Game review - Windrose

Early Game

It is true that if you have played Valheim, or any game like it, the progression will feel similar. This time though, you start with more than nothing - you have a gun and a sword and are made to get stuck right in. The early game flows nicely and the little progressions feel just right. The price is steep though for a, at the time of reviewing, very early access game. If they keep updating and listen to the players then £25 isn't too bad. The game really does feel quite simple and easy to understand in the early stages, giving the player satisfaction as they slowly expand and improve.

Mid Game - around 15 hours

This is where things start to become a slog. You need a video (or in my case lecture recordings) open on one screen whilst on the other you grind all the random bits you need to upgrade. And boy is there a lot of upgrading - your weapons, your ship - which has three inner components that need upgrading, all the different crafting stations need building.. The problem is, all this grinding isn't really rewarded. You always feel like you are upgrading just to keep up - you never get a 'power spike' so to speak, which makes all that work feel pointless. At this stage, I had one question constantly - Did the devs even playtest their game?. I am not kidding, there are so many stupid things that make no sense, and you feel no one could have played the game and thought it was fine. I know it is a very early access release, but if any of the developers had played through a ship boarding battle, they would have made changes.

End Game - around 30 hours

The slog continues... We hear the response 'just get good' in retort to someone complaining about a games difficulty. When it comes to polished games like Elden Ring, I honestly think that saying applies - you need to learn the enemy attack patterns, learn parry timing and learn patience in your attacks. BUT, in the case of Windrose, this just does not apply. In combat, it feels like you are in a fight against the game itself:

• Inputs sometimes not going off, or feel super delayed.
• The fact you must upgrade your weapon CONSTANTLY to keep up with the dumb damage loss mechanic.
• The above turns enemies into bullet spunges.
• Ship combat is really bad, the enemy weapons go through everything but yours get stopped by the smallest of pixels. This means, whilst you try to attack someone with a friendly nearby, you risk the attack not registering as it touches your ally, but the enemy hits you through your ally.

All in all, there is potential. If they update it and listen to the community they will produce a complete, perfect pirate survival game in a couple of years time. But to release a game, even in early access, that you haven't play tested yourself, blows my mind.