BALL x PIT is a Surprising Mix of Vampire Survivors and Breakout

BALL x PIT is not a game I ever thought I’d play, but then who expected Devolver Digital to mix Breakout with Vampire Survivors? Either way, I’m not opposed to this unique blend.

Created by Kenny Sun and Friends, I went hands-on at a recent Devolver Digital event before its official reveal. This straightforward premise sees you battering enemy hordes slowly marching towards you with balls, which then return to you automatically. Ballbylon has fallen and through these expeditions into the mysterious pit, it's up to us to acquire resources for rebuilding the city.

What's quite pleasing is how easy jumping into a game is. Simply use the left analog stick to move, right stick to aim, and shoot them down before they reach you and do damage. It’s a welcoming approach that needs little time to get invested, and these relentless swarms are keeping me on my toes as I squeeze through by a hair’s breadth.

It’s therefore crucial to collect the shards dropped by enemies, which act as collectable XP for levelling up. You’re then presented with a choice of three upgrades that can provide some necessary improvements, alongside the usual choice paralysis. Do you choose the freeze ball that can slow an enemy’s march, or will you pick the heavy ball for greater damage but a slower return speed?

The Survivor-like template, as it’s come to be known, is very much in full force here, but the lack of initial enemy variety - especially when compared to poncle’s hit - leaves this feeling like a slog in longer stints. Some close encounters mean I couldn't focus too closely on this as the hordes continue, and the biggest change seems to be mini bosses that can take more hits.

There’s a noticeable intensity increase as you progress. More enemies continue marching on in increasingly larger formations, whereas I encountered at least two mini bosses. I do wish beating the latter requires a little more strategy than simply repeatedly hitting them more often than regular enemies, but this could change in later levels. There is still a decent challenge in targeting them while also taking down the smaller minions.

Still, I survived for over 10 minutes in my first run, a feat I’m relatively happy with, and found similar success on my next playthrough. Levelling up stats like endurance, strength, leadership, speed, dexterity, and intelligence is all welcome. What I haven't seen during my demo so far is the thing I'm most curious about with BALL x Pit, namely the city building.

Devolver Digital states there are over 70 unique buildings you can add to Ballbylon for gameplay bonuses, unlocking new power-ups and more characters. The publisher says you can also give homebound heroes automated tasks to earn resources while you're away, while recruiting fellow hunters unlocks new ways to play.

It's a curious concept that I fear could become repetitive in longer stints, but I'm encouraged when a game's already got me going "one more try." BALL x PIT looks like a promising Survivor-like crossover so far, and I'll be returning come full release for more.

BALL x PIT is coming to Switch, PC and Xbox Series, and a demo's out soon on Steam.