Fun af

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:D

I don't think it's a bad game, just absolutely wrong for me.

Slain is a masocore platformer that takes cues from classic Castlevania and Ghosts And Goblins. It checkpoints frequently and has infinite lives, and it has a pretty cool sludgy pixel metal aesthetic and riffs on the soundtrack.

Hit detection is also weird, parry timings are tight, and parries are essential to progress. It's not unreasonable to call this thing 2D Sekiro.

I am genetically incapable of doing active parries, so I got to the stage two boss and washed out. If you feel differently about parries, you will likely feel differently about this game.

Slain isn't a particularly lengthy game; its story feels short, and one can complete it in under five hours on the first playthrough. However, what kept me invested for many hours were the challenging achievements. With 70-80% of the achievements being rare, Slain offers a solid challenge for achievement hunters, often requiring multiple hours of restarts, reruns, or retries to obtain them. Despite its brevity, the gameplay experience can be intense, occasionally suffering from delayed button inputs on controllers. While the variety of enemies may not be extensive, their ability to swiftly slay the player in just a few hits makes rushing through the game on the first attempt a daunting task. One aspect I thoroughly enjoyed was the parry mechanic, which rewards precise defense timing with a satisfying counterattack. Parrying enemies in Slain feels incredibly rewarding and adds depth to the combat. On the auditory front, the metal rock soundtrack, while fitting for the genre, didn't leave a lasting impression on me. In summary, Slain is a solid choice for fans of classic metroidvania games, featuring a straightforward yet challenging gameplay loop centered around hitting, spellcasting, and parrying. However, I would recommend waiting for a sale to purchase it, as the full price may not feel justified. Overall, Slain is best suited for those seeking a satisfying challenge and aiming to collect all of its achievements.

the game can be fun and has amazing art style but is rather obtuse and will require you to relearn basic mechanics from similar games due to the timing in many actions being slow, delayed, and unable to be cancelled, being as specific as not to parry a projectile being not too far and not too close, and will not register as a deflection despite not event touching you yet, in many cases, on top of having to learn the enemies attack patterns. I find myself preparing to counter one attack, enacting it, and then taking damage from another newly attacking enemy at the same time. My brain tells me to react but I can't. I press the button and nothing happens because the animation hasn't finished playing out. You have to commit, you have to be so deliberate as too see everything, plan every single move, and execute it with mounting pressure, if any new enemy, if any new variable is introduced, you will take damage, you will probably die. It's frustrating that my reflexes are severely handicapped in this case. I love learning but not at the cost of sponteniety. I have an easier time with Contra than I do this one but there is still much enjoyment to be had as long as you're as stubborn as the game is

Game is not for the weak 10/10.

Really impressive

I am 32 years old.

My ex-wife and I have a daughter together, and we adopted our son together. Both are now 4 years old.

When we were going through our separation, I felt lost and unhappy. I was self-destructive. One day, I was so angry with everything spiraling out of control that I punched a concrete wall in a moment of overwhelming emotion. This resulted in breaking my fifth metacarpal in my right hand—the hand I worked with, played games with, and used to carry my children to bed—the hand I desperately needed to ensure I could continue providing.

Upon learning the severity of the self-inflicted damage, I became almost suicidal. Keep in mind that just a few months before this, I was the happiest man, with no history of depression or anxiety. I had never experienced anger outbursts, nor was I the type to break down and cry, but I was in a tough situation that truly prevented me from seeing the light on the other side.

With nothing better to do, I looked for a game I could play WITH ONE HAND while recovering. Somehow, I stumbled upon this game and read some of the comments. I decided it was worth a try... I must admit I didn't beat the game, nor did I play as much as some of you. In fact, I may have played this game for only a day or two. That being said, after doing so, I had a new joy and hope for life. I managed to leave behind the pain and suffering that had been thrust upon me. I could experience the joy and happiness of other people. I relaxed for 5 ♥♥♥♥ minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.

After realizing this, I turned off the game and went back to work. My hand hurt a lot, but I was motivated. I stopped feeling so sorry for myself and became the father I needed to be at that moment, not the weak boy I was behaving like.

Today, I am close friends with the mother of my children. We don't fight, argue, or say hurtful things to each other. We are parents and friends.

Now I have 3 children. My third child is, wait, ALSO 4 YEARS OLD. The woman I am with was going through a very similar situation at the time of my separation, and we just unexpectedly stumbled into each other's lives. We have been dating for a year and are very happy together.

Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today. This silly little game helped me realize that.

Thank you.

Like Valfaris, the gameplay is decent but quite repetitive and restrictive (very little platforming/low jump height).

Frequently you are walking along a straight line with enemies either side of you, and having to time parries or your strong attack repeatedly.

The game is very striking and beautiful with its messy pixel art look. In fact, sound/visuals largely carried the experience for me.