Deathward

You are a necromancer, summoned to an unfamiliar place by Death itself, which claims that it is going to die soon and needs your help to prevent it. As Death’s helper, your main weapon is a scythe that is a bit slow, but can attack across a wide range. You can also hold down the button for a continuous attack, although doing so prevents movement. Attacking and hitting targets generates spirit, which can then be used to trigger a special spin attack that hits multiple targets at once. The spin lasts for as long as you have spirit. The next important move is the dash. It lets you pass through threats and escape before they trigger, dodge enemy attacks, and create some distance between you and your enemies. The important thing to remember is that the dash cannot interrupt the slow scythe attack, so you need to time your attacks carefully because the dash can only be triggered once the attack animation is finished. It also comes with a strange slowdown when you exit the dash, meaning you cannot use it again immediately. After you return to the world of the living, you get to explore and complete the given task. There is some freedom of movement, but the overall progression is still l…

Deathward is fun. It took me about 5 hours to complete, which feels perfectly reasonable for the cost of the game. It is reminiscent of top down Legend of Zelda games, which dungeons focused around a single puzzle type, followed by a boss that matches the theme of said dungeon. It is more combat focused than most Zelda games, and it is very easy to die, especially if you avoid the optional power-ups. All in all, I had a great time, all though I am a bit biased, as I playtested for the game when it was in development. That said, I did decide to buy my own copy, and I feel that despite the relatively short length it was well worth the price.