White Knuckle
" Innovative first-person roguelite speed-climber with immersive horror but limited roguelike depth "
White Knuckle Review
White Knuckle is a highly praised first-person climbing roguelike with a unique blend of intense parkour mechanics and psychological horror elements. Players control two hands independently, managing stamina to ascend a mysterious megastructure while evading a rising, sentient mass. The gameplay emphasizes skill, memorization, and exploration, rewarding players with secrets, lore, and item upgrades that enhance climbing strategies. The minimalist narrative is delivered through environmental storytelling and scattered notes, creating an immersive, eerie atmosphere.
Despite its early access status, the game boasts smooth controls, satisfying climbing mechanics, and a compelling tension-filled experience. Many players appreciate the challenging but fair difficulty curve and the game’s addictive nature. However, some feel the roguelike aspects, such as procedural generation and permadeath, could be better integrated with more meta-progression or varied run experiences. Overall, White Knuckle stands out as a gripping, skill-based game with a strong community and promising future updates.
Highlights
Players especially praise the innovative climbing mechanics where each hand is controlled separately with stamina management, creating a fresh and engaging gameplay loop.
The atmospheric and minimalist horror setting effectively builds tension and immersion, supported by excellent sound design and environmental storytelling.
The game’s smooth controls and parkour elements receive strong acclaim, making climbing feel rewarding and intense. The lore drip-fed through notes and environment adds depth without overwhelming the player.
Many highlight the game’s addictive nature and satisfying challenge, with secrets and upgrade systems enhancing replayability.
Criticisms
Some players find the roguelike elements underdeveloped, citing limited procedural variety and lack of meaningful meta-progression, making repeated runs feel repetitive.
The permadeath system combined with rare and costly save points can feel frustrating and may detract from the narrative flow.
Visual clarity issues arise at times due to the low-poly art style, making it difficult to distinguish grabbable objects like pitons and rebar.
A few mention that the later stages of the campaign have less engaging gameplay and that a checkpoint save system or easier mode could improve accessibility.
Some desire additional content, modes, or a zen mode without threats to enjoy the climbing mechanics more casually.
Pros
- • Innovative dual-hand climbing mechanics with stamina management feel fresh and rewarding.
- • Immersive horror atmosphere enhanced by excellent sound design and environmental storytelling.
- • Smooth and intuitive controls that balance easy learning with high skill ceiling.
- • Addictive gameplay loop encourages mastery and exploration of secrets.
- • Minimalist narrative drip-fed through notes and environment adds intrigue.
- • Challenging but fair difficulty that rewards memorization and skill.
- • Unique setting of a mysterious megastructure with rich worldbuilding.
Cons
- • Roguelike elements feel limited with repetitive runs and little meta-progression.
- • Permadeath and rare save points can cause frustrating restarts.
- • Visual clarity issues due to low-poly art make some objects hard to identify.
- • Later campaign sections less engaging and could use more variety.
- • No easy or checkpoint save mode to reduce grind for some players.
- • Some players find the roguelike structure clashes with the linear narrative.
- • Perks sometimes feel underwhelming or lack impactful variety.
Rating Criteria
About This Game
White Knuckle is a first person roguelite speed-climbing game.
Use momentum-based movement mechanics with precision, deploy a variety of tools and resources, and ascend as fast as you can.
Just don't lose your grip, there’s eternity below you.
Manage your inventory or become encumbered and fall to your death. Failure to grab what you need from your bag in time can spell disaster.
Through run-based meta-progression, you’ll discover and unlock varied augmentations.
Bolster your will to ascend.
You're not alone down here. Strange life flourishes far underground, and darker things haunt these halls. Something oozes from the depths– following you, growing angrier… and it won't let up.
Travel through different regions with unique threats and gameplay challenges during your attempted escape of the underground megastructure.
The deep dry storage of the Silos, the putrid sewers of the Pipeworks, the haunted piers of Habitation. Each area will require adaptation to new obstacles and denizens.
CGMagazine
“White Knuckle is probably the most unique horror game I’ve played so far this year—maybe even in recent memory.”
Try Hard Guides
“The core gameplay is perfect.”
Rogueliker
White Knuckle is a first-person roguelite speed-climbing game. Ascend through the guts of SUB-STRUCTURE 17 using precision movement mechanics. Sharp reflexes and resource management will bring you out from under ten thousand meters of concrete and decay.