Have you ever wanted to remove the toxic work culture that seems to possess your office? Well, thanks to WeMAT Studios, you finally can. Let me introduce you to Box Knight, an upcoming satirical RPG roguelike set in an office environment where toxic attitudes have manifested, and it is up to you to stop them.
Play as the Box Knight, a character that can be customised to your own liking, before they are unleashed in the working hell that is the office. Box Knight takes place within a fantasy setting, and thanks to the Council of Janitors, you can harness the power of the Box Knight to destroy the worst parts of working within an office and hunt down the CEO. Box Knight is a randomised dungeon crawler where players are able to choose unique powers prior to each playthrough, ranging from elemental bonuses to XP multipliers for high score-chasing players.
Box Knight features three weapons, from the well-balanced sword to the fast-moving spear or the slow but powerful claymore, with each weapon changing the flow of battle. As players progress, they will accumulate experience points, which can then be used to unlock new skills and abilities. Box Knight has a similar isometric visual style to Castle Crashers, with enemy designs inspired by Happy Tree Friends, without the overindulgence of violence and blood, instead focusing on a fun and enjoyable comic-like aesthetic.
Slicing down these hellish co-workers turned monsters is extremely addictive, and the moment-to-moment gameplay is impressive. Box Knight slowly introduces different enemy types, forcing players to think on the fly. For example, certain skittish enemies will run from the player and heal their allies along the way, whereas certain slow-moving creatures can summon additional enemies if it isn’t dealt with quickly. This makes the thrilling combat even more challenging, as you must assess your situation, adapt, and survive your foes.
Players have access to standard strikes, downward thrusts, elemental bonuses (ice, fire, electricity), executions, a dash ability, and can even reflect enemy projectiles with a well-timed attack. I adored playing Box Knight solo, but with additional hoard mode and local cooperative options also featured in the full release, I can see myself becoming completely obsessed with the knights of the cardboard box variety.
PAX Australia 2024 featured so many fantastic games, all of which are being developed by the most lovely and passionate people imaginable. But out of all the games I was lucky enough to experience at PAX, Box Knight was my game of the show. I am so excited to see the final product and encourage all NextPlayers to check out the Box Knight demo, which is currently available on Steam.
