Thanks for playing! I'm happy that you like the game and the music! I'll be launching the OST on Bandcamp soon but it's also up online for listening! 🐱🐈
Corrections/updates: 1. I don't actually know for sure that the devs are Russian, but since they've tweeted in the language, I just made the assumption 2. After I made the video, the demo was updated (and presumably the full game was as well) and they cited animation fixes, so that piece of criticism may no longer be valid. 3. Yet another update happened and the game has been rebalanced with more HP at the start, more health pickups, and more areas that will restore mana. The game should be a lot less frustrating now, especially early on. 4. There are apparently technical issues that prevent the devs from implementing customizable controls for the time being. Somewhat concerning IMO. 5. The price point is $9.99 as opposed to the $5 I was expecting. Final rating is still "wait for a patch," but even once fixed, I'd recommend waiting for at least a 50% sale 6. According to the devs, the attack freeze bug has been fixed
I rendered the video and got everything ready for release and then like 2 days later, I see a notification. "Witchcrafty demo update!" I mean, I guess that's one of the pitfalls of reviewing pre-release games, but still funny
This game drove me crazy, there's weird glitches on the Vita version. It's a really good game but I really wish it had 3 hearts instead of two. Because of you die on the Vita it takes away your crystals but they also disappear from the game world too. Unless you quit out and go back in, then everything is back again, but even the ones you already got lol. Does that make sense? Also you glitch out trying to go down from platforms unless you move a little to the side and press down again then it works. Sometimes it glitches out completely and you get stuck in a running loop with no further feedback from the controller and you have to quit out and reload. Really janky but I can tell there's a great game hidden in there. It looks like the jank wasn't here in whatever version you were playing.
personal thoughts from playing the demo: Presentation - wonderful, super smooth pixel animation akin to metal slug, and as you said a soundtrack that almost deserves to be a download on it's own. Gameplay - Yep that attack freeze bug is still there and actually got me killed, but worse than that (and I can't remember if you mentioned it) they commit 2 of the biggest cardinal sins for 2d platformers... 1. no controller customisation - I am so used to the left (X/Square) face button being attack that to have it not only mapped but locked to the right (B/Circle) face button meant that I was having to unlearn 30 years of gaming just to get by, but even worse than that... 2 - DO NOT USE THE LEFT ANALOGUE STICK FOR MOVEMENT! And if you are going to do that, don't make it the only option! this might be personal to me but I absolutely loathe using analogue for 2d movement, especially in a game where movement is locked to left and right and doesn't require precise 360⁰ aiming. Overall - I don't think I'd get this even if they fixed the bugs because some of its biggest problems exist on the foundational level and the devs fundamental approach to the games design.
Yeah, I think the thing that's saving the game is the (presumably) low price point. Most of my problems with the game could end up being patched away, but the game really isn't finished. I really wanted to love this one.
Thanks for playing! I'm happy that you like the game and the music! I'll be launching the OST on Bandcamp soon but it's also up online for listening! 🐱🐈
Jesus Igor the guardian looks SO GOOD to me. The shading and animation while simple just looks so satisfying!
Yeah, the game looks and sounds absolutely amazing throughout. Clearly a lot of love and care went into the aesthetics
Corrections/updates:
1. I don't actually know for sure that the devs are Russian, but since they've tweeted in the language, I just made the assumption
2. After I made the video, the demo was updated (and presumably the full game was as well) and they cited animation fixes, so that piece of criticism may no longer be valid.
3. Yet another update happened and the game has been rebalanced with more HP at the start, more health pickups, and more areas that will restore mana. The game should be a lot less frustrating now, especially early on.
4. There are apparently technical issues that prevent the devs from implementing customizable controls for the time being. Somewhat concerning IMO.
5. The price point is $9.99 as opposed to the $5 I was expecting. Final rating is still "wait for a patch," but even once fixed, I'd recommend waiting for at least a 50% sale
6. According to the devs, the attack freeze bug has been fixed
gonna give the demo a try when I get back, see if those issues are still there
I rendered the video and got everything ready for release and then like 2 days later, I see a notification. "Witchcrafty demo update!"
I mean, I guess that's one of the pitfalls of reviewing pre-release games, but still funny
*PERFECT VIDEO!!! I LOVE IT!!! BIG LIKE!!!* 😍😍👌✅✅🏆🏆✅✅👌👍👍
This game drove me crazy, there's weird glitches on the Vita version. It's a really good game but I really wish it had 3 hearts instead of two. Because of you die on the Vita it takes away your crystals but they also disappear from the game world too. Unless you quit out and go back in, then everything is back again, but even the ones you already got lol. Does that make sense? Also you glitch out trying to go down from platforms unless you move a little to the side and press down again then it works. Sometimes it glitches out completely and you get stuck in a running loop with no further feedback from the controller and you have to quit out and reload. Really janky but I can tell there's a great game hidden in there. It looks like the jank wasn't here in whatever version you were playing.
personal thoughts from playing the demo:
Presentation - wonderful, super smooth pixel animation akin to metal slug, and as you said a soundtrack that almost deserves to be a download on it's own.
Gameplay - Yep that attack freeze bug is still there and actually got me killed, but worse than that (and I can't remember if you mentioned it) they commit 2 of the biggest cardinal sins for 2d platformers...
1. no controller customisation - I am so used to the left (X/Square) face button being attack that to have it not only mapped but locked to the right (B/Circle) face button meant that I was having to unlearn 30 years of gaming just to get by, but even worse than that...
2 - DO NOT USE THE LEFT ANALOGUE STICK FOR MOVEMENT! And if you are going to do that, don't make it the only option! this might be personal to me but I absolutely loathe using analogue for 2d movement, especially in a game where movement is locked to left and right and doesn't require precise 360⁰ aiming.
Overall - I don't think I'd get this even if they fixed the bugs because some of its biggest problems exist on the foundational level and the devs fundamental approach to the games design.
Yeah, I think the thing that's saving the game is the (presumably) low price point. Most of my problems with the game could end up being patched away, but the game really isn't finished.
I really wanted to love this one.