“Noita” is a roguelike game, meaning the map is randomly generated and permadeath is always active. It has a high difficulty curve like many in the roguelike genre; however,  “Noita’s” difficulty steams from its complex interactions rather than reaction speed or tactical knowledge. This complexity makes “Noita” an incredibly fun and rewarding game to play, more so than many other games in the genre. 

The most notable aspect of “Noita” is its difficulty. Getting to the end boss and completing the game takes an average of 100-200 runs, each of which can last 15 minutes to an hour. At first glance this may seem like flawed game design. Why would preventing most players from completing the game be more enjoyable? The reason is that “Noita’s” difficulty pushes players to interact with the systems in the game, providing near unlimited and distinct playthroughs through complexity. This is one of the reasons “Noita’s” gameplay is so good; many games have interesting systems and mechanics that are never used because the gameplay is too easy. 

One of “Noita’s” main selling points is that every pixel on the screen is simulated, and every pixel can be interacted with. Along with this is a very customizable wands system that allows players to interact with the world differently each run. This complexity is what allows players to progress from run-to-run despite permadeath, gaining knowledge and experience with the game’s mechanics. Because the main limitation on the player is their knowledge, the player can set their own pace. This is a huge advantage over other games with long playtimes, like RPG’s, which tend to have repetitive elements that dull gameplay over time. The lack of significant story or cutscenes keeps the game at a steady pace. 

All these elements create a game that can be played for either 10 or 100 hours without becoming boring, always with room for improvement. Hopefully, more games in the future can use some of these elements to improve mechanics and gameplay. “Noita” is a game well worth your time, so long as you are able to put up with intense difficulty.