Eldritch Climb: A Cursed Ascent

About Eldritch Climb: A Cursed Ascent

Eldritch Climb: A Cursed Ascent is a roguelike platformer developed by Covert Wonders. Released October 24, 2025, it drops you on a desolate island cursed by a shifting, Lovecraftian mountain. As an amnesiac climber, you ascend procedurally generated levels using a mix of climbing, swinging, and chaotic item-based tools. The game blends permadeath with sanity-eroding secrets, each attempt reveals twisted versions of the mountain and grotesque horrors. Its indie charm clashes with its brutal difficulty, making it a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. Perfect for players who thrive on punishing but rewarding vertical challenges.

Gameplay

You start each run at the mountain’s base, scaling jagged terrain with a grappling hook and climbing gear. Movement feels twitchy but responsive, requiring precise jumps and timing. Each level introduces new hazards: crumbling platforms, invisible enemies, and shifting gravity. You collect "eyes" to unlock altered versions of levels, which warp geometry and spawn Lovecraftian monstrosities. The real hook? Cursed items. A grappling hook might pull you into a wall; a potion could grant flight but drain health. Bosses are less fights than survival scenarios, run out of sanity or health, and you restart. Replayability hinges on adapting to new tools and mountain layouts, but the steep learning curve won’t suit casual players.

What Players Think

PlayPile users rate it 8.2/10, with 62% completing the first ascent. Average playtime is 12 hours, but hardcore fans hit 40+ hours chasing 150+ achievements. Community moods skew divided: 40% "frustrated," 30% "curious," and 20% "addicted." Critics praise its creativity but question polish, GameSpot calls it "a masterclass in tension, but rough around the edges." Reddit threads split between "genius" and "unplayable," with one user writing, "It’s like playing a dream someone else had." The price point of $34.99 draws complaints about value, but 35% of players say the achievements are worth the grind.

PlayPile's Take

Eldritch Climb is a niche title best suited for platforming purists who enjoy high-risk, high-reward design. The $35 price tag feels steep for its 12-hour core loop, but the 150+ achievements and procedural variety offer long-term replayability. If you’ve mastered games like Celeste or Dead Cells and crave a darker, more chaotic challenge, this is for you. Skip it if you prefer polished mechanics or linear storytelling. The real verdict? It’s a flawed but fascinating experiment in Lovecraftian verticality, just don’t expect a gentle climb.

Storyline

Follow an amnesiac stranded in a mysterious island that's cursed by a mysterious mountain.