Vindilis

Unfinished, but doesn't need to be

Why

• Unique art direction looks amazing
• Bosses especially have cool designs, and some have interesting mechanics
• Cool lil' easter eggs to find in each level

Why Not

• Enemy placement is a bit Dark-Souls-2-like at times

Impressions

I took one look at the screenshots and knew I was playing this one, the sketched aesthetic of the bosses really appeals to me. The rest of the game's art didn't disappoint either; the small cast of enemies each have interesting designs and the background art matches the overall aesthetic while providing some flavour. I did not have particularly high hopes for the gameplay, but ended up being pleasantly surprised.

To get it out of the way, this is a very short game and an (explicitly) unfinished one. You'll make your way through 6 short levels, each leading to up one of the bosses, then that's it. I finished in 90 minutes, you might be a little slower or faster depending on your familiarity with souls-like combat. Personally I like that it's so short; it allows the game to get away with a simple but effective combat system which would wear out its welcome over a longer game. It also allows the level of effort which I'm sure went into the beautiful art and animation (of bosses especially) from a solo dev, without having to worry about hours of level design and gameplay mechanics.

Give this one a try if the art-style piques your interest at all, it's a great little experience. Also happy to report it works perfectly on Steam Deck despite the 'Unknown' label, so if that was holding you back worry no longer.