Hoplite

Overview

Originally developed for the seven day roguelike challenge, Hoplite follows many genre and setting conventions laid down in Rogue and its successors. It was rebuilt by Magma Fortress for Android and iOS with new art, sound, abilities and achievements. With a goal to retrieve the Fleece of Yendor from the 16th floor, players descend a dungeon filled with demons and wizards. Every death restarts the player at the beginning of the game, and every floor is randomized. Most floors have Altars where players can pray to Apollo, Hermes, Athena and other gods to either regain health or gain ability upgrades, like throwing the spear further or regaining energy with each kill.

Gameplay

Both the player and the enemies can only move once per turn, and moving is the main form of attacking for most units. The basic form of attack, the stab, is done by moving adjacent to an enemy.

Having a spear allows the player to lunge by moving directly towards the enemy (being adjacent doesn't count). Alternatively, players can throw the spear by selecting the item in the bottom right hand corner and choosing a target. Players will need to retrieve it unless they have a special ability.

Leaping costs 50 energy (players gain 10 for moving adjacent an enemy) and it can be combined with other abilities.

Players also have a shield, which can be used to bash enemies or bombs one space away in the direction that the player character is facing.

Players can pray at altars to upgrade their abilities, however, this will remove access to a score bonus. More upgrades can be unlocked by completing Achievements.

Once the Fleece of Yendor is retrieved from Depth 16, players can either return to the surface via a portal to end the game, or continue descending to increase their score. When wearing the fleece you regenerate 1 health whenever you descend a floor.

Abilities & Upgrades

Players can pray at the Altars they find. Praying allows them to refill Health or select one of the following options. Note that players can pray during combat, but it does cost one turn. Many abilities require Sacrifice, which reduces the maximum health by 1, 2 or 3.

Keep in mind: there are no altars beyond Depth 15. Should descend beyond where the fleece is kept, you do so with no more prayers.

Health

Players begin with 3 health and take 1 damage from any enemy attack. Many Ability Upgrades require health to be sacrificed in order to equip them.

Divine Restoration

• Heals the player completely

Fortitude

• Increases maximum health by 1

Protection

• Become temporarily invulnerable after taking damage
• Sacrifice required: 2 Health
• Achievement required: Flawless

Move and Stab

Any time the player moves adjacent to an enemy that is already nearby, they will get stabbed. Stabbing does not work when moving directly towards an enemy - that requires a Spear.

Spear

Lunge by moving directly towards, rather than adjacent to, an enemy. By default, players can throw the spear 2 tiles. Of course, players cannot lunge after throwing the spear until the spear is retrieved.

Deep Lunge

• Lunge penetrates through target, hitting up to two enemies

Follow

• Teleport to the spear
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health
• Achievement required: Rampage

Greater Throw

• Increases throw distance by 1
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health

Greater Throw II

• Increases throw distance by 1
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health

Superior Throw

• Further increases throw distance
• Sacrifice required: 2 Health
• Achievement required: Dory Master

Plant Spear

• Throwing the spear into the ground stuns adjacent demons
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health
• Achievement required: Victory

Recall

• Returns the spear
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health
• Achievement required: Hermes

Shield

By default, there is a 3 turn cooldown on bash attacks; players can bash any adjacent target back 1 space in the same direction that the player character is facing. Bashing enemies together or against walls can kill them.

Mighty Bash

• Increases knock back distance by 1

Herculean Bash

• Further increases knock back distance by 1
• Achievement required: Aspis Master

Quick Bash

• Reduces cooldown by 1 Turn

Rapid Bash

• Further reduces cooldown by 1 Turn
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health
• Achievement required: Conflagration

Shielding Bash

• Blocks all damage for one turn
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health
• Achievement required: Optimal Restoration

Spinning Bash

• Affects all adjacent targets
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health

Sweeping Bash

• Affects targets in a 3 tile arc

Greater Sweeping Bash

• Affects targets in a cone
• Sacrifice required: 2 Health
• Achievement required: Atheist

Reaction

• Bashing propels the player backward
• Achievement required: Combo Bash

Leaping

By default, Leaping costs 40 energy and has a range of 2 tiles.

