Death's Gambit's whole concept lies on an impossibility: creating a game as rich and dense as one of its evident inspirations, From Software's Dark Souls, and at the same time, being a 2D, pixel-art video game. The challenge was difficult to live up to, but the developers at White Rabbit did their best. The landscapes and various decors are lush, sometimes breathtaking. The music by Kyle Hnedak is a real jewel of a score. Death's Gambit's story is also, if not original, well executed and astutely told. Dark Souls fans will recognize here the will from developers to experiment with narration and enjoy the leeway of interpretation given to the player. One definitely has the sensation that a profound lore was created for this game, and we are left wanting to know more - maybe in a sequel? The gameplay - therein lies the rub. The hitboxes are all over the place. Those of us who wish to play with a controller will soon experience that the X and LR buttons have input problems (no button mashing on this game!). My game never crashed, but it did freeze a couple of times. We can hope that future patches will solve these issues. As far as the gaming experience is concerned, I cannot but feel that the main game has been a little rushed. The first area, as well as the final ones, are quite large, however most of the game consists in a boss rush, which is a shame for it prevents the player from completely diving into the story and lore. The bosses are not difficult, you just have to learn their patterns by heart, and if your DPS isn't enough, to go farm a little to earn some precious levels that will aid you defeat your opponent. Levelling seems too easy in this game, as you can be overpowered very early. To conclude, Death's Gambit is a game fit for Souls fans who want their regular dose of blood-shedding, dark fantasy. Be warned that the gameplay might be troublesome, although the story is an enthralling one. Story ***** Gameplay *** Graphics ***** Music *****
