First-person roguelites typically involve slashing monsters, gathering loot, or managing dark, dank dungeons. But White Knuckle, developed by Dark Machine Games and published by DreadXP, takes the roguelite genre in a completely different direction—vertically upward. Described intriguingly as a “speed-climbing” game, White Knuckle challenges players to scale SUB-STRUCTURE 17, an intimidatingly massive tower of concrete, steel, and decay. If you thought roguelites couldn’t make your palms sweat from sheer vertical terror alone, think again.
At its core, White Knuckle combines precision platforming with punishing resource management and razor-sharp reflex challenges. It’s as if someone took the adrenaline rush of climbing mountains, mixed it with the gritty dread of post-apocalyptic survival, and threw in just enough punishing roguelite mechanics to ensure you’ll suffer gleefully (and repeatedly). Climbing isn’t just an action—it’s your singular obsession, your salvation, and your doom rolled into one deceptively simple task.
Developer Dark Machine Games has clearly embraced the “easy to learn, brutally difficult to master” mantra, creating gameplay that’s intuitive yet demanding enough to test even seasoned gamers. Every meter climbed is a victory; every slip a devastating setback. And, in true roguelite fashion, progress isn’t linear: each failure brings new knowledge, upgrades, and—inevitably—another nail-biting attempt. If repetition is the mother of mastery, then White Knuckle wants you to become a climbing virtuoso—or at least very familiar with gravity’s cruel pull.
Yet, the key to any successful roguelite lies in striking a delicate balance between frustration and reward. So, does White Knuckle deliver that addictive “one-more-try” quality, or does its verticality merely leave players feeling dizzy and defeated? Tighten your harness, chalk your hands, and let’s find out if this ascent through concrete hell is as thrilling as it sounds—or if you’ll just end up nursing digital vertigo.
Setting and Story
The bleak yet intriguing backdrop of White Knuckle immediately sets it apart from typical roguelite adventures. Players begin their arduous journey trapped deep within SUB-STRUCTURE 17—a towering, labyrinthine monolith built of concrete, rusted metal, and industrial decay. It’s an environment that feels equal parts dystopian nightmare and industrial wasteland, meticulously designed to evoke a sense of claustrophobic dread mixed with the urgent desperation to escape. If the phrase “ten thousand meters of concrete” fills you with existential horror, well, welcome home.
Storytelling in White Knuckle is minimalist, with the narrative subtly woven into the environment rather than explicitly spelled out through traditional dialogue or cutscenes. Dark Machine Games has clearly taken inspiration from titles like Dark Souls or Portal, where the environment itself becomes a silent storyteller. Mysterious graffiti, abandoned equipment, and scattered notes hint at the grim history of SUB-STRUCTURE 17, compelling players to piece together the structure’s sinister past as they ascend toward freedom—or, more often, toward another untimely plunge into the abyss.
The narrative thrives on ambiguity, creating a sense of intrigue and persistent tension. Who built SUB-STRUCTURE 17? Why are you trapped here? And perhaps most hauntingly—what happened to everyone else who came before? Answers to these questions remain intentionally vague, encouraging players to fill gaps with their own theories. This approach amplifies the sense of isolation and mystery, making each successful ascent feel more significant, as if you’re uncovering fragments of a forgotten tragedy with each meter gained.
Ultimately, the minimalist narrative complements the game’s punishing climb mechanics beautifully. Rather than overwhelming players with heavy-handed exposition, the setting and story gently nudge curiosity while keeping the focus squarely on gameplay. SUB-STRUCTURE 17 isn’t just a background—it’s a character in its own right: oppressive, haunting, and endlessly fascinating. Climbing your way through its decrepit corridors and hazardous ledges becomes as much a journey of discovery as a test of skill, subtly enriching each heart-pounding ascent.
Gameplay and Mechanics
In White Knuckle, climbing isn’t just a simple act of movement—it’s a brutal ballet of precision, reflexes, and resource management. Dark Machine Games has crafted an impressively tight control scheme, allowing for movements that feel simultaneously natural and demanding. Each jump, climb, and wall-grab requires perfect timing and calculated execution. Miss by a fraction, and you’ll find yourself plummeting back into oblivion, watching your hard-earned progress vanish in a gut-wrenching instant. It’s unforgiving, yes, but undeniably exhilarating when done correctly.
Resource management adds another strategic layer to your vertical ascent. Throughout SUB-STRUCTURE 17, players must carefully balance limited stamina, energy, and supplies. Every handhold consumes precious resources, forcing you to make split-second decisions: Do you risk a daring leap to conserve stamina, or cautiously climb and expend more resources? This constant decision-making injects strategic depth into what initially seems like straightforward gameplay, elevating each climb into a tense, cerebral challenge reminiscent of roguelite greats like Dead Cells or Spelunky.
The roguelite mechanics in White Knuckle are expertly implemented, offering persistent upgrades and unlockable abilities that help offset the sting of repeated failures. With each failed attempt comes new gear, perks, or knowledge of SUB-STRUCTURE 17’s layout. This smart progression system ensures that setbacks never feel entirely futile; even your most spectacular failures bring valuable lessons or incremental improvements. It’s a cleverly addictive loop, enticing you back into another climb—always convinced that this time, you’ll make it just a little bit further.
Procedurally generated layouts ensure that no two attempts are identical, keeping each climb fresh and challenging. While certain environmental elements become familiar over multiple runs, their placements and combinations vary wildly, maintaining unpredictability and replayability. The result is gameplay that feels consistently rewarding, punishing complacency while celebrating adaptability and quick thinking. Ultimately, White Knuckle triumphs by combining fluid, precise movement mechanics with strategically rich resource management and roguelite progression—making it a standout experience in a crowded genre.
