Child of Vampire Survivors and grandchild of Crimsonland, 20 Minutes Till Dawn inherits much from the games it descends from. This is still roguelike survival over waves of an absurd number of enemies where upgrades, xp acquisition, and just about everything else are finely tuned to squeeze out every last happy chemical in that brain of yours. The fun to be had here is completely raw and visceral and uncomplicated, just as it should be.

Yet 20 Minutes Till Dawn differs from Vampire Survivors in that it asks more of the player, going back to the real aiming Crimsonland required and having more to the synergies available. Winning in 20 Minutes Till Dawn takes a bit more than just discovering the combinations and doing the bare minimum of dodging. This doesn't get in the way of the lizard brain appeal of this subgenre nor is it too much of its own focus, it simply feels like it fills the void and adds the extra depth a Vampire Survivors player finds themselves wishing for after they've broken through and won their first run or two. Along with that comes a much more inspired visual direction and general polish that make this release feel infinitely more like a complete package.

I've only won one run so far and there's lots more for me to unlock and try out. I'm excited~
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Played on Linux through Proton.