Spiritfall

I had fun with this one, i did not see coming... the game starts with little explanation (and to be honest, it keeps that way most of the game... there are bits of "lore" here and there of course, but its not game with deep lore or solid plot to get it going) Having said that, mechanics are really cool, similar to Hades, there are plenty weapons besides skills and permanent upgrades that will enable even multiple playstyles with different form from base weapon. I had real fun playing with the mechanics, learning the patterns and walking through challenges.... later on the game there are even "hard version" of the bosses, and other type of challenges similar to hades pact mechanic One thing to note.... my usual "progression check" (after getting through the first boss) would always be the second boss... it kinda happened that either i would die in the second boss, or carry the run till the end and complete it. But after you get a lot of upgrades and know your way around skills, you can really build yourself to always make it through even the final boss hard version Overall, its a cool fluid game, with a lot of variety (albeit little lore/plot) and recommended for anyone who enjoys these styles without much depth into the story and more into a fun gameplay with a repeatable loop + challenges mechanics

amazing game its like brawlhalla on crack and its super fun. i would love a spirtfall 2 please

W HADES LIKE ROGUELIKE I have loved every minute of this game so far it is amazing as a crossover between a 2d platform fighter and a roguelike and i have been so addicted to the cool sounds and abilities :)

A platform fighter roguelite was a very intriguing concept that I had to try out. It was quite easy, as evidenced by the fact that I beat the game (5 wins) in only 8 hours, with the last being on challenge level 10. It scratches the Hadeslike itch very well by having certain builds feel like they absolutely destroy enemies. However, I found myself hardly trying to dodge boss attacks and focus on DPS instead which adds to my main problem with the combat which is that enemy attacks feel more like a bullet hell than an opposing fighter in a platform fighter. Still quite fun but I probably won't play much more for a while, it gets repetitive relatively fast for a roguelite.

I am unhealthily obsessed with this game, genuinely one of the best roguelite experiences out there. It's small, and lacks the amount of content present in other, bigger games, but it keeps its scope reasonable and everything it DOES have, it does very well. If you like platform fighters like Smash and Brawlhalla, and games like Hades, you're going to get your money's worth from this game. I've only run into a couple times where the game will freeze for several seconds straight, but I think that has more to do with my 5-year-old Windows installation and all the bloat that comes with that rather than the actual game performance.

Spiritfall stands out in the action roguelite space by combining the progression and repeated-run structure of the genre with combat heavily inspired by platform fighters. Developed by Gentle Giant and published by Team17, it focuses on fast movement, aerial attacks, enemy launching, juggling, and environmental knockbacks rather than relying exclusively on conventional hack-and-slash mechanics. This combination gives the game a distinctive personality, particularly for players who enjoy combat systems where mechanical execution and positioning matter just as much as character upgrades. The basic structure revolves around undertaking expeditions through randomized routes filled with combat encounters, rewards, upgrades, and increasingly dangerous opponents. Each run becomes an opportunity to create a new build while becoming more proficient with the underlying fighting mechanics. Defeat eventually sends the player back to the Sanctum, but progress is not completely erased. Resources and permanent improvements provide a steady sense of advancement, making unsuccessful attempts useful rather than simply wasted time. This creates an effective balance between roguelite unpredictability and long-term character development. Combat is easily the game's strongest feature. Instead of standing beside an enemy and repeatedly attacking until its health disappears, players are encouraged to control where opponents move around the arena. Enemies can be launched upward, chased through the air, struck repeatedly, bounced against surfaces, and sent flying into environmental boundaries. Successfully chaining these actions together feels satisfying because the player is actively creating combinations rather than simply following predetermined attack sequences. Movement is equally important, with quick repositioning and evasive actions helping maintain the momentum of a fight. Weapon variety further expands the combat system. Different weapons provide distinctive movesets that affect attack range, timing, mobility, and combo potential. Switching equipment therefore has a noticeable influence on how a run feels. A weapon that initially seems awkward can become extremely effective after its movement patterns and attack properties are understood. This gives players a worthwhile reason to experiment instead of permanently relying on whichever option initially appears strongest. The blessing system provides another major source of variety. More than 150 blessings can be encountered, allowing abilities and attacks to develop differently between expeditions. Individual upgrades can be useful by themselves, but the more interesting possibilities emerge when several effects complement each other. A run can gradually transform into a specialized build centered around particular attacks, elemental effects, mobility options, or other combat advantages. Since the available choices vary, players are frequently encouraged to adapt rather than reproduce exactly the same strategy every time. Permanent progression helps prevent the randomized nature of the game from becoming overly punishing. Returning to the Sanctum allows resources gathered during expeditions to contribute toward additional abilities, improvements, and weapon development. This creates two parallel forms of advancement. The character becomes stronger through unlocks, while the player becomes better through familiarity with enemy behavior, weapon properties, positioning, and combo execution. That combination is important because raw upgrades alone cannot replace good movement and combat awareness. The hand-drawn visual direction complements the action particularly well. Characters and environments have a colorful fantasy aesthetic, while attacks possess enough visual impact to make launches and powerful combinations feel substantial. Animation is especially important in a game built around rapid movement, and the fluid transitions between attacks help communicate the responsiveness of the controls. Effects can become busy during particularly intense encounters, but the presentation generally maintains enough clarity to understand what is happening. Repetition remains one of the potential drawbacks. Randomized routes, blessings, weapons, and upgrades create variation, but the fundamental rhythm of entering arenas, defeating groups of enemies, selecting rewards, and eventually facing stronger challenges inevitably becomes familiar. Players who dislike restarting after defeat may therefore find the progression structure tiring. Some blessing combinations can also feel more immediately powerful or entertaining than others, meaning the quality of individual runs can fluctuate depending on available choices. Difficulty can become demanding because successful play requires more than obtaining strong upgrades. Poor positioning can quickly interrupt a combination or expose the player to several enemies at once. Players unfamiliar with platform fighters may require time to become comfortable with aerial movement, launching opponents, and maintaining offensive pressure. Fortunately, this learning process is also responsible for much of the game's appeal. Returning to an encounter and handling it more confidently provides a genuine feeling of improvement. Steam Deck compatibility is a positive aspect of the experience. Spiritfall is Steam Deck Verified, making it well suited to Valve's handheld. Its controller-focused action, relatively compact arena encounters, and run-based structure translate naturally to portable sessions. Players should be able to use the standard Steam Deck controls without needing extensive configuration, making the handheld version a particularly convenient way to play. Ultimately, Spiritfall succeeds because its platform-fighter mechanics fundamentally influence its roguelite combat rather than functioning as a minor novelty. The combination of juggling enemies, aerial pursuit, responsive movement, weapon experimentation, randomized blessings, and persistent progression creates a rewarding gameplay loop with considerable room for mastery. Repetition is unavoidable, and newcomers may initially struggle with the mechanically active fighting system, but players who appreciate challenging action and build experimentation have plenty to discover. It is a confident hybrid that manages to feel familiar enough to understand quickly while offering enough individuality to separate itself from the crowded roguelite genre. Rating: 9/10