Multiplayer and Replayability
While White Knuckle boldly forgoes traditional multiplayer modes, its replayability stems firmly from the intensity and variability of its roguelite structure. Ascending through SUB-STRUCTURE 17 is inherently a solitary endeavor—fitting, given the game’s oppressive atmosphere and survival-focused gameplay. The absence of cooperative or competitive multiplayer might disappoint some, but Dark Machine Games ensures that each run feels uniquely compelling, with procedurally generated layouts and numerous strategic permutations that keep players returning for “just one more climb.”
The roguelite elements are implemented thoughtfully, providing persistent progression through unlockable upgrades and enhanced abilities that encourage repeated attempts. Each run offers valuable insights, fresh gear, and incremental improvements, motivating players to retry ascents even after the most crushing defeats. Whether it’s improved stamina, better grip strength, or access to powerful climbing gear, each upgrade meaningfully influences gameplay, enhancing replayability by encouraging experimentation with various climbing styles and strategies.
Leaderboards and timed challenges add a competitive edge to an otherwise solitary experience. Players looking to test their climbing prowess against the world can attempt speed climbs or challenge runs, racing against ghost replays and community records. For competitive gamers, these elements add another compelling layer, ensuring climbing mastery is not just a personal triumph but a global achievement. It’s one thing to conquer SUB-STRUCTURE 17—it’s another to do so faster and more efficiently than your rivals.
Admittedly, the solo nature of the experience means players who crave extensive multiplayer interaction might find White Knuckle somewhat limited in long-term social appeal. Yet, the sheer depth of its roguelite progression, the unpredictability of its procedurally generated challenges, and the satisfaction of gradually mastering its demanding mechanics offer ample reasons to revisit repeatedly. Even without traditional multiplayer, the game successfully cultivates a community through shared leaderboard rivalries, strategy exchanges, and the universal camaraderie of conquering an exceptionally punishing vertical challenge.
Graphics and Sound
Visually, White Knuckle thrives on its atmospheric minimalism and striking industrial aesthetics. Dark Machine Games has perfectly captured the oppressive ambiance of SUB-STRUCTURE 17, rendering environments in stark, gritty detail—concrete textures, rust-stained steel, and dimly lit corridors dominate every scene. This relentless, brutalist design evokes both dread and awe, effectively immersing players in the gloomy confines of their vertical prison. While it might not win awards for vibrant colors or lush vistas, its bleak visuals perfectly align with the game’s central theme of desperate survival.
Lighting plays a crucial role, subtly guiding players upward while amplifying the claustrophobic tension. Harsh fluorescents flicker unpredictably, shadows loom ominously, and distant beams of sunlight tantalize as faint symbols of freedom just out of reach. These careful visual cues not only enhance immersion but also serve practical gameplay functions, guiding climbers toward potential handholds or subtly hinting at lurking dangers. Dark Machine Games clearly understands how to use visuals not merely for spectacle, but as integral parts of gameplay strategy.
Sound design in White Knuckle is equally impressive, greatly contributing to the overall atmosphere. Every movement, whether scraping across concrete or gripping rusted metal, is sharply detailed, heightening immersion and realism. The distant echoes of machinery, occasional structural groans, and unsettling ambient noise underscore the isolation and scale of your surroundings. It’s a sonic tapestry that keeps nerves perpetually on edge—an auditory reminder that each climb might be your last.
Complementing these haunting environmental sounds is a minimalist but impactful score. Music remains subtle and atmospheric, often fading into the background during quiet exploration and intensifying dramatically during tense climbing sequences. The soundtrack’s restrained yet evocative presence further emphasizes the game’s relentless tension, masterfully amplifying emotional highs and lows without ever becoming distracting. Combined, the game’s visual and auditory elements create an unforgettable sensory experience, reinforcing the tension, triumph, and sheer dread that accompany each nerve-wracking ascent.
Final Thoughts
White Knuckle is not a game designed for the faint-hearted or easily frustrated—it’s unapologetically demanding, relentlessly challenging, and supremely rewarding. Dark Machine Games has succeeded in crafting a roguelite that masterfully blends precision platforming, strategic resource management, and atmospheric storytelling into one cohesive and captivating experience. This vertical journey through SUB-STRUCTURE 17 feels like a high-stakes dance between player skill, environmental awareness, and nerve-wracking tension, offering both endless frustration and unmatched triumph in equal measure.
While the absence of multiplayer may disappoint those looking for cooperative gameplay, the robust replayability provided by procedural generation, meaningful progression, and competitive leaderboards easily compensates. Players will repeatedly return, driven by that addictive urge to overcome previous failures, hone their climbing techniques, and push themselves to new heights—literally and metaphorically. The relentless vertical climb, punishing as it might be, ensures that every success feels genuinely earned, providing a satisfying sense of mastery few games achieve.
Graphically stark yet impressively atmospheric, with outstanding sound design that perfectly complements gameplay, White Knuckle effectively uses minimalism to maximize immersion. Each visual detail, auditory cue, and environmental clue contributes meaningfully to the player’s experience, proving that impressive presentation doesn’t always require flashy effects or high-budget spectacle. Instead, atmosphere and functionality blend seamlessly, creating a genuinely immersive experience that keeps you fully engaged—and frequently on edge.
Ultimately, White Knuckle is a standout addition to the roguelite genre, offering a refreshing twist with its unique vertical gameplay mechanics and uncompromisingly challenging design. For gamers who relish skill-based gameplay, strategic depth, and atmospheric storytelling, this is a must-play experience. So prepare yourself, tighten your grip, and begin your ascent. Just don’t look down—ten thousand meters of concrete await, and gravity remains cruelly impartial.
We prepared this review with a digital copy of the White Knuckle for the PC version provided by Evolve PR.
