I still think From Software is better at atmosphere and immersion than making a combat system, but this proves they can make a great pure action game too. Combat is very simple - this is nothing like DMC or Bayonetta. The fun comes from trying to pursue perfection and master the rhythm of each encounter and boss, and the game is short enough and refined enough that it avoids outstaying its welcome. All killer, no filler.

Only things holding it back are some inconsistencies with the stealth deathblows, and the poor balancing of the secondary mechanics. Almost all the prosthetics and combat arts are less effective overall than just parrying and attacking, except for niche situations where they're extremely strong, so playing in a more stylish way is actively disincentivized much of the time. They're also tied to some vestigial RPG mechanics that could've done with some streamlining.

I wanted to like this a lot more than I really did. The art and theme is top tier, an extremely well done fantasy world that twists and distorts the beauty of Spanish Catholicism, but the rest of the game just can't keep up.

The slow and grounded gameplay style is already at a disadvantage in a 2D game where you can't maneuver around enemies and obstacles as clearly, but the enemies and platforming often feel mismatched for this style. Stunlocking is disappointingly frequent, platforming isn't nearly consistent considering you die instantly when falling into spikes or pits, and traversing the world is slow enough that it feels frustrating in a way that other Metroidvanias and soulslikes don't.

Lastly, all throughout the game I got the feeling they were just trying too hard to be like Dark Souls. Everything from the lore in the item descriptions to the voice acting to the tropes in the writing, but very little of the environmental storytelling to go along with it. This is clearly a very talented team and I'll definitely be trying the sequel, but this game falls short of its potential in a disappointing way.

Very easily the best game I've ever played, nothing else even comes close honestly. Every time I think about it I'm continually blown away at how good it is, that a video game actually got released that's this perfect. It's a game where you explore a physics-accurate solar system, and figure out how the world works and why it is the way it is. Anything more than that is a spoiler, and spoilers are super problematic since everything is knowledge-based and interconnected. Avoid looking up anything at all costs, and if anyone tells you that's a valid way to play, you can safely dismiss anything else they have to say. Go play it ASAP

I was extremely skeptical when I heard there would be a DLC, but luckily it's also amazing, and I am once again blown away by how good it is. It could've been a standalone game, and if it was it would also be in my top 5

Peak melee action game. All the others I've played have at least one significant flaw - DMC3 has weak enemy designs, DMC5 has boring levels and doesn't let you use whatever character you want, etc. Bayonetta is the exception - the campaign is great, the story is fun and good enough for this type of game, the enemies and bosses are great, and most importantly, the combat system is peak.

Dodge Offset and Witch Time make for an incredible back and forth with enemies that actually feel dangerous, not like punching bags. The skill floor is fairly low, since the combo system is very flexible, but the ceiling is extremely high when you add in weapon switching and aerial combos and juggling. The camera stays out of your way and almost never causes problems due to good level design, I actually like the QTEs since they keep you on your toes and keep up the frantic momentum of the combat, and the gimmick sections add some variety without overstaying their welcome. I feel like I could play through this game a hundred times and still have fun learning and getting better at it.