Conan the Barbarian is known for many things: hating wizards, saving scantily clad women, killing wizards, killing everything else, and generally being an unstoppable behemoth of death. What Conan the Barbarian isn't known for is being adorable. Conan Chop Chop is here to rectify that mistake. Beginning as what seemed to be an April Fool's joke, Conan Chop Chop is a bizarre comedy version of the classic adventurer and some of his allies, and what we've played of it seemed to be very charming.

Conan Chop Chop is a multiplayer roguelike that can be played by as many as four people. It resembles Binding of Isaac both in general art style and in the general gameplay. However, unlike Isaac, it isn't a (mostly) linear game. You need to venture into multiple dungeons to get the ability to face the evil Toth-Amon. You (and up to three friends) must fight your way through adorable monsters and adorable villains to eventually slay the adorable wizard. In a way, it's sort of like a randomized Zelda game.

Our demo allowed us some time with the early portions of the game. You begin in a village and have the chance to purchase some armor, equipment or items. Some things are straightforward (big sword does good damage), and there are passive bonuses, such as the ability to attract gold and loot from a distance. There's a wide selection of items, and it seems more are unlocked as you play (and die). Eventually, you'll need to venture into the wild.

Combat, as expected, is straightforward. You can move and attack, and initially, that's pretty much it. There are upgrades down the line, but you'll have to encounter it first. For example, a villager in the first town gives you a dodge move, which lets you avoid damage, but spamming it too often can leave you vulnerable when you need it. Different weapons have different advantages and disadvantages, such as spears having a long but thin range and large swords hitting a wide area.

Almost everything can influence how your characters move, so movement is a major part of Conan Chop Chop. Equipment has a huge impact on your speed. Strong armor and weapons may slow you down, while faster equipment leaves you more mobile but less defended. The ground can make you slip or cause damage or have other effects. The gameplay isn't exactly Dark Souls, but you'll want to be careful when and where you move.

Despite its cute exterior, Conan Chop Chop is a roguelike, and that means it can be brutally punishing. Playing the game solo leads to a lot of deaths as you slowly face attrition from the swarms of adorable abominations that populate the land. Each death slowly lets you gain "experience," which can let you unlock more things for future runs. The game is somewhat less punishing in co-op mode, where more swords help to keep things under control.

Of course, the art style is the first thing you'll notice about the game. It's simple, with bulky colorful bodies and heads and skinny stick figure arms and legs, but that gives the game a good sense of personality. I'm sure some people might consider it the antithesis of Conan the bulky and rude barbarian, but it fits for a fun and silly spin-off. It also simplifies the roguelike gameplay by making everything easy to identify at a glance.

It might not be the first image that comes to mind when one thinks of Conan the Barbarian, but Conan Chop Chop has a lot of potential to be fun for fans of the franchise and those looking for an enjoyable co-op roguelike title. It's very easy to pick and play, and it seems like it will have enough variety to keep players busy for a long time. We'll see how it pans out when Conan Chop Chop releases for all systems on Feb. 25.