On updating a classic (Off-Topic)

by Ragashingo , Official DBO Cryptarch, Friday, April 19, 2019, 20:48 (2043 days ago) @ cheapLEY

It's interesting, because while I died a bunch my first play through, when I came back roughly a year later, I really enjoyed the combat. Sure, it's not super extensive and there's not a ton of moves or powers you have access to, but it does expand over the course of the game a fair amount. For instance:

• After beating Valravn, you gain access to a mirror that grants you temporary time slowing powers.
  
• Eventually, you'll also earn a sword that has a sort of magic/power strike capability.
  
• New enemy types like a slow one with a powerful heavy sword that you can't block, a quick one that dual wields, and one that rushes you are added to the regular sword guys and the shield guys.
  
• There are also enemies that will become insubstantial and require you to trigger your more powerful abilities like time slow to engage them.
  
• Later on, it will throw a mix of units at you and while you can kinda stumble your way to eventual success, it was pretty satisfying to me to use the various moves and skills to do really well in the later combat sections. Managing the mix of slow, fast, defensive, and offensive enemies and doing it well was pretty enjoyable to me.

I do get that the combat feels a bit limited at first, and the feel of it doesn't take any drastic game-altering turns, but I'd still make the gentle argument that you're not getting the full effect until a good bit after you beat Surtr and Valravn. Personally, I came to really appreciate the subtleties of Senua's combat:

• How different attacks are needed to deal with different enemies
  
• How the slow approach of enemies from different distances and directions combined with the "focus on one enemy at a time" gameplay to create miniature strategic puzzles of which enemy you need to focus on/ignore to best handle several enemies at once.
  
• How a bad block might mitigate most or all of an enemy's attack, but a perfect block would help recharge your powers and soon let you strike back against entire groups once your time slow and power attacks were ready.
  
• How the voices would warn you of incoming attacks that you couldn't see.

The following video isn't the best showcase, but I was pretty proud to cross this bridge while taking only one hit. I didn't use any powers, but at one point I dodged an unseen attack thanks to the voices and I generally took apart the enemies with skill...