The Serpent Rogue

7 / 10

If you're into crafting and gathering, steep challenge and risky exploration, The Serpent Rogue is a concoction worth tasting.

Despite the early confusion, The Serpent Rogue is a great pick for fans of craft-intensive games like Valheim. The focus on exploration will appeal to open-world RPG gamers, as well as those who like strong stories with dark or spooky themes. The game's crafting system is well-balanced, and the ability to learn about crafting ingredients adds an extra level of immersion that benefits the main character's role as an alchemist. While The Serpent Rogue may not be great as an entry-level crafting game, it is a fantastic and beautifully crafted fantasy adventure that is enjoyable and challenging from the second players embark on their journey.

8 / 10

Like the potions you'll mix, The Serpent Rogue is an odd concoction-a mixture of casual open-world play and twitch combat. I definitely prefer the former, but like the joy I felt when finding a successful formula, figuring out a way to crush an enemy after several defeats feels like an accomplishment. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go find some blueberries.