Windblown is an isometric action rougelite game, developed by Motion Twin, creating a stunning environment and gameplay. Moreover, the game is published by the developer and Kepler Interactive known for games like En Garde, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Bionic Bay. The game itself has some a pretty arcade like feel to it, possibly due to the overall feel of the game reminiscent of those isometric and top-down shooters in arcade cabinets. Aside from that, the game so far feels like a solid game meant for multiple play throughs as the game encourages small increments in power over time. As for the narrative that the game is slowly developing stems from the mystery around the vortex encouraging players to delve deeper into it. Moreover, this allows for a consistent gameplay loop encouraging the player to keep on going.
The gameplay is built off of the rougelite genre using an isometric view for the player allowing them to have a large field of vision. By doing this it allows the player to ensure they are able to see the various enemies on the field and know where they need to go to ensure they survive. Moreover, to delve into the gameplay loop for the game it is a slow grind, but it is expected for the genre to have such a difficulty curve at the start with it tending to become easier over time. This allows for meaningful growth in the long run for the player and each accomplishment feels truly earned to showcase actual growth. In addition to, displaying the growth of the player, the various unlocks can improve the survivability of the player and ensures that they progress even further. This allows for a solid gameplay loop to occur and ensure the long-term playability of the game providing an excellent example of an indie game company showcasing their capabilities to the general public. To dig a little bit deeper into the game the player will need to find certain upgrades and obtain resources to unlock those items to be in use. To draw some parallels to the gameplay loop Arcadegeddon, Hades II, and Blade Assualt all share a similar type of loop and feel for the genre. Aside from the gameplay the narrative also plays a crucial role for the game and these two concepts are interconnected to one another.
Narratively speaking, the game so far ties the survivability to the story as long as the player keeps delving into the vortex. This makes the game more or less a survival-based narrative which does not stray too far from how the game is actually played by the which is an awesome way on tying the roles of gameplay with story. There is a positive and negative to how the narrative is to be uncovered by the player during their time playing. A major positive is it allows players to keep playing the game for those who are tenacious and want to find out the truth. As for the negative the possibility for the player to be incapable of overcoming the difficulty curve is a possible issue that can occur. However, one of the remedies for dealing with such an issue is through the multiplayer allowing players to team up and provide aid for each other. With such a gameplay driven narrative there will have to be certain key elements that need to be obtained through the vortex. As for the basis of the narrative the vortex is slowly taking in floating islands and over time very few are left and the player might even encounter a non-player character (NPC) tied to uncovering the truth of the story in its entirety.
All in all, Windblown shows a lot of promise with Motion Twin and Kepler Interactive being proud for creating such a fun game and focusing on providing players a unique experience to try. Moreover, with how the game is structured, it would be an excellent choice for people trying to join in the hobby as the game focuses a lot on multiple playthroughs and progression. This is best demonstrated in the gameplay formula the developers came up with, to allow the player to feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments. Furthermore, this sense of accomplishment is further reinforced by how the narrative is intricately tied to the player’s tenacity to keep on going despite the odds.
Windblown releases for PC via Steam Early Access on October 24, 2024. You can wishlist the game right now as well as play the free demo.
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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