I didn’t expect Moros Protocol to hit me as hard as it did. On paper, it’s a blend of things I already like — DOOM-style speed, System Shock-style atmosphere, roguelike unpredictability, and a pinch of Souls-like boss pressure — but the game still ended up surprising me with how confidently it brings all of those influences together.

You wake up alone on a derelict warship called The Orpheus, and from the first few steps, the game makes it very clear: this is its world, and you’re just trying to survive in it. The ship’s shifting layout, the low-poly retro-futuristic look, and the oppressive sound design create something that feels nostalgic without being derivative. It’s got that crunchy, almost haunted-PS2 aesthetic that I’ve always loved, and it uses it to build tension instead of leaning on gore for its scares.

Combat is the heart of the game, and it’s a blast. The shooting feels fast and punchy, and the augments you pick up really can change your entire approach. On one run, I was playing more like a cautious tactician; on another, I was this unhinged kick-happy berserker punting aliens into corners. I always appreciate when a roguelike gives me room to express myself instead of funneling me into optimal builds, and Moros Protocol nails that feeling.

The roguelike structure fits surprisingly well with the ship’s narrative. Each death feels like waking up from a dream you half remember, and pushing deeper into the ship gives you just enough context to keep you curious but never over-explain the mystery. I liked that sense of being slightly off-balance — like you’re piecing together something the game wants you to understand only when you’ve earned it.

Co-op is also a great touch. I tried a couple of runs with a friend, and the shared panic of getting overrun in a dark corridor is a kind of fun I didn’t realize I’d missed. It’s chaotic, but it never feels cheap.

If I had one critique, it’s that the difficulty curve can be pretty sharp early on. The game is very willing to kill you before you’ve truly understood how to build yourself up, and I imagine some players might bounce off those first brutal hours. Thankfully, once I found my rhythm, the loop became addictive.

Above all, I can feel the passion behind it. Pixel Reign clearly poured years of love into this, and that sincerity bleeds through in everything — the enemy designs, the eerie worldbuilding, even the kick button. It’s one of those games that knows exactly what it wants to be and doesn’t compromise.

If you like old-school FPS combat, atmospheric sci-fi, and roguelites that actually reward learning and stubbornness, Moros Protocol is absolutely worth diving into. It’s grim, stylish, and surprisingly thoughtful — a brutal little gem drifting in the void.