I still remember playingDead Cellsfor the very first timeback at PAX East in 2017and being utterly amazed at the level of pure fun that was on display there. The fast-paced movement, swift combat, great level of challenge and emphasis on exploration immediately made me think “Holy cow, this is the next big thing in video games, or at least, should be.” And indeed,Dead Cellsthankfully ended up being a smash, and I still consider that short time with it alone as one of my most cherished moments at Hardcore Gamer. So when Motion Twin finally announced their next game,Windblown,I was excited…and a bit worried. Sure, it was another roguelike adventure, but wouldWindblownbe a success as well or a failed attempt at trying to make lightning strike twice?
Wrath of the Pangolin
Well, now that we’ve finally had some hands-on time with the isometric top-down action of this game, we do have an early answer. To get things started,Windblownbegins with you choosing one of a few different animal bodies to serve as your character (props for using less represented species such as axolotls and pangolins) and then you’re immediately thrust into the first biome after picking up a sword, and you quickly get used to the basics: Attacks, dash/dodge, find trinkets that give massive boosts, etc. Simple stuff, but heavily effective, and it once again showcased how Motion Twin are able to nicely blend speed and combat. Upon my first death, I thought “Well, that felt pretty meaty already. That must have been like an hour’s worth of gameplay, right?” I checked my clock and it had somehow only been fifteen minutes.
Right then and there, I knew my answer to the question posed in the opening paragraph: heck yes this has the makings of another success. Somehow, Motion Twin has mastered speed in their gameplay to a point where they can throw entire runs at you that genuinely feel like they cram as much as possible into each one. you may immediately see yourself getting sucked intoWindblownfor multiple hours on end, alone or with friends (though I chose to go solo for now). And the weird thing is that, at least on the surface,Windblowndoesn’t appear to do too much that’s different in terms of gameplay, and it’s likely that some folks will inevitably compare it to other games in the genre such asHades.Yet on top of its gameplay, it’s the subtleties that help make the game stand out.
This Time For Sure, Dead Cells Gets New All-in-One Signature Edition
As the main example, one of the things that stands out the most isWindblown’suse of verticality. Like similar games in the same vein, you can dash between platforms, butWindblownallows you to dash to ledges and platforms that are higher and lower above you, and enemies can do the same. Now, that might not sound like much, but it honestly adds quite a bit in different ways. For one, it adds a lot of depth and detail to the world, making it feel like all the terrain is placed in a more natural, three-dimensional way that allows for a lot of different scenery, pathways and arenas, even if the gameplay is very much still 2D. Come to think of it,Dead Cellsalso used rasterized 3D models instead of pixel art from the ground up, meaning they’re still finding unique ways to seamlessly blend 2D and 3D…
One of the things that stands out the most isWindblown’suse of verticality.
Not only does this approach to terrain and movement make the visuals stand out more, doing a perfect job at creating a hauntingly beautiful, oddly-serene atmosphere as you travel past wrecked golems and along the side of waterfalls (enhanced by a great soundtrack), but it also adds to the gameplay by allowing for creative ways to hide secrets, with stuff like chests being tucked away right below your current platform, requiring players to search the area for a natural set of platforms to zip to. Other times, you could be heading along a string of platforms and notice a whole different area with enemies beneath you, causing you to realize that there might be a possible secret way to get down there, once again nicely encouraging exploration.
The Quick and the Dead
The emphasis on vertical terrain also adds to the feel ofWindblown’scombat as well. There’s something about that way you can dash up and down that brings to mind classic silver screen swashbucklers, performing terrific stunts as you engage in swordfights with your opponents and evoking the swiftness suggested by the title. Granted, this writer heavily enjoyed using long-distance weapons like the kunai in place of swords most of the time, but that only emphasizes how the game perfectly works with whatever your preferred playstyle is. There are also nice additions like an unlockable Alterattack ability that lets you deal a special devastating attack with your secondary weapon by using it at the right time after a combo with your primary weapon, allowing for further experimentation.
The weapons themselves already showcase a nice level of uniqueness, with ones like the Beatbolt allowing for crossbow attacks that become enhanced if the player can keep a steady beat with it going, turning things into a fun little rhythm game. Unlocking more weapons requires spending Memonite earned from treasure chests and rewards back in the hub world of The Ark in order to decode encrypted memories that you find, adding more weapons, skills, trinkets and more to the Vortex for future expeditions. And in that area,Windblownalso succeeds as a roguelike by making every run feel substantial, with every one making it feel like you’re advancing the game in some way or another, big or small (including rescuing additional villagers), and thus helping to create a satisfying gameplay loop.
Motion Twin Debuts Dead Cells Follow-Up Windblown
WhileWindblowndoes excel in fast-paced, fun, and challenging combat, impressive visuals, and even a good sense of humor seen in The Ark’s cast of characters, it’s important to remember that this is still going to be an Early Access title at the start, and as such, it does feel like features are missing, like the shopkeepers in between biomes not having dialogue or some objective markers in The Ark not actually resulting in any new objectives. So things still need to be ironed out and added, but even as is,Windblowneasily has the makings of yet another stellar roguelike and we can’t wait to see more of it as it develops. And if you want to see more of it as well, stay tuned for a demo during this month’s Steam Next Fest, or wait for its October 24 release.
From the creators of Dead Cells, Windblown sees you - either alone or with friends - playing as a Leaper, attempting to defend their floating villages from the invading Vortex, in an isometric roguelike action game that promises a lot of death along the way…
