PAYDAY 3
PAYDAY 3
Game
Game2023
Backpack Hero
Developer Jaspel
Backpack Hero is a roguelike video game developed by Jaspel and published by Jaspel, IndieArk, and Different Tales. It was released in November 2023 for Windows, macOS and Linux (via Steam, GOG and Epic Games Store) and Nintendo Switch. Ports for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, were released on June 11, 2024. Described as an "inventory management roguelike", the gameplay revolves around… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
360 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 3, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
66
Fresh
158 positive · 80 negative
95% range 60–72%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 158 | 80 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 44 | 2 | 64 |
| Lemmy * | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Mastodon * | 1 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
4,334 of 4,940 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
66% recommend · 148 yes, 75 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 223 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (7,376 of 8,545 positive).
Players praise the unique inventory management mechanic and addictive gameplay loop. [1][2][3] Many reviewers note the game feels unfinished and abandoned by developers. [4][5][6] Some players find the meta-progression slow and the game repetitive. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [18]
This is one of those games that's a great argument for a middle review type. The backpack gimmick is really interesting, and at time of launch I'm pretty sure it was unique (obviously copycats have come out since release). However, the game also feels kind of incomplete. The story mode locks away fun items behind grinding out runs, so you end up doing a whole bunch of runs with the same exact build (or very slight …
- [14]
I think the devs have abandoned the game or something. Overall I do not think it's worth the full price, considering all its flaws and major bugs. It feels like an early access game and i'm surprised it's a full release. It really feels unfinished. My problems with the game: 1. It is extremely buggy. I don't think I have had a run without a single bug, and I have played 70+ hours. Pretty much all of the bugs I have …
- [1]
Backpack Hero is a creative roguelike that stands out by turning inventory management into the main gameplay mechanic. Instead of just collecting items, you have to carefully arrange them in your backpack to create stronger builds and synergies, which makes every run feel like a small puzzle. The core idea is very unique and can be surprisingly addictive once you start experimenting with different item combinations. …
- [5]
this is a hard game to review. on one hand the idea is solid and this game set the standard for most of the "backpack battler" games that came after. unfortunately the devs abandoned this game, leaving it unfinished. just a little more polish, a little more modability, and this game would be flawless. even if left unfinished. lets talk about the gameplay loop. pro's: its easy to understand. its easy for new players …
- [2]
You are Sandra Mouse. Your mission? Use the things in your backpack to destroy the evil incarnate... Bobby Kotick. But you don't have to be Sandra Mouse. You can play as Jerry Bird instead. He hides bows and his mother in law in the backpack. His mission? Dispose of that woman "quietly" (yes I am also surprised that this game is based on real life events). But seriously, Backpack Hero is a fantastic deck-bulding …
Summarised from 34 of the 322 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
66% of the 223 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Backpack Hero. The complaint that keeps coming up: game feels unfinished and abandoned by developers. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Critics, per Wikipedia
The PC and Nintendo Switch versions of Backpack Hero both received generally favorable reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received fair approval, being recommended by 64% of critics. Robert Purchese of Eurogamer said he was "impressed" by Backpack Hero, calling it "very charming" with "friendly pixelated characters". He called the gameplay initially "a bit awkward", but having a great deal of tactical opportunity once the player learned more about it. He noted his desire for backpacks in video games "to be visible again". Sorrel Kerr-Jung of Destructoid praised the game, calling it "one of…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 360 · most liked firstThis is one of those games that's a great argument for a middle review type. The backpack gimmick is really interesting, and at time of launch I'm pretty sure it was unique (obviously copycats have come out since release). However, the game also feels kind of incomplete. The story mode locks away fun items behind grinding out runs, so you end up doing a whole bunch of runs with the same exact build (or very slight iterations on that build) because a lot of builds don't actually work well…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →an NPC is complety imposible to unlock without downgrading your game. The game was abandoned and is incomplete with a ton of bugs, I really liked the flow of the game but upon figuring out I cant even complete it i cant say I'll be returning to the game. do not recomend.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not watching the Game Awards this year, but going down the list of indie games I touched during the last two years alone: 🧵 1. Dungeon Antiqua 2. Angeline Era 3. Yamafuda! 2nd Station 4. Backpack Hero 5. Fantasy Maiden Wars 6. Slay the Spire 7. BALL x PIT 8. Vampire Survivors 9. Dead as Disco
neutral · AI labelView post →i loved this game when it was "early access" and when 1.0 launched i was excited. bugs were present but i believed that the issues would be addressed soon enough and more content that was promised would be delivered. as april 2026 the game is stagnant with no updates and basically abandoned. a shame really
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Easy, repetitive, and long. Deeper dungeons are locked out for way, way too long, instead you just "win" simple runs over and over again to slowly grind toward unlocking them.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm back to designing game covers for the games i've 100%d on steam, I did it for like, Elden Ring and Animal Well a while back and forgot to do more So Backpack Hero!