Winged Sandals

• Increase leap distance by 2
• Sacrifice required: 2 Health

Staggering Leap

• Stuns adjacent enemies on landing
• Sacrifice required: 2 Health

Leap Strike

• Allows leaping onto demons, crushing them
• Sacrifice required: 2 Health
• Achievement required: The Depths

Swift Leap

• Gain an additional free action after leaping
• Sacrifice required: 2 Health
• Achievement required: Speed Run

Energy

By default, players begin with 100 energy and receive 10 upon moving adjacent an enemy. Energy is always refilled at the beginning of each floor.

Bloodlust

• Each kill gains 5 energy
• Sacrifice require: 1 Health

Greater Bloodlust

• Killing restores an additional 5 energy
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health
• Achievement required: Crush Saga

Greater Energy

• Increases maximum energy by 20 points

Greater Energy II

• Increases maximum energy
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health

Superior Energy

• Further increases maximum energy
• Sacrifice required: 3 Health
• Achievement required: Xiphos Master

Killing Sprees

Agility

• Killing in three consecutive actions grants an additional free action
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health
• Achievement required: Multi Kill

Regeneration

• Once per depth, killing in three consecutive actions regenerates 1 health
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health

Surge

• Killing in three consecutive actions restores all energy, resets cooldowns and returns the spear
• Sacrifice required: 1 Health

Other

Patience

• Allows skipping turns

Wizard Beam

• Throw is replaced by a wizard beam
• Sacrifice required: 2 Health
• Achievement required: Demon Partisan

Enemies

Demon Footman: A resident of the underworld that is skilled in melee combat. It can attack adjacent tiles.

Demon Archer: A resident of the underworld that is skilled in ranged combat. It has a maximum range of 5 tiles and cannot attack adjacent tiles. It can only shoot in 6 directions. Will not shoot through allies or altars.

Demon Demolitionist: A resident of the underworld that is able to throw bombs. It has a range of 3 tiles. It can only throw a bomb every 3 turns. Bomb does damage to all tiles adjacent.

Demon Wizard: A resident of the underworld that is able to conjure beams of fire. It has a range of 5 tiles and will hit all tiles in range. It will avoid hitting other demons and cannot fire two turns in a row. Unlike the Archer, can attack all adjacent tiles. Can only shoot in 6 directions. Cannot shoot through Altars.

Achievements

Achievements unlock abilities which can be found at the Altars.

Optimal Restoration

• Pray for restoration with one heart and zero energy remaining
• Unlocks: Shielding Bash

Combo Bash

• Knock a demon into the magma by bashing another demon or bomb into it
• Unlocks: Reaction

Multi Kill

• Lunge a demon while stabbing two others in a single move
• Unlocks: Agility

Rampage

• Kill at least one demon per turn for seven consecutive turns
• Unlocks: Follow

Xiphos Master

• Stab 10 demon footmen by leaping over them
• Unlocks: Superior Energy

Dory Master

• Lunge 10 demon archers by leaping directly towards them
• Unlocks: Superior Throw

Aspis Master

• Explode 10 demon demolitionists by bashing bombs toward them
• Unlocks: Herculean Bash

Crush Saga

• Crush 10 demons by bashing them into solid surfaces
• Unlocks: Greater Bloodlust

Hermes

• Reach depth 10
• Unlocks: Recall

Victory

• Return the Fleece
• Unlocks: Plant Spear

The Depths

• Take the Fleece to depth 27 before returning
• Unlocks: Leap Strike

Flawless

• Return the Fleece without taking damage
• Unlocks: Protection

Speed Run

• Return the Fleece in under 150 turns
• Unlocks: Swift Leap

Atheist

• Return the Fleece without praying
• Unlocks: Greater Sweeping Bash

Demon Partisan

• Return the Fleece without Killing any wizards or demolitionists
• Unlocks: Wizard Beam

Streaker

• Return the Fleece three games in a row
• Unlocks: Sword Lunge

Pacifist

• After picking up the Fleece, reach depth 19 without killing another demon
• Unlocks: Slashing Lunge