BLASTARD! is an action indie casual game for PC where players control a customizable dwarf equipped with explosive kegs. The core experience revolves around navigating arenas filled with destructible elements, using kegs to clear paths, defeat enemies, and trigger chain reactions while avoiding self-inflicted blasts.
Gameplay
The central loop involves dropping a keg, lighting its fuse, and maneuvering to safety or positioning it for maximum impact. Players kick kegs down lanes, launch them toward groups of foes, or smash them through barriers to create openings. Every object in the arena can explode, turning the environment into a tool for both offense and risk. Builds evolve through level-ups that offer two passive upgrades and one keg-specific improvement, with options to refresh choices. Upgrades span six lines including damage, crit chance, crit damage, quantity, blast radius, and fuse length, progressing across five rarity tiers. Passive items stack endlessly, and active abilities add further layers to each run. A single life per attempt heightens the tension, as elites carry triple health plus special effects and bosses deploy their own explosives and patterns.
Game Modes
Co-op runs allow up to four players to tackle arenas together, either online or locally on one screen. Deathmatch pits participants against each other in direct competition. Minesweeper introduces a luck-based challenge with additional modes planned for future updates. These options support both cooperative progression and competitive play within the same explosive framework.
Customization and Progression
Before each session, players select from varied body types, skin tones, eyes, beards, tattoos, armor, outfits, and keg skins to personalize their dwarf. Gold earned from runs, whether successful or not, funds shop purchases that unlock new kegs, passives, items, and abilities. Three bans each can be applied to passives, items, and active abilities to shape future runs. The system includes 36 explosive kegs, 17 passives with 20 levels apiece, 44 stackable items, and 28 active abilities. A run summary details which keg contributed most to the outcome.
Procedural Runs and Arenas
Arenas generate procedurally across themes such as deep mines, goblin junkyards, and open space. Runs require breaking crates for loot, confronting elites and bosses, locating a key, and reaching the exit. Controller support with rebindable controls, adjustable HUD scale, screen shake, and rumble options enhance accessibility across different play styles.
Is It Worth Playing?
BLASTARD! suits players who enjoy roguelike action with heavy emphasis on explosive mechanics, build crafting, and both solo and multiplayer sessions. The combination of procedural arenas, upgrade depth, and destructible environments delivers repeated runs with fresh outcomes. Local and online co-op up to four players expands its appeal for groups, while competitive modes like Deathmatch provide variety. Those drawn to casual yet strategic indie action games centered on chain reactions and dwarf customization will find the systems rewarding. The one-life runs and elite-boss challenges maintain pressure without overwhelming complexity for the genre.