Slain: Back from Hell
“Slain: Back from Hell. A heavy metal inspired arcade combat with
puzzle elements and gore galore. Stunning visuals and true old school gameplay
accompanied by the most metal soundtrack you’ve ever heard.”
So I have to admit…I was pretty hooked at the blurb for this
game. Heavy metal- check. 80s/90s tribute arcade hack and slash- check. Gothic
inspired storyline- check. A good amount of gore- check.
Slain: Back From Hell is what the game was always intended
to be. The original version of Slain had a rocky release post Kickstarter
earlier this year, with issues throughout the game play. Publisher Digerati
Distribution and Developer Wolf Brew Games took on the challenge to overhaul
the code and release Back From Hell, a sizeable update which was more of a re-launch
of the title, giving backers the game they had wanted all along.
“Control the fate of Bathoryn, a doomed hero in a Gothic world, who
seeks to liberate six cursed realms from six deadly overlords.
“He must battle his way through this blighted land, packed with
gruesome pixel art foes before ascending (or sometimes descending) into a
stronghold, all the while defeating fiendish traps and vile monsters alike.”
There was never a time this game did not look good… I mean
we are talking all kinds of pretty for a 16 bit graphic style. Colours are
vivid and enticing, attention to detail is pretty great and there’s loads of
lovely blood spilling across the screen as Bathoryn’s sword carves his foes in
twain. If you enjoy that faster paced hack and slash with a bit of a dark side
you are sure to get some enjoyment out of this release.
Slain: Back From Hell is fluid and almost effortless in its
delivery of combat. The enemies you face are varied which is refreshing. While
you are offered time to become familiar with your assailants you won’t be left
fighting a single kind of enemy for too long. The narrative is strong and will
give you a nice push forward without being overwhelming, letting you focus on
what is on the other end of your blade.
And while the gameplay is straight forward and intuitive
enough, it’s the soundtrack which really brings this game into its own. The
only reason you won’t be locking eyes with the screen is if you’re having a
head-banging mosh fest. The development team have a real love for heavy metal
and that is so evident in every faucet of the game. Just be careful not to
throw your neck out.
Being a metal fan it never felt over the top, some might say there is too much heavy metal music for a game, but let's be honest, those people are wrong.....
The soundtrack keeps you moving along at a steady pace and does enough to amp you up for the next encounter.
Trust me when I say you need this, if you ever get complacent, dead, have a yawn, dead. Slain does not hold your hand in any way shape or form. The first trophy/achievement even comes from a death. You'll get through the first level relatively easy, second level with a bit of a clenched jaw, third level, if you're going to cry for mummy, please keep it down....
Remutha & Snoogans
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