neutral · AI labelView post →Idea: like Backpack Hero, but instead of inventory management as the whole game it is respec. You respec adventurers, the entire game is navigating complex skill trees for adventurers going on journeys you never see and fighting monsters and bosses you never see.
neutral · AI labelView post →I think the devs have abandoned the game or something. Overall I do not think it's worth the full price, considering all its flaws and major bugs. It feels like an early access game and i'm surprised it's a full release. It really feels unfinished. My problems with the game: 1. It is extremely buggy. I don't think I have had a run without a single bug, and I have played 70+ hours. Pretty much all of the bugs I have encountered are just gamebreaking and can softlock you. I just accepted them…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ok I guess I'll do one of these #whatagamedevlookslike I'm Dakota, and I'm a video game marketer! I've worked on Amnesia: The Bunker, Timberborn, Witchfire, Backpack Hero, The Outlast Trials, + more. I got into this biz to celebrate devs + their art, and to help them succeed!
neutral · AI labelView post →Ok, sticking to roguelites, here's some other options: Deckbuilding Style: Slay the Spire, Monster Train, Griftlands, Balatro Survivor/Bullet-Heaven Style: Vampire Survivors, Brotato, Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Realtime Combat (I'd put Hades/Dead Cells here): Hand of Fate 1/2, Zero Sievert, Wall World, Rogue Legacy 1/2, Risk of Rain 1/2, Heroes of Hammerwatch FPS: Gunfire Reborn, Roboquest Turn-based/Pausable: FTL, The Last Spell, Loop Hero, Dungeons of Dredmor, Darkest Dungeon 1/2,…
neutral · AI labelView post →I 100% the game, which can be done in about 35–60 hours. The game is enjoyable and can be played for prolonged periods of time, at least at first. Unfortunately, combat does get old and flaws start showing, major among them the game feeling unfinished. Due to that, getting all the achievements will get a bit tedious. If I had to compare it to other games, this would be a mix of Slay the Spire and Moonlighter. The best thing about the game and what will keep you coming back is the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The potential of the game hurts me. I played it since early access and the 1.0 release was a long awaited major downgrade in quality which made me stop playing for a long time. Recently came back to the game to finish the story at least once and get all achievements. It showed me what I loved about this game but also the unpolished, abandoned and buggy state the game was left in. In my opinion besides perhaps learning a bit of the mechanics, the story mode is worse than quickplay and…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its interesting for a couple runs, then it starting making you do a massive grind to unlock things and the gameplay loop is simply not interesting enough for that kind of grind.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Though there's a very solid core to this game and I was eager to see what it had to show, I don't think I can recommend it. There's a lot to love, but at the same time, there are simply too many bugs for me to really enjoy it. I was locked out of a good chunk of the items to begin with due to what is apparently a long standing bug that never unlocks the temple building. With so many other excellent games in this genre out there, I just can't recommend this one, especially with this being its…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of my most played games is Backpack Hero, a dungeon crawler where inventory management is the core mechanic. The idea is that you don't just make stuff fit in the available space, but also items position including, but not exclusively, in relation to other items provides various effects and bonuses. This game looks like something akin to that. I'm sure it's not for everyone, but it's definitely satisfying to try coming up with new combos and strategies to get the most ridiculous and…
neutral · AI labelView post →To everyone really enjoying the Granblue Fantasy April fools Day event, please please please check out the indie game Backpack Hero. It's mechanically extremely similar but with a roguelite dungeon delving aspect.
