"Muramasa - the demon blade" meets roguelite. "Helvetii" is wearing the inspiration on its sleeve but that's hardly a bad thing. The lovely hand-drawn style hooked me in but I stayed for the gameplay. While most roguelites are already heavily combat-focused, Helvetii stands out by actually rewarding long combo streaks and more stylish play. With three distinct and unique characters, it's all the more fun.

The difficulty never felt punishing though it had a bit of an odd curve. Maybe it's just me, but the second stage main boss feels a bit harder than the third stage boss (especially with the Druid who has a hard time keeping up with the mobility of the boss). Other than that, the gameplay loop is rather fun, especially with the variety of stage elements.

The permanent upgrade progression feels a little slow but fortunately the game rewards skill very generously, so normal mode can be cleared without a long grind. The upgrades during runs can make a big difference without having to actually consider a build, which I will ENDORSE, since most roguelites emphasize builds, some of them a little too much. "Helvetii" is an experience where each run's success mostly depends on the player's skill.

The amusing dialogue between the characters and Shopkeeper Bob's lines are a nice touch too.

Overall, "Helvetii" managed to stand out to me in a year PACKED with roguelites and deserves a genuine recommendation. 8.5/10