Ex Sanguis is the most beautiful XCOM-style roguelike game.

Ex Sanguis is a turn-based strategy game played on a grid-based map system, very similar to XCOM with a distinctive graphic style.

Ex Sanguis is a turn-based strategy game played on a grid-based map system, very similar to XCOM. Your soldiers – called Stillae – perform actions using Action Points (AP) and utilize their unique abilities.

There's some kind of storyline about saving a dying planet, but mostly I'm here to watch my Stillae carry out orders in a stylish way. And extremely bloody and violent in their own unique way.

In 'Ex Sanguis', gore is unavoidable, but it can go in many different ways. It could be the Tarantino-style bloodstains of Mortal Kombat or the extreme realism of The Last of Us Part 2, but Ex Sanguis opts for stylized effects, and that has proven to be a great success. The entire game has a sleek white and red color scheme, reminiscent of the popular VR game Superhot. But this is a turn-based strategy game, not a time-traveling shooter.

Very few games prioritize style. While I really enjoyed Ex Sanguis's turn-based action gameplay, its main highlight was the impressive visuals of the characters when performing attacks. They didn't dash across the battlefield like an XCOM soldier dodging through a filthy city, but glided gracefully across the map, slicing through hideous enemies with the fluidity of ballet.

I've always appreciated games with unique art styles. Sable's Moebius-inspired style is one example. Ori and the Blind Forest. Cuphead. However, the game needs to have gameplay that matches.

All of that would be meaningless without compelling gameplay. Each battle is a blend of smooth action and high precision. The destructible environment adds a strategic element – ​​and there are bloody explosions too. The roguelike and role-playing (RPG) elements provide considerable depth.