Its an enjoyable overall game. Theres a decent amount of variability in builds, with multiple weapons with alternate versions with involve different attacks, multiple abilities, relics, status effects, spirit buffs and permanent progression. The combat is tight, and has that SSB feel, although at times with tons of enemies and effects on screen it can be hard to fully see everything and lead to some cheap damage you didn't know was coming. The bosses are tough but fair, and theres a decent amount of them, although thats where the game does start to tire. All the active abilities are the same for each type of spirit, so you'll run into a lot of the same ones, same with the status effects. After beating the game once it has you beat it 4x more to see the ending. The issue with this is you fight the same bosses on the same levels. Yes the enemies sometimes change, and there is some variety, but I did find myself getting worn out after 6-7 hrs of playing, something you don't want in a roguelike after such a short period of time. When you finally beat it 5x you just get a single extra phase in the final boss and thats it.....being rather anticlimactic. Overall the game is still decent and well made and makes a great first impression, but does get a bit old and you feel like you've seen most of it after half a dozen hours. I also think its cool that its a different style of roguelike, more of a spectacle platform fighter over anything else. 8/10.

It's a beautiful game. I'm not just talking about the art, I'm talking about everything from the design to the pacing, to the music, everything is made with a lot of care and has a peacefulness to it. I really like how the power ups are all based around different animals and eventually really make you feel quite distinctive and crazy with how many builds you can do in each run. I love the hub area and the characters you meet there, love the music and the design of the NPC's you encounter. I love the combat, it's punchy, there's tons of weapons to unlock, on top of each weapon you unlock there's variations, different power ups, and combos. Stuff that completely transforms the feel of the game, some weapons are slower, others faster, some work like boomerangs, other like drills, it can get quite crazy. I really have no problems with it whatsoever to be honest, it's a bit of a first for me... At the start, I thought it was a bit too difficult and grindy, but there's accessibility settings to tweak the speed of the game, how much health and damage you take and do, I mean it's pretty good, and it doesn't even take away your ability to earn achievements. On top of that there's a compendium that provides you with different currency as you play, so you're not only unlocking more abilities, totems, higher rarity items, etc... for your runs, you're also unlocking stuff that alters the mechanics, levels of the game, the appearance of your character, and starting power ups. I don't think it's necessarilly one that does anything new mechanic or systems wise. But presentation wise, pacing wise, and accessibility wise, it's truly remarkable and beautiful. It doesn't really do anything wrong, and I also wouldn't say it does anything in a bland way; it's chock full of character, and I love the game for it. Wish the devs the best in their future projects if they're bringing something with as much passion as this.