Is the first boss encounter indicative of the games overall difficulty?

[Synka]

The pattern was okay to recognize, but you have to dodge perfectly to get the iframes, since you have such a long cooldown on it and just moving will not allow you to avoid getting hit, And 2 hits mean death.

This is not impossible (almost killed it on that first try), but I get strong Dark souls 1 vibes - walk a looooong way to get to a boss so they can pummel you in 2 hits and you try again - except that you cannot actually grind levels or something like that

And if this is a theme with the game, I think I'll just stick with other roguelikes...

To clear some confusion, apparently this was an elite not a boss. I tried googling this encounter which seems to be forced to make you respawn, and couldnt find anything anywhere about it. Nobody mentions this in any reddit post, article, etc.

[Coldflame]

the game definitely has bullet hell elements and the later enemies/bosses do have comparable patterns to phrike, apologies if that's a dealbreaker

there's no souls style levelling system but you *can* certainly improve your odds by preparing before the boss fight. collecting more powerful weapons and passive items/consumables in the biome before fighting the boss can give you a huge edge

a major factor is that collecting health pickups whilst already at full health permanently increases your hp cap - avoiding damage when room clearing means a significantly bigger health bar, which gives you significantly more breathing room during boss fights. the protection stat is also additive, so getting a few sources of that makes you dramatically more durable especially with a longer health bar

[Synka]

Originally posted by Coldflame:

the game definitely has bullet hell elements and the later enemies/bosses do have comparable patterns to phrike, apologies if that's a dealbreaker

there's no souls style levelling system but you *can* certainly improve your odds by preparing before the boss fight. collecting more powerful weapons and passive items/consumables in the biome before fighting the boss can give you a huge edge

a major factor is that collecting health pickups whilst already at full health permanently increases your hp cap - avoiding damage when room clearing means a significantly bigger health bar, which gives you significantly more breathing room during boss fights. the protection stat is also additive, so getting a few sources of that makes you dramatically more durable especially with a longer health bar

yeah I noticed that health system because I didnt take any damage until the boss.
What I meant is if the first time you encounter him is meant to just introduce the respawn mechanic, because the path to him was completely linear and there werent any real pickups.

[New player :) hi]

After you get to a boss the first time the walk can be pretty short, you can attempt it whenever you find the door and the door can even be in the first room of a run. The first area boss (Phrike)'s attacks are predictable, can be jumped over and only 2 of them require you to dodge - neither of those needing iframes. With the average level of integrity upgrades you can tank a decent amount of most of the bosses hits, too, and have a chance to use recovery items in most fights.

Unless you mean the very first elite enemy in the tutorial (the big humanoid thing that punches the crap out of you) - their damage is tuned up a bit high in order to kill you and introduce you to the death mechanics. That elite isn't representative of any of the bosses or other elites in the game, who are much less aggressive and deal less damage.

[Born2Rune]

You can grind, its just the progression in this game is not that obvious.

Before attempting the first boss, make sure you clear ALL the rooms you can. Try not to pick-up any Siliphum or Resin as you clear a room, pick-up AFTER the room is clear if possible, unless you're about to die. This is because they can increase your Suit Integrity if your health is full. The more integrity, the better your chances.

Try not to risk any Malignancy unless you have some mitigation that gets rid. Its not worth it early on.

Keep an eye out for statues that has glowing eyes, when you destroy them, they will drop oblites.

Before taking on the first boss, try and get the Astronaut Artefact and Siliphum restore consumables. The Astronaut will resurrect you if you die with half health.

Aim for Phrikes head all the time and keep your distance, like all the way across the room. This will give you a better chance to avoid his projectile. Watch out for his telegraph attack as he will zoom towards you or fire a laser across the ground.

A good sustained DPS with no spread is best for him. So the Carbine with good damage will do the trick.

Keep on the move!. And be mindful of what Parasites you pick-up.

Practice, this game is much easier with Mouse and Keyboard.

Dodge, duck, dive and Dodge.

[Coldflame]

yeah if you're talking about the miniboss gank in the tutorial cycle that's pretty much intended to be a guaranteed death, i wouldn't worry about that

[Synka]

Originally posted by Purps™:

After you get to a boss the first time the walk can be pretty short, you can attempt it whenever you find the door and the door can even be in the first room of a run. The first area boss (Phrike)'s attacks are predictable, can be jumped over and only 2 of them require you to dodge - neither of those needing iframes. With the average level of integrity upgrades you can tank a decent amount of most of the bosses hits, too, and have a chance to use recovery items in most fights.

