Slain: Back From Hell

I'm on the third level of the game so far. This game reminds me of the Castlevania games I played on the NES (except better). The controls are great though some actions are not immediate or have follow-through animation and will require proper timing. This works for the game as it will force you to time your attacks properly and plan as opposed to just mashup buttons. The game provides your heroes with a bunch of special manoeuvres which are both satisfying to watch and useful (some of them do require practice). I ended up using them all so far and found that there were several ways to tackle opponents. The monsters and bosses in the game are suitably eerie and unique with a penchant toward an horror theme and gore. As you progress through each level, new foes will initially overwhelm you until you find the right way to tackle them leading to a feeling of satisfaction when you figure it out. The art looks gorgeous for a 2D game and totally convey the horror/gore feel of the game. Be warned however that this is not an easy game. If you are used to action platformers (Megaman, Castlevania, etc), it's nothing you won't be able to handle, but the game will give you a run for your money at times and will force you to die a whole bunch of times before you figure a winning strategy. That being said, the game is not frustrating. There are a bunch of check points on each level (that are also save points), so you won't have to restart from scratch when you die and you don't have to complete a level to save the game making this game suitable if you can only play it in 15 minutes playathons. Didn't play this game before the 'From Hell' update, but whatever problems this game had previously, I think it's safe to say the devs polished them off. This game is now a very satisfying 2D horror action platformer. I wouldn't recommend this game to everyone, but would strongly recommend it to the type of gamer it carters to (for whom this is a well polished 5 stars offering).

The gameplay is highly lacklustre; you can knock enemies out of attack animations, but if they've already started attacking the attack follows through on the back end and you lose health for what is at first no apparent reason. After two levels I can say the game is not so much challenging as it is tedious - get killed by a skeleton a couple times while you're learning how to fight him, then beat him, followed by his 50-75 friends, in the exact same way. Yawn. The music is godawful. I was expecting some ear-melting metal tunes to go along with slicing my way through the demon horde, but unfortunately I was subjected to the same two guitar notes back and forth for about a minute, then a brief upbeat section, then loop. The second level music is a little more intense but still feels uninspired and you can hear the cut for the loop which just kills it for me. Want to pause the game? For god's sake don't accidentally move to the Quit option before you unpause like I did, you'll be taken back to the main menu with no warning, forced to start the entire level over again (levels are long, this sucks). Want to quit the game? Alt+F4. There is no Quit to Desktop option on the main menu. In its current state, the game is an unfinished mess. I'm giving it two stars because it has potential if an overhaul is in the works - the setting is awesome and the story seems compelling, but a massive reworking of the UI, music, and enemy variety needs to be done before this title is worth even $5, let alone $10. Avoid for now, or pick up for 90% off if you just need to experience this trainwreck for yourself.

This is without a doubt a top quality platformer as good in everyway as Cuphead and deserving of equal recognition. Controls are spot on, and UI is responsive. But that's the least it's got for it Now the story, well much like every single detail it perfectly captures an ambiance. The character's movement, attitude, music, pixel art ... all possible elements work perfectly to build a consistent sombre atmosphere. In short, this game is an impeccable saga. In many ways it reminds me of NES Castlevania, but with impeccable controls (I love those games to death but understand that was a mayor point of frustration), 16 bit quality graphics and CD quality intense Nordic Metal music. Also, like the music, the atmosphere is far more intense. In fact I'll say this, as far the experience is concerned: the game is the music, and the music is the game. If you like the feeling that music gives you, and you also like hard as nails platformers, stop reading and buy it. This game will offer an experience to be remembered with fondness for decades to come.

IMPORTANT: Many of the reviews yous see here were for a previous version of the game which apparently was not quite good. But the game we get now is completely different and it's awesome. Slain is a 2D sidescroller centered in combat, where you fight using a sword (which after a few levels can be set on fire! YEAH!) and a couple of secondary powers. You can use your sword to block enemy attacks by hitting a button in the exact moment. If you do it right, your enemy will be stunned and you can deal a devastating attack on it. That's about it, there's actually not much more to do, but every encounter is a challenge, since even the weakest of the enemies can kill you if you don't fight well. This is a low-res game in a 16-bit style, but every level is crafted with a lot of attention to detail. Each room looks different and original, and everything, from the platforms to the backgrounds, looks amazing. The style is inspired by heavy metal album covers, so everything is filled with skulls, bones, demons and gore. The soundtrack is just amazing and the music is composed of really cool heavy metal songs, with actual guitars banging. I wish there were more games with this kind of music because it really gets you in the violent mood! When you defeat a boss, you can push a button to 'pray to the Metal God', which is basically rolling your head and waving your hair to a metal riff. If you want action games that get to the point, get this game, you won't regret it.

Game freezes after death... 2016... 2017... 2018... 2019... 2020... Developers are interested in selling the game, but they are not at all interested in its performance and its own reputation.