Is the combat getting better?

[[DeusVult] Eisengrind]

I bought the game on sale without doing any research beforehand. I went into it expecting something similar to The Binding of Isaac with some enjoyable cult base-building elements.

However, I find the combat to be a major chore. It feels unresponsive, the hitboxes are messy, and the items and cards are boring, adding little to the gameplay. The worst part for me, though, is the horrible controls. After playing for 8 hours, it feels like I’m running through the same thing over and over again, with each playthrough becoming more tedious and less fun (there’s nowhere near the item variety you’d find in games like BoI or Enter the Gungeon). Unlocking new weapons or spells in the research tree doesn't change much either, aside from offering a minor trait wrapped in a new skin.

The game does seem fun in some ways and is probably perfect for a specific audience. The concept and art style are hilarious. I’m not trying to bash anyone's favorite game, but... when does the combat start getting any better?

[Foxador]

Originally posted by DeusVult Eisengrind:

I bought the game on sale without doing any research beforehand. I went into it expecting something similar to The Binding of Isaac with some enjoyable cult base-building elements (there’s nowhere near the item variety you’d find in games like BoI or Enter the Gungeon).

If those are the games that you want and that you're basing this game on, then no you probably won't find fun with this game. All those games you mentioned have thousands of items and different variants that you can have and use making almost every single run different. That's not the case here

The main reason is that this isn't a rogue-like, it's just a game with some light combat and some light base building. It's just a fun mix of both but not super hardcore of either. That doesn't mean combat in this game is a cakewalk... It's just not going to scratch that itch of yours if your expectations are games that are designed to have every single run be different and play different. This game is more that you can expect what you're getting into with some randomness in the items, but nothing like what you're used to. There's only 6 weapons in this game that are all just (very simplistically) balanced around speed / damage. IE The more damage the weapon does, the slower the weapon is. With only one weapon breaking that mold as it's ranged

The tarot cards add some variance to your crusades, but for the most part, they're not going to radically change your run as they're just (mostly) small buffs to your character

I think you're expecting and wanting the combat of those complex twitch fest rogue-like games you mentioned that have it so every run is different, plays different and has the thrill of losing means game over. You won't get there here

[The Queen Salis]

In comparison to Isaac the combat and the whole "run" mechanics is just plain worse.
The weapons and upgrades you find have little variety and don't change much.
But that comparison works because Isaac is phenomenal masterpiece in that regard. Lamb is serviceable.
My advice would be to switch the game to "easy" and just get through the combat bits faster.