#fun gameplay

I’m not frustrated because of bad gameplay, I can easily see where I made mistakes and how to improve, enemy move-sets aren’t sporadic but aren’t cookie cutter either. They throw in mixups to patterns but the patterns can be seen easily with patience. Aggressiveness can still pay off, but you’ll often find yourself in more bad positions than if you just back off watch and wait.

Enemies don’t feel like they have too much health so far (on the base difficulty at least), and are themselves diversified enough in style and approach that every encounter can be either a cakewalk or a dangerous situation if unprepared. Surprises happen, often when you least suspect.

The style is great, and doesn’t impact ability to see or understand whats going on like so many other soulslike with artistic touches tend to sway on. All the characterisations and characters so far have been great. From the wacky jarman, to the loyal warrior with an abacus for some reason, to the simultaneously baddass and pretty blacksmith, to the grouch of a phantom of blades with a choir of voices backing them, to the haughty librarian of hell. The roster is great so far, and it’s especially nice to have a protag with a clear motivation, despite the muddy mysteries of how they ended up where they are. But thats for us to find out!

I especially am a fan of their re-jig of the idea of soul loss. You not only grow stronger from success but also from failure. Dying against a boss isn’t a bad thing, because the further you get in the boss challenge the more you are rewarded even should you die. Thus it becomes possible to essentially farm experience in order to grow stronger for every new attempt. Slowly inching the battle more in your favour no matter the losses you take. You learn. You grow. You adapt. As all souls games should be!

Combine all that with the Skill Tree system and the three weapon paths and you can diversify the experience even further. I’ve personally been a fan of the Spear’s skills so much i’ve locked in with it so far. The ability to have after-image attacks, secondary dodges, reverse position for insta backstabs, and combo breakers and follow throughs is amazing! And as more of the skill tree unlocks it’s gotten better and better. I can only imagine the dual weapons and greatsword have similar concepts going for them in different veins, but I think i’ll be taking the Spear all the way to the end for sure.