With Skigill, the classic RPG skill tree becomes a crowded battlefield

"If you've played any number of RPGs, you probably know the skill tree as a break from the game's core action. It's a place to pause, take a breather, and scroll through a massive visual menu of upgrade options, considering which path of stat and ability tweaks best fits your character and your play style. With Skigill, indie developer Achromi has taken that break-time menu and transformed it into the playing field for an intriguing Vampire Survivors-style roguelike."

"Clear the way, I need +5 armor! Like Vampire Survivors and its many imitators, Skigill is all about navigating through waves of enemies that converge somewhat mindlessly on your position. The game automatically aims and deploys weapons to carve some safe space through what can be screens full of hazardous enemies, which leave behind coins as they explode in puffs of yellow smoke."

Skigill places the RPG skill tree directly on the playfield, requiring players to move to icon-labeled nodes to purchase stat upgrades with coins dropped by enemies. The game auto-fires weapons while hordes converge, so buying upgrades demands brief, risky pauses as foes close in. Upgrades become progressively more expensive across a branching tree beneath the player’s feet. The Early Access version currently lacks deep, long-term content but offers a clever, engaging core loop that combines Vampire Survivors-style survival with tense, movement-focused decision-making.

Read at Ars Technica