No Vacation for an Executioner

So this is a hard game to recommend, not because it's bad but because it takes a very specific kind of person to be interested in it. You have to have a LOT of patience for gameplay jank, that's the main part. The translations are sometimes... questionable, leading to making understanding the game even more difficult than it already makes it. There's no real guidance either in the game our outside of it, not even full let's plays on youtube. But I am the kind of person this game works for, i love that I have to figure stuff out myself and have no alternatives, I find the jank and questionable game design and level design decisions to be charming and honestly the art is incredible. If you're nostalgic for games you truly had to figure out with no alternative and can stand some gameplay jank then this is the game for you.

Gra ma świetne wizualia, niestety jest baaaardzo zdrewniała. Ponadto sama walka wydaje się przerażająco trudna i rzucająca na gracza zdecydowanie zbyt wielu przeciwników na raz.

No Vacation for an Executioner is an atmospheric indie horror action RPG that embraces the spirit of sixth-generation console gaming while building its own grim identity. Developed and published by JayO, the game transports players to the late seventeenth century, where they assume the role of an exhausted executioner who abandons his bloody profession in search of peace. Instead of finding freedom, his decision sets off a horrifying chain of events that unleashes monstrous creatures upon the land. As the mysterious substance known as Gloomy Oil spreads corruption across the world, the former executioner becomes entangled in a desperate struggle for survival and redemption. The story combines historical inspiration, supernatural horror, and psychological tension to deliver a dark narrative that slowly reveals its secrets through exploration and discovery. One of the game's defining strengths is its dedication to recreating the feel of classic PlayStation 2-era survival horror. Rather than simply copying the visual style, it faithfully adopts deliberate movement, old-school controls, and slower-paced gameplay that encourage careful decision-making over fast reflexes. This design philosophy creates an experience that rewards patience and mastery instead of immediate accessibility. While modern players accustomed to smoother movement may initially find the controls demanding, fans of classic horror games will likely appreciate the authenticity and deliberate pacing that enhance the atmosphere instead of detracting from it. Visually, the game delivers a memorable blend of retro presentation and disturbing artistic design. The low-polygon environments and intentionally aged graphical style successfully evoke nostalgia without feeling lazy or unfinished. Every area is drenched in a bleak atmosphere that reflects the game's themes of death, guilt, and decay. The influence of surreal horror art is evident in the grotesque enemy designs and haunting environments, which often resemble twisted paintings brought to life. Combined with eerie lighting and unsettling environmental details, the world constantly reinforces a sense of dread that lingers long after each encounter. Combat favors tactical thinking over aggressive button-mashing. Battles revolve around careful positioning, precision attacks, defensive timing, and efficient resource management. Players can utilize stabs, powerful backstabs, parries, and brutal executions while also relying on firearms when situations become overwhelming. Rather than overwhelming players with endless enemies, the game encourages studying attack patterns and making every strike count. This slower, methodical approach aligns perfectly with the survival horror foundation and ensures that each confrontation remains tense and meaningful throughout the adventure. Progression extends beyond combat by introducing mechanics that reward exploration and experimentation. A variety of historically inspired outfits and hats provide both cosmetic variety and gameplay benefits, giving players reasons to search every corner of the game's world. Meanwhile, the resource conversion system allows collected materials to be transformed into ammunition, healing supplies, and other essential items. These mechanics reinforce the survival aspect of the experience by making inventory management and preparation just as important as fighting skill, creating satisfying moments where careful planning pays off during difficult encounters. Replay value is another welcome feature. Multiple endings encourage players to revisit the story and uncover different outcomes based on their decisions and exploration. Depending on the path chosen, a playthrough can vary considerably in both length and narrative resolution, providing additional incentive to investigate hidden areas and piece together more of the world's lore. This branching structure complements the game's mysterious storytelling, allowing players to gradually uncover the full scope of the tragedy surrounding the executioner and the corruption threatening the land. As an independent production, No Vacation for an Executioner demonstrates an impressive level of creative ambition. Instead of chasing modern trends, it confidently commits to a specific vision built around retro horror design, historical inspiration, and unsettling artistic expression. The combination of immersive atmosphere, strategic combat, memorable visual direction, and layered progression systems results in an experience that feels carefully crafted from beginning to end. Although its intentionally old-fashioned mechanics may not appeal to everyone, players who appreciate classic survival horror and slower-paced action will find a rewarding and distinctive adventure that stands apart from many contemporary indie releases. Rating: 7/10

