Early-Access-Review: Is Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core Worth Playing?

A Good Game, But I Was Expecting More

I was recently given the opportunity to review Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core by Ghost Ship Games, and as a fan of the original Deep Rock Galactic, and a huge fan of Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, I was quite excited to play it.

I love roguelikes, roguelites and basically the entire rogue genre, so I was very excited to play this.

It is a good game.

After playing the previous two games in the Deep Rock Galactic franchise, I must admit I was expecting more, and not just because it’s in Early Access. I’ve played the other games in Early Access and I always found them significantly more impressive.

Playing Solo Isn’t Much Fun

Now don’t get me wrong, this game will be great fun with friends, but pretty much all games are great fun with friends.

I opted to play solo for the purposes of review, as I often find it’s better to play a game in its least potential fun state first. It gives a better understanding of what it would offer to someone who has nobody to play with, or perhaps someone who has social anxiety and doesn’t enjoy playing with others.

And honestly, when playing by myself, the runs felt long and tedious.

Now don’t get me wrong, 30 to 45 minutes isn’t a long time, but it feels like an eternity when you’re basically doing the same thing over and over for the entire duration.

There just wasn’t enough variety between runs to keep me engaged or wanting to come back for more.

Great Progression, Lacklustre Gameplay.

In-run progression felt slow, and while overall progression is decent, and the meta progression is excellent, unlike Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, I must admit it just didn’t keep me hooked.

Will I come back and play it again?

Absolutely.

I love the Deep Rock Galactic franchise and, especially when it comes to consoles, and hopefully Xbox Game Pass, I’m sure it will have a large player base. I also think I’ll enjoy Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core far more playing with friends and randoms than I did slogging through it solo for review purposes.

However, that said, right now it’s pretty bland.

Mining is bland.

Combat is bland.

Exploration is bland.

Considering the previous entries in the franchise, I guess I was just expecting more.

Visuals

Visually, Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core is just about on par with what you would expect from a Deep Rock Galactic game. They’re not the prettiest games, but they have their own unique aesthetic, which they pretty much stick to.

But as someone who’s played the previous titles from their earliest Early Access days, Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core just felt rough.

While the visuals are certainly not AI generated, I almost wish they were, because frankly, in this instance AI would have probably made Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core look a little better.

Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core FAQ

Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core is an early access action game developed by Ghost Ship Games and published by Ghost Ship Publishing, Coffee Stain Publishing, it released on 20 May 2026, and is available exclusively on PC.

Is There Group Finding/Matchmaking Support?

Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core offers the following matchmaking options:

• ☑ Solo Matchmaking
• ☑ Group Matchmaking

What Peripherals Are Supported?

Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core supports the following peripherals:

• ☑ PC - Controller
• ☑ PC - Mouse and Keyboard

Is There Any Mature Content?

Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core is unrated and contains:

• ☑ Gore
• ☑ Violence
• ☑ Fear

Final Verdict.

Ultimately, Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core performs well, is reasonably enjoyable to play and, if you’re a massive fan of the Deep Rock Galactic franchise, and you have friends who are going to play this with you, I think you’ll have a great time.

For everyone else, I’d suggest waiting.

Not only until it’s fully released, but also until it’s on sale, unless it improves substantially between now and release, which is entirely possible.

But at this point, I can’t overly recommend it.

Ultimately, it’s a good game.

I just don’t think it’s a great game.

Is Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core Worth Playing?

We found Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core to be a good game, meaning it is likely to be enjoyable for most players, despite having a few areas that could be improved upon.

Note: This title is in Early Access, meaning it is publicly available but still evolving. The rating shown reflects its current state and may change as development continues.