Windblown Early Access Review
Windblown Early Access Review
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Like most rogue-likes, the premise is basic: Do something, get better and then do it again. What separates the good ones from the great is usually how addictive and satisfying each loop is. If you reward too much, too quickly and the game will get boring fast. On the other hand with not enough rewards, you wont be incentivized to return and the game will begin to feel like a grind. This is dopamine management 101 and perfecting the progression loop is clearly something that Motion Twin is familiar with, first with Dead Cells and now Windblown.
After playing Windblown, Motion Twin make it clear that Dead Cells with it’s incredible game feel and tight progression loops wasn’t a flash in the pan as Windblown nails these and many other aspects as well. It might start out a little slow, but just like a frog in a pot of water, before you know it, Motion Twin has cranked the heat on you and the water is now boiling.
If you’re looking for an ultra short answer. Windblown feels like Dead Cells, but it also feels very different. It’s along the same lines as listening to a new album from a band you love or trying something else on the menu at your top spot to grab a bite.
There are some obvious changes like the isometric perspective, new art style, and the blazing speed that you quickly acclimatize to. Then there are smaller details in the gameplay that create a very different feeling experince to Dead Cells including weapon synergy with alter attacks, the addition of co-op, crystallizing enemies, which is basically a finisher when there health gets low enough and many other small changes.
On a similar level, the loops are incredibly addictive. Enemies can also drop encrypted memories instead of blueprints, which you will still need enough resources to unlock and find on future runs. There are bonus items hidden all over the place from behind waterfalls to beside cliffs. You use trinkets instead of utility items and in run boosts are now called gifts. Instead of upgrading back at hub using Dead Cells, you will upgrade using cogs that you pick up from fallen enemies. And it obvisouly woudln’t be a Motion Twin game without some dry humor.
You play as a leaper, which in our case was an axolotl. The premise is fairly simple, you are trying to protect your floating village known as the ark from the enemy sentinels. You do this by killing them obvisouly and harnessing the power of the memories of the fallen soldiers.
Windblown is still very early in the program as the preview build we played was pre Early Access. In our preview build, we had access to 2 biomes, but when Windblown releases into Early Access, there will be 5 biomes. We also only played the game in single player, which felt great, but Windblown is also available in 3 player co-op.
When the idea of Windblown was being thrown around, Motion Twin couldn’t find a rogue-like that was fast enough and it’s true. At times you will be zipping from one side of the map to the other and across floating islands. It feels satisfying and it’s also very impressive that you can have each biome all at once without any loading screens.
The worlds are beautiful and vibrant and the atmosphere is fantastic thanks to a score that constantly keeps you on your toes. In the first biome, the score feels like a slightly lo-fi ethereal, that fits perfectly and then at the second biome things transition into more of the house/electronic scene, which also fits perfectly. Unfortunately, as mentioned, we only had access to the first two biomes, but just as much as we want to see what the other biomes will be, we can’t wait to hear them.
Improvements
There is plenty of room for improvements in early access. There are basic things like a little more polish with things like transitions between levels that could be added. Improving the UI to make it look little less prototype and a little more full release, including improving the readability. Then it would be nice to see a little more enemy variety. Each biome only had a handful of enemies, and while some types have variants, it would be nice if each biome added a few more in during early access. We prefer to play games in solo, which Windblown offers, but it would make sense if there was a pause option for single player, but I can understand why it might have been missed.
VERDICT
There is a definitive litmus test for rogue-likes, which is how hard is it to put down or how easy is it to say just one more run. Sticking with the ethos from Dead Cells, the game is challenging, but fair and even more addictive. Development might be early, but Windblown proves that Dead Cells wasn’t a fluke. Windblown is brimming with potential and as for the results of the litmus test, it’s incredibly hard to put down.