress of the game. part. Should we take this or that improvement? Should we improve the store to have more chances of coming across rare cards? How do we manage our inventory? Questions that are implicitly posed by the different levels which, if they vary very little aesthetically, offer challenges that force us to adapt by using different types of build and approaches.

As in other games of the genre, the title is often very difficult at the start, but offers truly enjoyable games when you understand the mechanics and when you make the right decisions. The difficulty fades over time since Slime 3K is also a rogue-lite which offers some long-term progression mechanics. It is possible to find DNA during our games, DNA which can be spent on permanent improvements. Our score is also added to a progress bar at the end of each game which unlocks new abilities.

If it draws a lot of ideas from games like Vampire Survivors, Slime 3K also takes its extremely accessible economic model. Whether on consoles or PC, the game is available for the very small sum of €4.99, a price perhaps justified by its very repetitive principle and its infinitely recycled content, but which will still hold up several dozen hours in the hands of fans of the genre. Just like good Survivor-like games, Slime 3K is a very addictive game with plenty of possibilities, which keeps us coming back for more.

The title is visually very charming too, made entirely in pixel art, even if regulars of the studio’s games will recognize a whole bunch of characters and graphic elements already used in the previous ones. The game, however, suffers from a real problem with readability when the games drag on and our builds are complete. We can consider Slime 3K as a “bullet hell” as there are so many elements displayed on the screen, both because of the many enemies, but also because of the tons of projectiles that we throw. Its sound aspect also leaves a little to be desired despite very good songs, the latter play in a loop and are unfortunately too few in number.

To conclude, Slime 3K: Rise Against Despot is a truly compelling Survivor-like, mixing ideas from several genres effectively. A game that we probably recommend on PC because of its gameplay which requires aiming at enemies, which is more pleasant with a mouse in hand.

Conclusion

After a short year of early access, Konfa Games’ latest game is now available in version 1.0. Slime 3K: Rise Against Despot is a rogue-lite and survivor-like that draws inspiration from several other titles while cleverly mixing genres. The principle is simple, you have to survive in arenas by purchasing improvements that give firepower to your character. Those accustomed to Survivor-like games will not be disoriented, even if Slime 3K ingeniously adds some deckbuilder elements. Its immediate handling and its numerous possibilities give it a real addictive side and a good lifespan, even if the genre is necessarily quite repetitive and suffers from some readability problems when the games last a long time. The title also benefits from very good artistic direction, but from a cruel lack of visual diversity. The same goes for his very successful music, but too few in number. Offered for €4.99, Slime 3K is a very good representative of the survivor-like genre which will undoubtedly please regulars.

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