Hello, it’s been a long time that I’ve wanted to share some feedback, so here it is.
I have about 250 hours in the game, and I’ve pretty much done everything possible to explore and experience (except the empty-hand run, I’m not that much of a tryhard). I really enjoyed the combat mechanics and how the devs used subtle guidance to lead you where they want (except for the first entrance in Sacrament, where every goddamn NPC tells you to go see the old guy). This applies both to combat learning (pattern recognition & adaptable playstyle through runes and weapons) and to world design, with every corner hiding something, making you want to go further and further.
Now, here’s what I think could make the game even better:
First: Don’t listen to people saying you need to enlarge parry windows—it’s perfect as it is. I don’t know how it will be in The Breach, but it’s clearly the mechanic that hooked me on the game. As you mentioned in the devlog, a lot will be done regarding rune attacks, and a lot of necessary nerfs will happen: clearly, stagger is sometimes too much, and you can pretty much chain-CC some enemies (EK mainly). Mage gameplay still feels a bit strange to me, but maybe we’ll see some changes.
Regarding Crucible , I feel like it should be a place where you can level up when you’re stuck in the main story, so maybe balance it according to the player’s current level (except EK, who should still be the hardest boss).
Secondly , I’d like to talk about the armor system: If you’re not a hardcore gamer who ignores armor and does no-hit runs, heavy armor will always be the best choice. It’s pretty messed up how it makes you nearly immortal in the late game, while lighter clothes don’t come with such a reward, since you can still dodge just fine with heavy armor. I like the differences in movement sets, but maybe add a slight incentive for going light (like some extra damage, or a number of ring slots based on weight class—I don’t know).
Also, stealth kills in combat look kinda meme-like. It’s really awkward when a big knight is doing his big swing, and you just casually walk behind him to backstab him. It’s funny, though, so maybe just nerf the damage when the enemy is already under aggro, and it should be fine.
And last but not least: I want a freaking grappling hook (like in Terraria , you know). Even if it’s in super late-game once everything is over, I don’t care—I just want to do some crazy-ass parkour in NRFTW, it would be so fun.
Ah, and I think a demo would be great to hook new players. It would be a genius marketing move to make you fight EK with only a sword and then have a death screen saying: “Maybe you need some levels & equipment, right?”
Sorry if my english is bad, I did my best to get it right ! I might have things to add but for now that’s all I think about that may be not so common.