neutral · AI labelView post →Dolcy is ready for halloween and will go as Purse from the game Backpack hero (current hyperfixation) #digitalart #furry #mouse #backpackhero #furryart
neutral · AI labelView post →Played this from EA to when released. When it released fully it had and does still have game breaking bugs that softlocks your game. While I enjoy the gameplay sadly it seems it was just abandoned instead of being fixed. Will update review if game every gets fixed but after waiting 2 years nearly I doubt it will.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Can´t say I would recommend it. It´s fun, has funny lore, the mechanics are engaging... But the mountain of bugs... oh man. And game is seemingly abandonware already. Not really worth the money it costs
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been playing my way through Backpack Hero finally, even tho I bought it at launch. The big difference maker? Being busy & having a broken controller has really helped me appreciate a game that's 100% mouse-controlled (hah!), doesn't rush me, & can run in a window. And it's great!
positive · AI labelView post →In the state that it's in it should state it's an early access or a beta, lots of bugs and story content feels quite unfinished and unpolished, yet the game hasn't received a single update in 2025, nothing not even a bug fix. It is unclear if the devs have abandoned the game or are suffering from creative drought, but I don't expect them to ever be able to polish this game to a point it deserves
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The free demo was better, this game is better as an endless runner. Having a story mode makes the player unlock items through research and buildings and resources generated by buildings, so by default the player can't use any of the fun items. You have to do a ton of runs and it is a chore.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Could have been great... but never got the polish it needed before being abandoned. Story feels unfinished, settlement-building feels aimless and unfinished, characters were promised reworks that never arrived, difficulty is all over the place, etc. etc.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i have to agree with others, its a great game but man does it take ages to do really anything ingame. starts out semi fast but after getting the easy items done it becomes a slog to get things unlocked. on top of all that it really does feel like the game was left in a half finished state
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It has some real problems. The first night I got it, I played it for like 7 hours in that "just one more run" mode you get with these games sometimes. It starts off great. It does not stay great, however, and the rougher parts really take away from it. Compared to some other games, the bad runs don't make me feel like I could have done anything to improve it or win. They just feel awful, and the good runs don't really feel good enough later on to merit toughing it out. It's a really nice…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Things were on sale! What should I play next? -Megabonk -Date Everything! -Backpack Hero -Amber Isle
neutral · AI labelView post →You know it’s a good puzzle game when your sleep app thinks you were in asleep while playing it because you didn’t move much. Backpack Hero gonna be a PROBLEM.
positive · AI labelView post →I don't understand all the 'hate' in the reviews recently. -- Yes the game has not been updated since December of 2024, Yes I bought this game in December of 2025 and have had no glitches and have around 50 hours played at this point. Just because the devs aren't still updating the game doesn't mean it is a problem... If you enjoy Rogue-likes, deck builders, or inventory management games, you'll enjoy this. Same goes for pixel art/retro gaming. Play the 'story mode'!!! The first few runs…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Backpack Hero is currently free on the Epic Game Store and I would totally recommend checking it out! Roguelikes are a dime a dozen these days but this one is quite interesting (and well worth checking out for free!)
positive · AI labelView post →Tomorrow! I return! Gonna be playing some Backpack Hero as part of #TurnBasedThursdayFest!
