Little Noah: Scion of Paradise Critic Reviews

I’m shocked at how enjoyable and well-executed LIttle Noah: Scion of Paradise is. Its a roguelike that ticks all the right boxes. It is approachable, but still challenging. You can go in knowing you’ll grow slightly stronger, but the unpredictability of which Lilliputs you’ll and randomization keeps things fresh. The enemies can be quite strong, but it is possible to learn patterns and survive through proper planning and insight. It is a fantastic game and one of 2022’s better surprises.

Little Noah: Scion of Paradise is a surprisingly fun take on the side-scrolling roguelite genre, with plenty of personality courtesy of its charming character designs and solid gameplay mechanics that are perhaps a little easier to come to grips with than those found in some of its peers. While I wouldn’t consider it among the best in its category, it’s a very well-made game that is worth playing if you’ve enjoyed games like Dead Cells or Rogue Legacy.

I wrapped up Little Noah: Scion of Paradise in around ten hours. It was just such a refreshing feeling to finish up with a game in this style in a short period. I really appreciated the simple gameplay loop of going on a run, finding cool familiars, and figuring out the best order to put them in. I didn't feel bogged down by the systems cause I knew no matter how good or bad a specific run went, I’d still be coming out of one with some currency to work on the next upgrade I wanted. I would have liked some optional modes now that I’m finished with Little Noah, like a daily challenge mode or something, but I still had a fun time and recommend it to anyone curious.

Little Noah is a game that we can easily recommend, but with the caveat that it’s not really special in any way. The quality of the combat and the design of the progression systems make it clear that the developers are big fans of roguelites and understand what makes them alluring, but Little Noah is rather light on its own ideas. Sometimes that’s enough; not every game needs to reinvent the wheel, and Little Noah certainly feels like it deserves credit for how effectively it delivers on the roguelite formula. This may not be a game to rush out and buy right away, then, but keep an eye on this one and have it in mind when you feel like snapping up another roguelite. If you're after a solid 'one of those', it’s well worth your time and money.