In some ways, I feel like this game was made for me. Conceptually I like the idea of tower defense, but I could never get into the real time combat phase of it. But this game swaps that out for turn-based Tactics-style combat instead, which I like a lot. This game does a lot of other things I like too; roguelike elements, a nice amount of stats, flexible character customization, and a strong art direction. Despite the roguelike aspect, there's still a strong sense of linear progression due to the story and the fact you're clearing one stage after another. I've seen some criticism of the length of each stage, but I'm personally a fan. Just enough time to develop and invest in your characters without going too long. You can also exit and save mid-stage if you need to do something else. Worth noting that I haven't beaten the game yet, about 14 hours in.
Just beat the game. Had a hard time putting this one down. Really liked the pacing. This is a slower-paced, methotical shooter with a dark tone, so think less CoD, and more RE4, but with open maps. Kills felt very satisfying. Stealth kills, headshots, throwables, all fun. There's also backpack management and leveling perks, both of which I enjoyed. The perk system is nothing deep imo, but it works, and I looked forward to each level up. The game offers a nice amount of playstyles to level in, with plenty of room to mix them. I didn't feel like the perks locked me into any particular playstyle, as I was able to use most of the weapons and items I found. That said, if you have a preferred style, the game has special weapons and fun passive equips to further express it. Graphics and art direction weren't really my thing. The game takes place in a perpetual night, so expect mostly dark hues. In fairness, the colors and graphics fit the tone and style of the game, and it did grow on me over time, but it occasionally felt a bit bland. Despite this, I had a lot of fun exploring the game's levels. The maps aren't densely packed or anything, but there are landmarks scattered about that you'll investigate, like abandoned farms or iron mines, and there were items and special weapons hidden about them that made me want to check every nook and cranny. On the technical side, I only had minor issues. I had only one crash happen (my playtime was about 27 hrs). Also, the way the game controls can be a bit weird at times, but I don't know if it's deliberate. To just name one example, there's a perk that slows down time for a few seconds when you look down your gun sights. However, you can still trigger this slow down effect in other situations, like when you're reloading your gun. If you tap your ADS button in the middle of the reload animation, you'll still continue reloading, but time will slow down. All in all though, fun game, glad I played it
