Bubble Bobble Sugar Dungeons

I know roguelites are really popular but to be honest, I just like a more linear experience. I like going through a game, and if I die, I just go back to a checkpoint. I don’t find roguelike progression satisfying. I try roguelites occasionally and always fall into the same trap: I’m enjoying the gameplay then I die and I’m like, “meh.” It’s just not for me. But the Bubble Bobble gameplay loop works so hard like 40 years after the original came out. And I don’t stay on top of the series so this is the first one I’ve played in a long time.

Here's my experience in a nutshell:
- Be really happy I’m playing Bubble Bobble.
- Is totally willing to get past the roguelite elements.
- Start noticing a lot of the same levels as I go through the first ten floors.
- Get a mission to get so many of an item, so I have to grind it out a bit (not a super long time so I could forgive it). But the joy is slowly being replaced by anger.
- Next mission is to grind out for more items. And the transition is complete.
- Realize that the roguelite elements destroys this game. It didn’t have to be like this.
- Quit the game. I’m done.

And if I was a professional critic I’d force myself to play more. But I’m not going to trudge through this shit. I’m 40, been playing games my entire life. Sometimes people say that we should give a few hours to a game (or more) before it really opens up and gets good, but I rarely do that, because a game doesn’t have to be shit from the beginning. Almost all the best games start off good. Respect our time. This doesn’t.