[b] Update: [/b] the devs fixed the softlock at the end so I am updating the review to reflect the bonus content. It's a rogue-lite, after you finish the game on normal you can access a harder mode and the boss rush, but the difficulty does not change much. There are a lot of unlocks, granted most of them are not very relevant. I think the game needs higher difficulty scaling to really take advantage of it, it gets kinda too easy after you beat it on hard, it needs more bullets and patterns for enemies per mode.
For a "ninja" platformer with $8 tag, it's not that bad, even though I think it has a lot of room for improvement - I mean, it's not going to compare to Cyber Shadow and The Messenger in terms of overall feel, but you know, it's 1/3 of the price, and it still hits that retro itch for me. I actually think the gameplay mechanics and power-ups are pretty fun, that said, I think the developer needs to work on some of the character frames, and the enemies will need at least 2 patterns so you not just killing everyone with a spear, perhaps some homing attacks, or maybe enemies that can teleport toward you. I beat the game on my third attempt, it's not too difficult, and the run takes about 40 minutes (on a first try). I would like to see some enemies that run toward the character with the blade, maybe even doing some jumps because right now it's too easy to abuse the ranged skills.
I won't go hard on the rogue-lite design, if anything it just needs more stages. I think some of the unlocks are too grindy, people will burn out on the game way before they have a chance to use them, and by some, I mean most of them. Like honestly you could probably cut the requirements in half and it would be okay. It makes no sense if the shop spawns in the first 5 seconds of the level before you have any gold. The stages could use more variety in terms of RNG sections, seems like they only have a few. Since the character has a relatively nice set of mobility tools, I would like any potential new stages to use the verticality more, and I think you can make the platforming a bit harder as well.
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I don't actually mind the rogue-lite events and how you implemented the power-ups, the only issue right now is that the game is a bit too easy and too short to get a full effect out of them. For example, what is the point of gold upgrades, like you barely even getting a return on them, if at all. Pay 50 for a 5% to double in 40 minutes, like I am not sure if that even climbs out of the negatives. Seems like there is a nice variety of random challenges, I just want you to make them a bit harder, personally. Like, instead of killing 3 static enemies with no damage, put the player in the middle, and make him kill like 3 waves of enemies, otherwise, it's a no-brainer, there is no risk.
[h1] Pros: [/h1]
(+) So I think the movement mechanics and the power-ups are good, but you need to work on the frames a bit. Most of the time the game is very fair, not many cheap deaths, but I still would like to see more patterns for enemies so it's harder to abuse the spear.
(+) I like what you doing with the event variety, the only thing I would suggest is to make them a bit harder, have some risk vs reward going on.
For the price, I think the stages look okay, I actually think the platforming gameplay is decent, that said, I would like you to do more harder platforming if you make any new stages - just to utilize all the movement mechanics. For example, you put all of those hit-resets, and spear jumps into the game, but you don't take full advantage of it, most platforming sections are very short.
[h1] Feedback: [/h1]
[u] Loop mods [/u] - you have to go beyond increasing damage to make the higher difficulty fun to replay. Put more enemies, give them more bullets, more attack patterns for bosses.
[u] Frames/Animation [/u] - when the character climbs on the spear, I wish you would skip or speed up the climb frames and go straight into the jumping charge, the pause feels a bit awkward after you press the A. When you doing the dodge-roll, I think the character should recover a bit faster. Maybe a bit more control in the mid-air when you attack, just a little faster with the movement. The edge grab probably should be automatic if you hold it toward the wall, and I think you could make a little animation for wall sliding, at least some dust to show the movement.
[u] Enemy Patterns [/u] - first of all I would like to see maybe a few enemies that go toward the character or have an ability to teleport toward the character, just so you don't find yourself 100% safe killing everything from the distance. Most enemies in the game don't have a way to damage you from a spear distance, perhaps you could add a few different patterns or attacks, maybe give some enemies triple projectile, a different angle or homing missile.
[u] Upgrade balancing [/u] - I think it would be cool if the spear always did 10+2 on return, but maybe reduce the return damage upgrade from 10 to 5. The shield recharge is pretty OP, maybe it could have 3 uses total, and each upgrade would add more charges.
[b] Overall Thoughts: 7/10 [/b]
A bit underdeveloped but I think the game will be decent with a few updates. I would like to see some upgrades to the character frames and the enemies so you can't spam your spear the entire run, don't be afraid to make the game a bit more challenging. If you add more difficulty modes where enemies would fire more bullets, that would help too. Right now there are a lot of unlocks, but the game already got too easy so, I am done for now.
[code]Review by: http://store.steampowered.com/curator/31294838-Hidden-Gem-Discovery/ [/code]
