I chose to recommend this free-to-play metrodvania game because I enjoyed it. However, this is a niche game that will mostly appeal to a hardcore audience, and even then it comes with a few flaws. If the phrase "fake difficulty" doesn't turn you off, and having to adapt to unorthodox design choices isn't a problem (or may even be a plus), then read on...
[h1]Visuals / Geometry[/h1]
[i]KreisReise[/i], which is German for "CircleJourney", is an action-focused metroidvania game with an unusual visual design: Each section in the game is a cylinder surface, i.e. a 2D map with horizontal wraparound. The sections are connected through doors.
The camera is focused on the player character, but is slightly below, which has the following effects:
[list][*]Floors and projectile trajectories that would be straight in a flat view appear curved
[*]Things at the top of the screen appear small, and look like they are much farther away than they actually are
[*]The area above the character is much better visible than the area below, and some floors at the top can be fully seen as circles[/list]
I like the visuals overall, and particularly the menu background animation looks pretty good. Occasionally the levels look a bit bland, but IMO it's pretty solid / good for an indie game.
[h1]Metroidvania Aspect[/h1]
The metroidvania aspect worked quite well for me so far. I had to stop occasionally since I wasn't sure where I could progress. But I was never stuck for too long, with a single exception, where I wasn't aware of a property that one of the abilities had. However, there is a manual in the game folder that explained this property well, and I wouldn't have had a problem with this if I read it earlier.
[h1]Translation[/h1]
As mentioned on the store page, the English translation is just a "machine translation", so the descriptions in the game can be a bit confusing. In addition, a small part of the English ability or item descriptions is off-screen.
So yeah: This isn't ideal, but I'm glad that there is some kind of translation at all, and I think it'd be unreasonable to criticize a developer who provides a game for free for not hiring a professional translator.
While the in-game descriptions can be a bit cryptic, I found that the manual explained important game mechanics well, and I'd strongly recommend to take a look at the manual before you start, or when you get stuck. ;)
[h1]Gameplay[/h1]
The game plays like a typical hack and slash. Initially, the main character has access to a melee attack that can be comboed a limited number of times, can be used in different directions, and neutralizes enemy projectiles. Later, she gains access to a ranged attack, and to better mobility options, some of which allow her to pass through projectiles.
All in all this works pretty well, though I found some of the hitboxes a bit unintuitive, and I find it a bit irritating that the third slash hit in a combo has a smaller horizontal range than the previous hits, potentially making you whiff the third hit even when the first 2 hits connected.
The difficulty can be quite harsh sometimes: Spikes inflict a lot of damage, the small attack hitboxes make it difficult to deal with certain situations, and there are some leap of faith parts (though you'll memorize them quickly). There was also a situation where both the player character and enemies are hidden behind obstacles, and you have to fight while your view is partially obscured.
The first boss took me a while to adapt to the patterns, but wasn't a problem in the end. And the second boss: Well, the first half of the boss fight was managable, but I never figured out how to deal with some of her attacks in the second half without receiving a lot of damage, and I wouldn't have defeated her if I didn't find a life upgrade that was a bit tricky to get.
So yes, the game isn't a cakewalk, and you have to adopt to unusual situations, some of which many players probably consider "unfair". But having to deal with those kinds of challenges is part of the appeal for me, some things which you don't see in many modern games.
[h1]Music[/h1]
Overall I found the music in this game alright. I liked one tune, one was catchy though a bit repetitive, and another one was a bit chaotic, and slightly stressful to listen to, but still okay.
[h1]Technical Aspects[/h1]
There's not much for me to complain about here:
[list][*]The game runs well even on old hardware
[*]Music and SFX volume settings
[*]Most inputs for keyboard and DirectInput gamepads can be configured
[*]Fullscreen support and different window resolutions[/list]
My only (minor) complaint here is that the input config is slightly limited: Directional inputs on the keyboard default to arrow keys, and can't be changed to something like WASD. And menu controls (confirm / cancel) overlap with certain action inputs, and can't be set separately.
[h1]Conclusion[/h1]
A challenging niche game with an interesting visual style that will only appeal to some players. If you aren't sure, just try it, it's free. Or watch the gameplay video from one of the other reviewers.
