Just when you think you've seen all that a genre has to offer a developer like Creature Cauldron shows up to prove otherwise. By now most of you have heard of the latest gaming craze that is "Auto-Shooters". A genre sparked by the creation of Xbox's titular title 'Vampire Survivors'. Ever since the genre got kickstarted with that game's launch several developers have jumped on the bandwagon to give their own take on the given gameplay mechanics. Some creations proving to be simple reskins, and others showing a level of creativity and innovation that builds upon the base formula.
In "Spirit Hunters" innovation is definitely a key selling point. Along with the traditional accumulation of meter to unlock skill upgrades comes a pet system, bonus challenges, and a skill tree that further unlocks in-game features. It gives the player more to grind for and a reason to continue playing.
Guided by an oracle you are hero/heroine destined as a spirit hunter to face the encroaching hordes of darkness across several different fantasy realms. As a wizard, sorcerer, or one of a handful of other quirky characters you'll take up arms, and brave the increasingly hazardous mobs of minions as you grow your skills, and loot the terrain for all it's worth.
With each map's difficulty, and there's three for each map, comes increasingly difficult to deal with waves of creatures that are hellbent on robbing you of your health points. To combat this insurmountable threat you will first select a starter skill, and take advantage of it's character specific bonus. Thereafter dealing death to the denizens of the domain, and collecting their spirits to level up the associated meter to the point of gaining access to another randomized skill upgrade which can be rerolled, if need be. Skills, themselves, can be stacked and include projectiles, AOE, and satellite types of automatic attacks. Skills which can have their damage increased, coverage improved upon, and coverage expanded. Stacking multiple selections of a similar upgrade will in turn multiply it's effects making it more effective against the mobs which also grow more tanky as the timer ticks upwards.
Along with the mob clearing, spirit collecting, and skill stacking comes a limited use active skill that can be used to mow down or aid in the avoidance of damage from multiple enemies. This active ability is character specific, and acts differently per character. It also runs on a cooldown like some of the base skills. Meaning you will have to wait for it to fill back up after each use. Regardless of limitations it serves as a get out of Hell free card when in a pinch. Outside of that staple mechanic lies an additional boss bar that also fills up over time. As time ticks upward each milestone spawns a boss all the way up to the main boss. Each dropping a chest if defeated. The last boss, in particular, is a caged match ordeal with mobs continuously swarming in. Spoils for that end victory being a vacuuming up of all the map's enemy drops that you might have missed.
Defeating the bosses will give you the opportunity to capitalize on some currency via a ring capture system that has you standing near the chest as a surrounding ring comes full circle. Similarly other rings and their inner prizes also offer access to things like alternative currencies meant for spending on more permanent upgrades. That and tag along pets that will help in various ways including item magnetism, damage boosts, and movement speed, among other things.
Speaking of currency ... Currency comes in three forms in 'Spirit Hunters'. There's gold coins that can be used in shops on the map that you are playing on. This affords you access to health refills, pets, spirits, and alternative currencies that can be spent after a playthrough completion back at the oracle's skill tree (aka Divinity Web) menu. These alternative currencies that are also enemy drops come in the form of runes, and crystals. Runes can be spent on the Divinity Web to unlock more skills, upgrade skills, and unlock extra characters. These are all permanent unlocks, and will help with follow-up playthroughs. Crystals, on the other hand, open up access to new features like extra difficulties, maps, the in-game Bestiary, and pets. Making them the premium in-game currency. Competing for a close second in the way of premium is boss currency earned on HARD and VERY HARD difficulties. With this currency mechanics perks can be unlocked supposing you defeat the boss.
Going back to playthroughs ... the playthroughs in 'Spirit Hunter' aren't just limited to the main maps or realms, but also include challenge versions of the maps that have set skill requirements based on the character, and the map. This too can be accessed, and started at the oracle's main menu through the 'Ledger' sub-menu. Clicking on the character, and the map will in turn show you which skills are to be used, and which can't be. Some even require the use of certain pets for completion. Most goals are to cap out a certain skill to a certain level before you defeat the final boss. Needless to say you are handsomely rewarded for your efforts with premium currencies.
The Presentation ...
Spirit Hunters looks, and functions a lot like a mobile game. There's even cursor clicks for menu access, and the gameplay itself could very well be mobile friendly considering all you really do is move around, dodge enemies, and let the selected skills do their thing. Visually it is a bit cartoony as well. Not the pixel sprites most players would be expecting, but something more along the lines of a lightly animated cartoon. The game is very colorful in that regard. It stays true to the magical fantasy theme it is built upon. The enemy designs reflect this with their otherworldly appearance too. Even the spells play in the fantasy aspect of it all.
The Verdict ...
I do like how Creature Cauldron managed to break the mold. How they incorporated features like a boss gauge, pets, and map challenges for each character. The skill tree was also interesting. Collectively the game's components are enough to make it stand out from the crowd. It goes to show you that you can still innovate on something as simple a premise as an 'Auto-Shooter'. As far as a recommendation goes I can back this one up. It's good enough to scratch that 'Auto-Battler' itch, especially if you are burnt out on Vampire Survivors. It'll be releasing on PS5 on the 19th of this month!!!
Steam Store Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1914580/Spirit_Hunters_Infinite_Horde/
To Find Out More: https://www.creaturecauldrongames.com/spirithuntersinfinitehorde
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