Наиграв 3 часа в демку, я был очарован и тут же купил игру. Одна из главных вещей, которую вы должны знать, эта игра не соулс лайк, она ближе всего не к творениям From Software, а к таким играм как классические Resident Evil 1-4 и т.п. ну вы поняли. От From здесь разве что парирования, близкая к Bloodborne эстетика, повествование, которое нужно собирать по кусочкам, а также вороны и некоторые нпс, которым можно дать вкусняху/приколюху и получить что то взамен (или не получить). О минусах: -Обучение отвратное и вообще зачем оно такое, непонятно. -Общая неаккуратность. -Дыры в стенах и модельках, камера вылезает за стены. -Текстуры я также однажды в 3DMax пробовал накладывать. -Кривоватая боевка (Чтобы сработало qte нужно стоять к врагу вплотную. Бывало, что я нажимал парирование и оно не срабатывало, хотя попадал четко в тайминг). -Музыка (Это и плюс и минус одновременно, она п_здец какая гнетущая и местами давит на психику). -Тут есть шорткаты, но некоторые из них как будто лишние. -Кое где есть неубиваемые враги, которых только оббегать (ну или хз, может их можно убить и я не разобрался как, просто ненавижу бессмертных противников). -Некоторые концовки абсолютно не вызывают сатисфакции. -Ну и если вы меня спросите насчет сюжетов и "что за ужас тут творится?" я и сам не совсем до конца осознал и понял, и я дам вам пупочный катышек, дохлую мышь и скажу, что я древнее злое божество. О плюсах: -Атмосфера. -Есть небольшой крафт и он прикольный (Патроны, лечилки, другие ингредиенты). -Есть некоторое количество оружек и одежды с разными свойствами, что придает разнообразия. -Кое где есть развилки. -Исследовать интересно. -Есть прокачка и она через предметы. -Описание предметов интересное. -Читаемые атаки врагов. -Хоть для данной игры рекомендуется геймпад, но управление на клавомыши очень даже удобное. Итог: если любите хорроры, классические Resident Evil, бэктрекинг и чтобы иногда ваш анус был в напряжении, по скидке можете взять, игра может подарить интересный опыт.

Si rotundo

Отличная игра, мне очень нравится то, как хорошо передана атмосфера. Звуки, музыка, внешний вид окружения и персонажей

游戏风格不错，很喜欢，但是战斗的手感太差了，尤其是弹反，得亏我魂游玩的多才有毅力打下去，这款游戏适合比较有耐心的玩家

Okay, gave this game a go, spent about a full day trying to get to a more or less conclusive ending, and I guess it's time to leave a feedback, keeping in mind this game was made by a solo developer. + Original setting: we don't get to enjoy the XVI-XVII century France-inspired settings often enough + Art style: dark, surreal, sketch-like cell-shading. Works great. + The proper use of level design, allowing for shortcuts and redirection, rendering traverse more tolerable. The 'limbo' dimension is an eyegasm and could've used more gameplay tied to it. Or, perhaps, an even deeper and more distinct 'hell' sublevel. - Game design mistakes: pining for people to replay the game while save/load function is avalable, the best ending can be obtained in a single run, the replay modifiers are absent, and the only thing that changes is game difficulty and some gear rewards for subsequent runs just doesn't work. - Asset variety. The enemy variety is okay-ish for a game of this scale but not for repeated experience. The toolkit of weapons is criminally low. - Technical issues: bugs. Plenty of bugs, especially with UI exceptions and animations looping/registering. Overall, I'd give 7/10 - nifty little thing, if technically and design-wise flawed one. Would recommend to the fans of souls-like games and dungeon crawlers only.

한글화했습니다 곧 업로드하겠습니다 소울류 좋아하시는분은 재밌게 할 수 있습니다 그런데 나중가면 단조로워서 좀 질리는 느낌이 있습니다 버그도 중간중간에 좀 있습니다 아이템창을 열고 아이템 갯수확인하면서 esc키를 다시 눌러서 취소하면 마지막 확인한 아이템을 써버립니다 그리고 중간중간에 버그가 몇 있습니다 스포일수도 있어서 말할 수가 없네요 공략없으면 좀 찾기 힘든 길도 있습니다 진엔딩같은경우.. 공략을 알고하면 3시간만에 진엔딩 볼 수 있습니다 저는 7000원에 샀는데 소울좋아하시면 한번쯤 해볼만 하다 생각합니다

There is potential but overall it’s way too clunky for me, I might give him another chance one day.