The Celeste and Carrion inspiration is evident, so I'll make that comparison right away. Decently challenging at some points, with some areas of the game being perhaps a little bit frustrating, but nothing impossible to handle. I'd be curious to see some extra levels added where you play without the powers, as those sections had some decently fun controls as well. Only problems I really had were that there was never a concrete explanation for the origins of your powers (super minor detail, but I did wonder) and that some areas of the game had the camera move in a very nauseating movement, like it wasn't sure which screen it was supposed to be on (this got me killed a few times, but I did eventually beat those sections).

Overall, Vindefiant is a fun little game that is not easy to breeze through but also won't make you smash your controller in frustration. If it looks interesting to you, or you liked either Celeste or Carrion, it is worth checking out!

Everyone has bad days at work. Alyx is about to have the worst one of all after being fired from his job. Did I say worst? I meant BEST, because his rage manifests as demon tendrils and goes on a rampage through his office building, the town, and anyone and anything else that gets in between him and the CEO that casually threw away his career.

You play as Alyx, so you're the villian... ? Anti-hero...? Your new powers let you 'walk' along walls and ceilings, dash through doors and walls, and as long as you have line-of-sight, you can grab items and enemies anywhere on the screen and use them to eliminate the opposition. There are physics at play, so the speed, force and angle you toss things gives you a lot of freedom as to how best to creatively dispatch your enemies.

Pros
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- controls are solid with a dual analog controller
- traversal is fun and challenging in later levels
- the 'grab' mechanic is an interesting change from standard platforming run and gun
- boppin' soundtrack
- pixel art, while simple, is beautifully bloody in motion

Cons
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- difficulty spikes in certain paths get frustrating, especially when going after collectibles
- sometimes a pain to grab what you want when you need it
- locations of checkpoints/respawns are a bit mean in places
- THE FINAL BOSS FIGHT. Still not sure how you're supposed to evade some attacks
- 'Invicibility' toggle in the options menu is a LIE

$15 for a 5-hour long game like this is about perfect. It didn't overstay its welcome and was mostly enjoyable throughout. If you want some catharsis from your daily work grind, check out Vindefiant.