Minos

MINOS is especially worthwhile for those who enjoy games focused on strategy, space puzzles, tower defense, and more cerebral roguelikes. It's not a game for switching your brain off.

Artificer’s latest game invites us to become architects of pain in a roguelike that feels like a distant relative of the Deception series but is inspired by Greek mythology. It’s a game that respects our analytical intelligence and mercilessly punishes recklessness or inattention. An irresistible invitation for anyone with enough patience to embrace their own inner darkness, weave a deadly web, and claim—with all the pride in the world—the throne of steel and blood in their own personal hell.

MINOS feels like a mythological trap-building fever dream, turning roguelite progression and spatial puzzle design into something clever, stylish, and dangerously addictive. Its labyrinth could use more visual variety, and the balance loses some bite near the end, but the core idea is bold enough to make it stand out.

Being Daedalus and Asterion inside the same labyrinth is a fantastic idea: Minos hooks with strategy, tension, and constant learning, but needs more variety to avoid feeling mechanical.

MINOS lets you construct your own perfect Heath Robinson/Rube Goldberg murder machine.

Minos is a unique take on the tower defense genre, standing out for its creative approach, well-paced progression, and the satisfying experience of designing effective traps. It doesn't reinvent the genre, but it does breathe new life into it enough to keep you hooked for hours on end, and the roguelite elements are a great fit.

Quote not yet available

Of course, Minos’ fans – and the game deserves to have a lot of them – will tell you the plot isn’t important. What is important is its creative sandbox and gleefully gory approach to what is essentially a tower defence game. And on that I would agree with them. Minos is really difficult to put down once you start finding yourself daydreaming about new ways to combine your trap arsenal together.

MINOS cleverly blends roguelite progression with tower defense mechanics, putting players in the role of the monster instead of the hero. Its creative trap combinations, rewarding progression and addictive gameplay loop make it a standout within the genre.

There's a satisfying strategy to Minos, as you lay out your maze, set your traps, and lie in wait for foolhardy adventuring parties. It's not as endlessly compelling as the best roguelikes, but you can easily lose hours within the labyrinth.