Reading the reviews that are already here it seems like most of them either do nothing but praise it (glazing) or nothing but criticize it (hating). So hopefully this is relatively unbiased
Places where this game is great:
- Graphics are amazing with a unique artstyle that isn't really like anything else, especially with this genre of games that usually have a generic artstyle that makes them all look the same. The one singular complaint I have with the backgrounds in specific places like the jungle don't have a lot of depth, it's just a wall of trees and foliage. It could use some parallax layers to make it feel more dense
- Music is amazing. It conveys a feeling of calm, but in a serious way, like you're on a mission, if that makes sense. All I'm saying is that whoever composed it knows what they're doing. (The guitar half way through the sewer level in the tower goes so much harder than it needs to. (The saxophone in the grasslands is really good too))
- Atmosphere: This game nails atmosphere. Walking through the rainy city has a certain sense of allure and mystery that perfectly fits with what this game is going for (It also fits the comforting vibe of the music). Although, in some places it's lacking. If I go inside a building on a rainy night I'd expect to see and hear the rain hitting the window. Other than that it's great
- Secrets are fun to search for and rewarding to find. Some of them are a little bullshit, but there's always a hint or a clue on where to find them.
Places where the game can be improved:
- Controls are pretty difficult, for a game that can move as fast as this one the controls don't feel as tight as they should be. There's been many times where I've accidentally used an item instead of attacking or using a different item. The movement is surprisingly deep and is overall amazing. Attacking on the other hand, feels like it's missing something. Attacks seem basic and only certain weapons have some sort of a combo.
- Bosses. When it comes to bosses, I love a difficult but fair fight to test how far you've come or to guard a secret. But most of the bosses in this game can be easily beaten by standing at a distance and shooting them. The only boss fights that offer some kind of challenge are the Harpy and Risa bosses. I just wish they could have more 'action', not just a ramped up difficulty. Maybe give us a new attack to surprise us on certain stages of the fight or in tower mode.
With how much I like a good boss fight. I just hope the combination of excellent music and decent (but flawed) design leads the game to having an absolutely amazing final boss. Just remember that it's supposed to be an amalgamation of everything you did leading up to that point. I have high hopes and expectations for both this game and it's final boss
- General fairness. I like difficult games, but sometimes this game can be a little bullshit. If an enemy can hit you before you're aware of their presence in regular gameplay is bad design. There's a difference between not paying attention and getting grabbed by the plants or floor-ghost and being killed by an enemy that's off screen or while entering a doorway. Also, the checkpoints aren't as bad as people say since you keep your items and know what's in store. The lack of checkpoints before the Oni might seem unfair at first, but if you experiment with weapons it's pretty easy.
- Level design. This is more of a small thing in a few specific areas. The city and sewer are perfectly fine, but the jungle and the field(?) can leave you confused on where to start or go. (Also why would you give us two "keys" to the door in the jungle hub and not give us the rest)
- H-scenes. This is probably why most people are playing the game and they could be improved a bit. The scenes are comprised of only a few frames which is a little disappointing but not a deal breaker. I think just a few more frames for easing would make it look much better. Don't get me wrong, I like that kind of animation style, but with the some of them are just a few too little frames. If the animations don't change I'd definitely say it's worth it to play the game, the aren't bad by any means. As a side note, I don't mind a little gore in my games but damn is the Oni scene a little rough (It's not that bad, but really surprised me). (Also, sometimes a weird contrast between animations, ex. when the Rottenjaw charges you while you're facing towards it the animation is weirdly smooth, but when you're facing away it feels a little choppier).
Closing remarks:
This game isn't as hard as people say, and I think it deserves some 'glazing'. But if the minor issues are fixed this game can be changed from a 'great' game to an 'amazing' game. Just by looking at the demo by itself I could guess the full game would be about 10 - 15$, but with some improvement you could probably push it to 20. There's definitely a game here, even without h-scenes.
Also, 3 things I'm wondering about:
1. I can't remember where, but somewhere someone claimed the dev said they only put h-content into the game to get sales. But then it makes me wonder why some scenes are hard to find or are high-effort.
2. I've seen the scene concept sketches on pateron. Are these going to be animated? or just generic images? Even if they're even less frames then the h-scenes.
3. This game has lots of paranormal and folklore enemies in it. So at some point will there be any actual 'horror' elements? Maybe not genuinely scary (though, I wouldn't complain if it was) but something that'll give you a little adrenaline rush. (sexy ghost jumpscare???)