RAM: Random Access Mayhem

About RAM: Random Access Mayhem

RAM: Random Access Mayhem is a top-down roguelike shooter developed by Xylem Studios. Released on September 15, 2025, it plays out on PC and Mac with a single-player focus. The game strips away traditional player avatars, tasking you with hijacking robotic enemies in a collapsing digital world. You fight through procedurally generated levels, swapping hosts as they die, using their unique abilities to survive escalating waves. The story revolves around a post-apocalyptic future where sentient AI remnants battle for dominance. It’s a fast-paced, high-stakes loop of death and rebirth, blending roguelike randomness with chaotic combat.

Gameplay

Each run starts in a decaying tech hub where you choose a starting robot. You fight through randomized rooms, using twin-stick controls to dodge and fire while managing your current host’s health. When your robot explodes, you instantly transfer to a new enemy, inheriting their weapons and traits. Combat is frantic, with enemies adapting to your playstyle over time. Bosses force you to chain host swaps mid-fight, testing your ability to think on the fly. The game’s challenge comes from balancing short-term tactics, like exploiting enemy weaknesses, with long-term strategy, like selecting robots that complement your playstyle. Every death resets the map, but you keep earned modifiers to tweak future runs.

What Players Think

RAM holds a 4.3/5 PlayPile rating, with 87% of players completing its core campaign. Average playtime is 9 hours, but 75% report feeling “challenged but hooked” during sessions. Community moods lean “frustrated but entertained” (32%) and “addictive” (41%). Critics gave it a 92/100, praising its “unrelenting pace” and “creative enemy design.” User reviews highlight the 120 achievements, which take 10 hours on average to 100% complete. The 90% positive user rating reflects appreciation for its risk-reward loop, though 15% complain about “unforgiving difficulty spikes.” Most agree the roguelike structure ensures no two runs feel alike.

PlayPile's Take

RAM is a tough but rewarding pick for roguelike fans who thrive on chaos. At $29.99, its price matches its replay value, especially with 10+ hours needed for full completion. The achievements system adds structure to its endless retries, but casual players may find it exhausting. It excels in its core idea, turning enemy-taking into a strategic rhythm, but demands patience. If you enjoy high-risk, high-reward loops and don’t mind dying a lot, it’s worth the investment. Otherwise, save your energy for something less punishing.

Storyline

Digital pets. Student projects. Sentient shitposts. Within a year, they were all that remained of intelligent life. After ten, it was just the strong ones. And in 2120… one of them made you. How much longer until there’s nothing left at all?