Put a couple hours into it. Happy with my purchase.
I'll share a few things I like + don't like here. First, a couple bug reports you'll want to know. I didn't find this section, but this portal showed up.. I went through and got warped out of the map
- recommend you check your portal spawning code.
The mini map showed up on my second launch of the game even though I had previously destroyed its size. Opening + closing settings turned it offf.
Things I like: variety in special moves. General pace of combat + time to combat. Teleports that save where you've been so quick access. Overall game structure (2 levels, Boss). Many options for your build are quickly available (quick to purchase multiple options). Great job on this.
Combat is fun, a good beat-em-up experience.
The recharge system confused me at first. I had my eye on the second meter which was decreasing over time + while I dashed - so I thought thit was a mana system I had to build by attacking, then spend it to use spells. It took me untili my second run to figure out the recharge system.
I like the icon showing above your head indicating a move recharge. It took me a while to adjust to the different startup of moves but I like this now - you have to think about how much time you have to activate a move like the lightning daggers or spinning ice blades.
I wonder if you thought about spells having a mana cost and building up through damage (sorry if you've discussed already in devlog, I haven't kept fully up to date)? That would build more incentive to melee then combo into spells. The many ranged attacks that recharge simply over time make many enemies cheesable - even in small rooms it's easy to just dash away, melee once then signature move.
My biggest complaints about combat is how dominating kiting is ^ + and how dominating the single punch in solo or small group fights. I think this is in part due to enemy AI - the ranged attackers & ranged spellcasters often just stand completely still, I run up and tap-tap-tap effectively stunlocking them. It looks goofy and isn't that fun.. would be cooler if they had a counter, or were running away, something.
I would love to see more enemy abilities, like using the Knights or setting up "Set Play", things that show up on screen that you then have to deal with or let them combo. Maybe this happens in later stages, I look forward to seeing how enemy abilities evolve.
Bosses are quite fun, great job. I've reached the Fire boss at the first Boss checkpoint twice. It's pretty tough for a first-timer, perfect. Dashing to evade is interesting here -- I don't think this is a bad thing because it requires precision, but it was annoying when I had to evade and my options were walk slowly or chuck myself forward with a dash. I wonder if you experimented with a "hold dash to move distance" that would allow light taps to quickly step out of the way? (I think this would work great if it spent mana, instead of a recharge system..)
One minor thing about the bosses, it's the only time the "hit combo" text shows up.. it feels very tacked on. I would like to see a combo count in the game, but always be active, not just when I'm stunning enemies. Just show me number of (reasonbly quickly) consecutive hits, giving me a sense of accomplishment + something to aim for. If more combo = faster mana regen (I know I keep going back to this, it's just because that was my first impression of the system mechanics!) I think it would make a nice risk/reward dynamic.
Excited to check out coop - I think this game will shine even better there.
Overall this is a great game and one of the few I've bought in several years. I'm looking forward to playing it much more. Please take the critiques as you will, these are just my impressions, coming from a long-time fighting game player who thinks about fighting system mechanics about every day.
Congratulations and looking forward to playing more!
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