First impressions, general feedback

Heyo, I started writing this and honestly it got long winded, became a rant and didn't focus on good and bad so I'm simplifying to bullet points

HELL YEAH/good shit
1) acts and their map size - immersive, lets you feel the actual size of the previously short wraeclast, exploration feels more like a journey, very good for a first impression
2) visuals - Much of an improvement, especially scenes during act 2 and 3. The forge boss is easily one of the coolest.
3) identity - for newer players especially, having more class identity, suggested supports as an option, a base guideline tree (as it sort of tells you what to go down to feel good) is a good choice
4)cinematic - it's good, plus references to older games
5) Vendors - updating each time you level is a nice feature, gives some good chances to make items
6) currency exchange - always a good thing
7) pace - whilst slower, you can really spend time enjoying some areas
8) voice acting - actually quite well done for a lot of it, props to them and props to animation teams also

BOOO/bad shit
1) acolyte - Small rant but I so wanted this to be good. Darkness as a mechanic does offer early defences but sacrifices SO much that it makes 6 key nodes redundant most of the time. Going for leech is not ideal on quarterstaff as physical skills are in general kinda weak on it, a lot of melee skills convert to ele so reduced phys, leech resistance is a thing, it just feels bad. Being forced to invest into either shit leech, leech with walkies or no spirit feels depressing.

I also don't like the anti-synergy with chaos - no % chaos or + chaos skills on quarterstaff yet you give it hand of chayula, mantra (which is arguably one of the worst skills in the game unless you go strength slam monk, even then it's mediocre) and chaos nodes being just meh

It honestly seems like acolyte is made for hexblast and it's just a bit depressing when poison or chaos builds require uniques, weapons/skills which in general don't work with the fantasy - imagine chaos punch or chaos spin or poisoner onh it monk without plaguefinger which just makes you an ele monk with a different set of gloves on.


Anywya that's my rant back to bullet points
2)map size - too much size to explore for little to no rewards with no secrets involved
3) one attempt mapping - it makes it so depressing if you lack defences and try to earn gold but physically are incapable even in lower tier zones due to exactly that. I got 6 portals for what, refilling potions?
4) pinnacle bossing - I'm gonna say, the bosses are cool as fuck. BUT again, 1 map attempt, if you die you're fucked, is just depressing. You cannot learn pinnacle boss mechanics without investing time and with each boss having 1 death allowed it's just gonna enccourage people googling how to beat it without experiencing it. It ruins the immersive atmosphere a bit.

5) stunlock/slam - as melee, water hags, the undead goliaths + the lich behind them and the aggorat goliaths depress me. It is ZERO fun to be slowed by a ring of water and drowned when trying to commit to melee from teh water hags, stunlocked by a falling goliath with a hitbox larger than half a screen and stunlocked by the ranged axe throwers + goliaths in aggorat. Currently, melee is unrelentingly painful. If you don't want to get stunlocked playing close, you need stun threshold which means less other defence, already with no leech as previously ranted, it's a pain and a chore to fight against

6) waystones - 10 tier 1 maps for 2 measly points on an atlas when you already struggle with sustain is a bit naff.



overall, I think the game is shaping up to be fucking phenomenal. The framework and initial balance, whilst sometimes out of whack, isn't insane, with my friends and me enjoying certain builds and trying others. Currently most the fun comes from build variety - crafting is only really rewarded in the depths of endgame and even then, unless you farm ritual and slam omens it's probably gonna be a ballache.

Till I get there though, I'm gonna slam my head into the wall of resistances and defence that come with t1 maps. Again, this is my main gripe.

Anyway take care and enjoy yoour day, looking forward to further development - each patch has looked to be an improvement and hte base framework, visuals and animations are stunning. Maps could do with either more reward for exploration or shorter size but maybe I'm bitch made. We'll figure it out. Will update if I git gud