neutral · AI labelView post →I've put a frankly obscene amount of hours into such a simple game, but it still has me playing at least a few hours every week even though it hasn't seen an update in almost two years. I tend to play when I'm eating, or watching something that requires more attention than other games would allow. Really wish the developers would come back to it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Backpack Hero is a creative roguelike that stands out by turning inventory management into the main gameplay mechanic. Instead of just collecting items, you have to carefully arrange them in your backpack to create stronger builds and synergies, which makes every run feel like a small puzzle. The core idea is very unique and can be surprisingly addictive once you start experimenting with different item combinations. That said, the game has a few rough edges. Some parts of the progression and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been messing with a prototype for a new game over the past couple of months and I've just put it up on pawige.itch.io/hullgrid for anyone to try out for free. It's a spaceship inventory management auto-battler, so if you're a fan of Backpack Hero or FTL you might enjoy it! #indiegame #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Very rough and unpolished. Backpack Hero tries to do too many things in a game and ultimately misses the mark on many of them.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Happy Friday friends! 💖 Trying Backpack Hero for the 1st time - cute #pixelart #roguelike #deckbuilder #RPG that I've been meaning to check out! I'm not much of a packrat, but maybe I'll have an advantage in this game since the main character appears to be a rodent 🐁 twitch.tv/virtuebro #VSky
positive · AI labelView post →I am officially blaming @thegoblinburrows.gay for getting me addicted to roguelikes such as Peglin, Backpack Hero, Slay the Spire and what looks like an incredibly cute game in Cobalt Core. I need more hours in the day…
neutral · AI labelView post →It's a great game, but you can play it for free online. The story mode isn't great and most of the items aren't useful, so you find yourself playing the same one or two builds every run. From what I can tell, the game is unfinished, the develepors haven't actually released a lot of the content they promised.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Favorite Games Per System Challenge The challenge is to list two "all-time" favorites and one other special game for each system you've ever owned. No reviews or explanations. Day 22: PC ❤️ Nier Automata ❤️ Persona 5 Royale 👍 Backpack Hero #gamingsky #gamechallenge #promosky
neutral · AI labelView post →🔴 Live on Twitch! Come hang out and chat about #indiegames with us! Featured Game 🎒 Backpack Hero (by dev @/thejaspel1) twitch.tv/callmekixie
neutral · AI labelView post →Its fun but has game breaking bugs. which is a shame because its been out for three years... I got trapped in a dungeon room and could not do anything and i couldnt save because it "wasnt empty" so i had to restart and lost like 2 hours of my life.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Incomplete, abandoned, missing kickstarter goals.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My impressions are very mixed, but ultimately I'm going to give it a positive review as the cons are more of personal preference. I would rather praise game for having too much content, but just the way you get to it really sucks. Pros: - Very different characters and multiple playstyles for each character (I had 3/5) - Looks pleasant enough - A lot of content Cons: - Meta progression to unlock more characters/levels is ABYSMALLY slow. You are stuck repeating the same levels on the same…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →☀️ Good morning everyone and I hope you have a beautiful Friday and a great start to your weekend. 🐱 So, these two games are Free at the moment on the Epic Games Store. Figment is an action-adventure game where explore a unique surreal universe and Backpack Hero is an inventory management roguelike.
neutral · AI labelView post →I love a good video game with a sexy grid inventory, or even a whole game that revolves around said sexy grid inventory. Like Backpack Hero, or the cashier game Rummy was playing today -- are there any other games out there that are like, "organize shit in grid format to fit nice" as a mechanic?
positive · AI labelView post →New show! With the PS4 turning 10(!) this week and the Xbox One hot on its heels, we pay tribute to five games that defined those consoles (at least for us). Plus The Game Awards, Backpack Hero, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR, and much more! vidjagameapocalypse.libsyn.com/happy-birthd...
