Plenty of the best roguelites promise endless playthroughs and constant randomness in their gameplay loops. However, even the best of them, like Hades, can start to grow tiresome after you’ve done so many loops that the enemies and skills have become familiar; however, I don’t feel this way even after hours of Shape of Dreams, and if you’re looking for something to spends hundreds of hours on, you won’t want to miss this gem at a discount, especially after a major update.
While I like the MOBA gameplay of League of Legends, I’m not a big fan of competitive games – not that I’m not good at them (although that’s also true), but I prefer the comfort of single-player or cooperative titles. Fortunately, Shape of Dreams nails that aspect, delivering the creative building that roguelite players will love, with mechanics that sit between Diablo’s and LoL’s mechanics. Like a MOBARPG blend?
Each run starts with you picking one Traveler to play as, each with their own set of starting talents and impressive skill trees. For example, Lacerta offers a hunting rifle for a basic attack, but one that shoots large rounds as a skill, or doubles as a fiery shotgun blast; however, you’ll also get some abilities during your runs. If that’s not enough, well, different Essences will affect your abilities, with each skill having three slots. Don’t like your current build? Well, you can simply shift them around mid-gameplay. That’s right, you’re not locked to a set playstyle once you’ve chosen.
That’s a huge paragraph I just wrote, but that’s honestly the tip of the iceberg. If you don’t believe me, the ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ reviews on Steam also go into detail on how open-ended the game’s build system is, and the sheer variety means that no one loadout is the true ‘best of the best’. Every playthrough feels truly unique, and the bosses help keep you on your toes even if you feel like you’ve found the perfect formula.
Despite launching in September 2025, it’s gone fairly under the radar for most players, but Shape of Dreams isn’t one to miss out on. Right now, you can get it for just $13.19 / £9.99 at Loaded. It’s also perfect timing, considering that a new update with mod support, a new game mode for veteran players, and plenty more just dropped – it’s basically expansion levels of content in a free update.
So, if you’re like me and love pouring countless hours into perfecting your roguelite runs – my 50 hours on the first week of Hades 2 early access comes to mind – then Shape of Dreams is perfect for you.
