Game Details
| Size | 129 MB |
| Region | USA |
| Genre | Dungeon Crawler, RPG, Action |
| Format | 7z / ISO |
| Year | June 6, 2005 |
| Console | PSP |
Before the “Stairway to H.E.A.V.E.N.” there was the Tower of Purgatory. Released in 2005, the original Rengoku was one of the PSP’s earliest “hardcore” titles. It introduced the world to the dark, biomechanical art of Jun Suemi and a gameplay loop that felt like a precursor to the “Souls” genre—punishingly difficult, atmospheric, and focused on incremental growth through death.
The Story: Androids and Allegory
Like its sequel, the first game is heavily inspired by Dante Alighieri’s Purgatorio.
The Setting: You are a Battle Android who has gained a spark of self-awareness. You find yourself at the bottom of a massive, 8-floor tower. Each floor represents a level of Purgatory, guarded by a powerful boss. To find your humanity—and the truth behind your creation—you must slay your fellow androids, harvest their parts, and climb to the top.
The Core Mechanics: “You Are What You Kill”
The first Rengoku was experimental and, in some ways, more “hardcore” (and clunkier) than its sequel.
-
Part Harvesting: When you defeat an enemy, they occasionally drop their weapons. You don’t “buy” gear; you scavenge it.
-
The 5 Slots: You have a slot for your Head, Right Arm, Left Arm, Chest, and Legs.
-
Head: Usually reserved for scanners or long-range lasers.
-
Arms: Swords, maces, guns, and shields.
-
Chest: Defensive plates or area-of-effect bursts.
-
-
Evolution (Terminal): Between floors or at save points, you visit a Terminal. Here, you spend “Elixir Skin” to permanently increase your stats. However, if you die, you lose your equipped parts, making it a high-stakes gamble every time you enter a new room.
Major Differences from Rengoku II
If you’ve played the sequel, the first game might feel a bit different:
-
Navigation: The first game features a first-person map overlay in a small window, which can be confusing at first compared to the more traditional map in the second game.
-
Clunkier Combat: There is a significant “recovery time” after swinging heavy weapons. Combat is much more about timing and less about combos.
-
Floor Structure: The floors are randomly generated, but the layouts are much more “square” and claustrophobic.
Pro-Tips for the Climb
-
The Overheat Trap: The #1 cause of death is overheating. If you spam your sword and your arm turns red, you can’t block or attack. Always equip a “cool-down” item in your Head slot if you plan on being a melee fighter.
-
Farm the First Floor: Don’t rush to the boss. Spend time clearing the first few rooms of Floor 1 repeatedly to gather a solid set of basic weapons (like the “Handgun” or “Rapier”) before moving up.
-
Stun Locking: Many smaller enemies can be stun-locked by alternating attacks between your Left and Right arms (Square, Circle, Square, Circle).
Short Review: A Cult Classic Diamond in the Rough
The Good
-
Art Direction: The biomechanical designs are stunning. Your character looks like a terrifying mix of flesh, wires, and gothic armor.
-
The Loop: There is a very addictive “just one more room” quality to the scavenging.
-
Customization: Even in this first entry, the number of weapon combinations is massive.
The Bad
-
Camera Issues: The camera can get stuck behind walls in tight corridors, which is often fatal during boss fights.
-
Lack of Variety: The environments don’t change much from floor to floor; it’s mostly gray, metallic rooms.
-
Steep Difficulty: The first boss is a notorious “brick wall” for many players.
Screenshots