neutral · AI labelView post →It's a real shame I can't recommend the game, it's a fantastic idea and meshes two of my favorite things in video games - roguelite gameplay loops, and as we call it in Resident Evil 4, Attache Case HD. And it manages to be both fun and cute, with a surprising amount of depth. Which is why it's so unfortunate that the devs seems to have abandoned it, leaving an absolutely massive amount of bugs. Which is understandable, considering the depth of the mechanics and the various interactions…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Incredible concept which is, unfortunately, very underbaked. There are a lot of complex systems at play here which could create some very interesting builds, but the game leans way too heavily into RNG elements to be consistently fun. The town building segments are woefully underdeveloped, and it seems like the developer has promised QoL and balancing changes which never actually materialized. If the dev ever returns and makes good on their unfulfilled promises, I'd recommend checking it out,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Devs have abandoned game and never finished it; discord is dead and no signs of improvement
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You think you’ve seen weird? You haven’t seen itch.io at 3AM. 👀👀 — this old livestream from the pits has been reborn! youtu.be/1CiINjWXtAk?... Featuring: Parking Lot, Saving Princess, Farmers Stealing Tanks, Backpack Hero and more! #indiegame #WeirdGames #gamedev #itchio
neutral · AI labelView post →Fun game, but VERY buggy. There are MANY run ending bugs, or bugs that just brick your run. Its been almost a year since the last update so I don't think anything will be fixed soon. The game also needs a lot of polish, some of the items will just overlap for no reason and make it hard to choose what you want.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Appleseed's Indie Game Of The Day! Day 56) Backpack Hero by Jaspel A roguelike game where inventory management is truly your greatest challenge as you traverse through dungeons and can only take a limited supply. It’s really fun trying to decide what you’re gonna keep or not.
neutral · AI labelView post →Inventory Management Roguelike Backpack Hero is FREE for a week www.indiegamebundles.com/backpack-her... #gaming #indiegame #pcgaming
neutral · AI labelView post →An old doodle of the cute rat from Backpack Hero. That game is so fun :V
positive · AI labelView post →this is a hard game to review. on one hand the idea is solid and this game set the standard for most of the "backpack battler" games that came after. unfortunately the devs abandoned this game, leaving it unfinished. just a little more polish, a little more modability, and this game would be flawless. even if left unfinished. lets talk about the gameplay loop. pro's: its easy to understand. its easy for new players to feel like they are making meaningful choices. its complex enough for veteran…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's alright i guess, one of those games where i don't have much to say because the game isn't bad in any aspect, but it also didn't hook me at all. Recommend trying on sale, the first few runs will be enough to tell whether you'll like it or not, as the gameplay stays pretty much identical the whole way through.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really like this game, but it's got some issues I wish would get fixed. The main one was that I hoped you could 'lock' certain items from your reward pool so you won't see them again. Many Roguelikes do that now (Vampire Survivor and Megabonk for example do that). This review is more of a warning for players who don't want their game ruined: Do NOT complete the "Wizard School" or the "Archery Lessons" task/adventure run if you don't want your item pool to be completely clogged with items…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#7 Backpack Battles If you followed me for a bit, you probably know my love for Backpack Hero. This is up there because I was hoping for a similar experience, but I don't have a big vibe check on this game so that's why I haven't pulled the trigger yet. 😊
neutral · AI labelView post →[Epic Games] Backpack Hero | 100% off/Giveaway.
neutral · AI labelView post →OK, hear me out... What if Fallout, but you play as one of the bag-schlepping squires from the TV show, and also inventory now works like Backpack Hero? A neat li'l demo, rough around the edges, but I played it all the way through and was thoroughly amused & engaged.
positive · AI labelView post →Backpack Hero is a game that had a ton of potential but fell flat due to neglect. First off is the games absolutely awful UI. The UI is clunky and borderline non-functional in some cases. Usually the challenge comes from the gameplay but in this game the challenge comes from trying to get the UI to cooperate half the time. Next up are the bugs. There are forked paths that typically lead to loot and you have to choose which one to go down and when you choose one path, the other gets closed.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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