Well, I've barely started the game and I don't even have time to breathe anymore. No menu, no introductory area, nothing.
Just active combat as soon as I spawn.
Opening the pause menu, I realize there's no way to actually lower the game's sound, as there's constant action music playing in the background.
When I open the menu, the game's key bindings are displayed, as well as the credits for the creators of each asset, which is good, giving credit to the original creators of each element.
The game doesn't have much of a story, at least not an introductory one; we know we're someone who has to liberate a corrupted castle.
Unfortunately, the pause menu doesn't actually pause the game, which can be a problem.
The game has minimal controller compatibility, making keyboard use more optimal.
One issue here is the lack of sound feedback from the surroundings, as well as the generally unresponsive and janky movement. Running has the same sprite as walking, the speed is similar, the attacks are basic without many combos, but there is a spell for ranged damage, which is my favorite attack because it does what it promises.
The Roll is problematic, as it sinks the character into the ground and takes the camera with it.
The use of bonfires, unlike in other Souls-like games, doesn't reset enemies, so it's possible to kill an enemy, return, reset mana and health, and continue as if nothing happened.CORRECTION: The use of bonfires does reset enemies, but with a kind of timer.
The Roll, again, showed a problematic factor: It doesn't guarantee temporary invulnerability to damage, much less the possibility of passing through the enemy. Making Roll the most useless mechanic in the game.
Suggestion: It would be good if the bonfires were further apart, because in just one part of my screen, I can see three bonfires at the same time. I think that making them scarcer would reward the player more for not dying.
Suggestion: The asset used for the protagonist's sprites is available here on Itch.io; the sprites for going up and down stairs would be good to use instead of simply leaving the character straight up.
The boss has an interesting idea behind it; I liked the effort invested in making three phases, even though the last phase doesn't change much from the second.
The boss has a problem with having a very large collider in melee attacks. But it's something that can be easily fixed.
I appreciate the effort of including a small cutscene at the end.
Overall, it's a game that just needs polishing to work, because if it has that, it will be a relatively good indie game. It may not be perfect, but for a solo developer project, I see growth. Regarding this project, I recommend introducing some mechanics that punish the player for dying and compensate for staying alive, as well as creating something that generates a game loop and makes it replayable.
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CorruptionCastle - Slapchickengames
Final Score: 3/5 Stars
Well, I've barely started the game and I don't even have time to breathe anymore. No menu, no introductory area, nothing.
Just active combat as soon as I spawn.
Opening the pause menu, I realize there's no way to actually lower the game's sound, as there's constant action music playing in the background.
When I open the menu, the game's key bindings are displayed, as well as the credits for the creators of each asset, which is good, giving credit to the original creators of each element.
The game doesn't have much of a story, at least not an introductory one; we know we're someone who has to liberate a corrupted castle.
Unfortunately, the pause menu doesn't actually pause the game, which can be a problem.
The game has minimal controller compatibility, making keyboard use more optimal.
One issue here is the lack of sound feedback from the surroundings, as well as the generally unresponsive and janky movement. Running has the same sprite as walking, the speed is similar, the attacks are basic without many combos, but there is a spell for ranged damage, which is my favorite attack because it does what it promises.
The Roll is problematic, as it sinks the character into the ground and takes the camera with it.
The use of bonfires, unlike in other Souls-like games,
doesn't reset enemies, so it's possible to kill an enemy, return, reset mana and health, and continue as if nothing happened.CORRECTION: The use of bonfires does reset enemies, but with a kind of timer.The Roll, again, showed a problematic factor: It doesn't guarantee temporary invulnerability to damage, much less the possibility of passing through the enemy. Making Roll the most useless mechanic in the game.
Suggestion: It would be good if the bonfires were further apart, because in just one part of my screen, I can see three bonfires at the same time. I think that making them scarcer would reward the player more for not dying.
Suggestion: The asset used for the protagonist's sprites is available here on Itch.io; the sprites for going up and down stairs would be good to use instead of simply leaving the character straight up.
The boss has an interesting idea behind it; I liked the effort invested in making three phases, even though the last phase doesn't change much from the second.
The boss has a problem with having a very large collider in melee attacks. But it's something that can be easily fixed.
I appreciate the effort of including a small cutscene at the end.
Overall, it's a game that just needs polishing to work, because if it has that, it will be a relatively good indie game. It may not be perfect, but for a solo developer project, I see growth. Regarding this project, I recommend introducing some mechanics that punish the player for dying and compensate for staying alive, as well as creating something that generates a game loop and makes it replayable.