VOIN is a first-person shooter with a focus on melee combat in the current beta. Moreover, this is an ambitious game by Nikita Sozidar and published by tinyBuild. Overall, the quality of the game is high with beautiful set pieces with some minor issues that can occur from using a set color palette. In terms of the gameplay it is fast paced, strategic, and a rougelite that puts an emphasis on providing a thrilling experience. Furthermore, this game is a work of dedication and passion by Nikita Sozidar and this is to be taken into consideration for how the final product is to come out.
The quality of the game can be diametrically opposing in certain regards to the color palette in certain places of the map create this stunning view in comparison to a stale location devoid of personality. This is best seen in the first few minutes of the game where the player is introduced into a bleak tutorial comprised of various shades of black and gray with white flames to illuminate the area. Moreover, the tutorial is mostly comprised of those color elements with some hard to see details that really make visual 3D elements harder to detect.
This is in stark contrast to the first open area the player has access to after completing the tutorial where there is lush trees, rivers, and ruins that dart the landscape with several enemies spread throughout the area. Moreover, these breathtaking views are perfect for screenshots and desktop backgrounds.
This stark contrast between the tutorial and the open area is quite a large difference and can polarize players from enjoying the game for the first few minutes of the game where depth perspective is hampered. By hampering depth perspective, it can cause some irritations for the player trying to enjoy the game and create a sense of claustrophobia making the player feel enclosed and trapped. While creating those feelings are nothing new to video games it has to be done in such a way that has to embody an emotion. Aside from the graphics, the gameplay is something else entirely.
As for the gameplay, it is really ambitious for a single developer managing most of the game. This makes the gameplay truly a work of passion and the player can really feel the inspirations for the game. There are some definite inspirations from 2016’s DOOM, Souls’ series, and Bethesda’s Elder Scroll series. The main inspiration from DOOM is from the perspective and the action portrayed in the game and this by extension goes into the movement primarily. Furthermore, the movement for the game while built upon a great game has to implement some form of combat and for the most part it takes some queues from the Elder Scrolls with some of the more obtuse abilities that the player can perform in game that resemble some of the glitched out take animations in the game. However, the more polished attack animations feel responsive and fluid that really makes the action in the heat of combat feel natural and cinematic. This brings up some of the fluidity of the motions empowers the player and makes them feel like a true warrior. While the combat and movement all originate from well known and regarded games the overall game is borrowing some of the mechanics from the rougelite genre with the character the player controls able to be upgraded over time and level up over time. As to how the Souls’ series inspired the game is through the harsh difficulty and boss fights relying on the player to master the doge mechanics and time their attacks when facing either a single enemy or a group of them.
Nikita Sozidar, the developer of VOIN, is truly remarkable as the game while being an indie game feels well-polished for the development size and time. While it is remarkable that the game is as good as it is graphically it has some issues with the color choices interfering with depth perception as seen in the tutorial area and certain areas that need some better visuals. Aside from that the gameplay is nice and solid with again some minor inadequacies that only show up when performing certain skills that hamper the player’s overall experience when in combat. VOIN so far is a good game with some minor issues that can be ironed out over time with updates and is a definite pick up for players who want a challenge.
You can wishlist VOIN as well as request access to the playtest for PC via Steam.
Related: Reviews by Kyle Manila
I would describe myself when interacting with games as a strategist with a pension for stealth and loud explosions.
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