Unless you mean the very first elite enemy in the tutorial (the big humanoid thing that punches the crap out of you) - their damage is tuned up a bit high in order to kill you and introduce you to the death mechanics. That elite isn't representative of any of the bosses or other elites in the game, who are much less aggressive and deal less damage.

ah so it was an elite. okay. I wasnt sure, too busy getting pummeled to death actually. but this is reassuring

[Nevan]

You don't have to dodge "perfectly" though, the game is pretty gentle with this.

[TotesBreakfast]

I think the bosses actually get easier as the game goes along, with the exception of the Echoing Ruins boss which I think might be the toughest for me. It's always surprised me how easy the "final" bosses are in each Act, particularly the one in the Abyss, who I think is by far the easiest in the game.

[Synka]

Originally posted by Nevan:

You don't have to dodge "perfectly" though, the game is pretty gentle with this.

the enemy in the Tutorial 2 shots you and is extremely hard to dodge, if you dodge too early you still get hit, if you dodge too late you obviously get hit.

[Fanta]

The main way grinding will help you in making progress, is because you get better at the game. The game won't give you much help to do subsequent play through easier; you do get to find new weapons and improve them, which helps, but that's pretty much about it. After every boss you also get shortcuts that allow you to bypass the boss (and part of its biome) if you wish.
As soon as you beat the first boss you get, probably for the first time, a sense of progression, because you get to a biome of a different color and with different enemies.

[Fanta]

Originally posted by Synka:

Originally posted by Purps™:

After you get to a boss the first time the walk can be pretty short, you can attempt it whenever you find the door and the door can even be in the first room of a run. The first area boss (Phrike)'s attacks are predictable, can be jumped over and only 2 of them require you to dodge - neither of those needing iframes. With the average level of integrity upgrades you can tank a decent amount of most of the bosses hits, too, and have a chance to use recovery items in most fights.

Unless you mean the very first elite enemy in the tutorial (the big humanoid thing that punches the crap out of you) - their damage is tuned up a bit high in order to kill you and introduce you to the death mechanics. That elite isn't representative of any of the bosses or other elites in the game, who are much less aggressive and deal less damage.

ah so it was an elite. okay. I wasnt sure, too busy getting pummeled to death actually. but this is reassuring

That enemy becomes manageable once you collect the grapple (after the second proper boss), as you can then grapple back and forth between two spots in the map, trading places with the enemy when it jumps on you. I think you are also invulnerable while you grapple. For the time being, just keep your distance ;)

[GTCv Deimos]

Originally posted by Synka:

yeah I noticed that health system because I didnt take any damage until the boss.
What I meant is if the first time you encounter him is meant to just introduce the respawn mechanic, because the path to him was completely linear and there werent any real pickups.

Keep in mind that that's where a lot of the challenge in rogue-likes come from: witheld knowledge. Rogue-likes just loooooove to bamboozle players by throwing a new scenario or new attacks at them. Getting destroyed by a big-bad for the first time is pretty much par for the course for this genre.

There's obviously a lot of DS inspiration (I mean, what game isn't, these days?), but I still wouldn't really make that kind of comparison. On top of the whole knowledge check thing, i find that Returnal wants you to play in a very specific way, and until you get into that flow, the game will repeatedly slap you down. That's not unlike DS either, but Returnal isn't as rigorous about it.

Oh, tip on those elites... if you see them start to glow red, and their tentacles grow out and start to flail, GET OUTTA THERE, U GON DIE!!!!

[AnotherVenue]

It took me a while to beat the first boss, the second boss I beat my first time.

The real problem wasn't the boss, it was me knowing the mechanics of the game, making strategic choices about powerups/parasites, and as you play through the biomes, you unlock things that can further make you stronger per run.

[medion_no]

You can stock up on equipment and consumables with is pretty much playing with cheats.

[TrojanKilla]

Honestly, the first stage is the hardest. It gets easier with each level. You unlock more weapons that are op. The pistol is so lackluster at the start. Once you get access to the rotgut blaster and hyperpilon you melt bosses and rooms of enemies.