PCGame

The Black Pool

3D action roguelike with co-op and combinable elemental powers

Smug Marmot Studios · Released Jun 19, 2024

ActionAdventureIndieRPG

Reviews
Very Positive
85% of 129
Recent reviews
Not enough recent
Players
0
daily peak, Nov 7, 2026
Steam Deck
Playable
Last update on Steam
11 months ago
Dec 3, 2025
Minimum PC
GTX 1060
8 GB RAM · 21 GB disk
Full requirements

What is The Black Pool?

A 3D action roguelike set in a distant galactic system, where you fight enemies across randomly ordered worlds while trying to get home. Choose elemental powers and upgrades during each run, and unlock permanent improvements between attempts. You can play alone, team up with up to three friends, or face randomized enemy waves in an arena mode.

For you if...

  • +you enjoy fast combat and experimenting with elemental builds
  • +you want cooperative abilities that reward team coordination
  • +you like worlds that change order between runs

Not for you if...

  • −you dislike restarting runs and rebuilding your abilities
  • −you want slow-paced exploration with little combat

What players say

85% of 129 reviews are positive

Players praise the cooperative ability combinations, varied builds, and music. Recent reviewers report input lag and performance issues; some also criticize poor visibility and uneven sound effects.

Screenshots and trailer

The Black Pool screenshot 1

The Black Pool system requirements

Minimum: GTX 1060, 8 GB RAM, 21 GB of disk space.

As published by the developer.

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Minimum

OS
Windows 10
Processor
Intel Core i5-7600 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
Graphics
Nvidia GTX 1060 or AMD RX 570
Memory
8 GB RAM
Storage
21 GB available space

Recommended

OS
Windows 10
Processor
Intel i5-10600k / AMD R5 3600
Graphics
GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600
Memory
16 GB RAM
Storage
21 GB available space

Does The Black Pool have co-op or multiplayer?

Yes: co-op online and LAN. It also has a single-player mode.

Does The Black Pool run on Steam Deck?

Playable Playable: it runs on Steam Deck with some adjustments.

  • Default controller config not fully functional
  • Some text entry requires manually opening the on-screen keyboard
  • Some in-game text is small and may be hard to read
  • Default configuration is not performant
  • Shows Steam Deck controller icons
  • External controllers are not supported for the primary player

PC version details

DRM
None declared on Steam
Controller
Full controller support
Platforms
Windows
Achievements
42
Steam features
Cloud saves, Family Sharing
Languages
Full audio: English, Spanish - Spain, Spanish - Latin America, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Simplified Chinese.

Does The Black Pool use AI-generated content?

No AI-generated content is disclosed on the game's Steam page.

Self-reported by the developer under Steam rules: it covers AI content that ships in the game, not tools used to make it. Steam page checked on Oct 25, 2026. How to filter AI games on Steam

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