As a gamer who typically gravitates towards either action or RPG genres, the world of action RPGs has been a bit of a blind spot for me. However, my curiosity was instantly ignited when I got the chance to delve into Vindictus: Defying Fate, a game that has been making waves in this genre. This was a thrilling new experience for me, and I was eager to see what all the excitement was about.
Derived from the Vindictus free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Vindictus: Defying Fate stands out as a single-player action RPG, offering a unique and thrilling experience within the same universe. While some features were yet to be unveiled in this pre-alpha playtest, like the story and gameplay loop, it provided a tantalizing glimpse into the game’s combat system and a promising preview of what’s to come.
From the very beginning, Vindictus: Defying Fate sets itself apart with its meticulous attention to detail in building out the atmosphere and environments. Even in its pre-alpha state, everything is incredibly crisp and beautiful, a stunning testament to the game’s visual quality. This extends to the character models for both characters we are able to choose from.
First, there is Fiona, a character in Vindictus: Defying Fate. She’s more defence-oriented, focusing on shield skills and counter-attacking. Her shield serves as both a defensive measure and an attacking option, making her a versatile choice. With skills like area sweeping for groups of enemies and a lung-forward strike, Fiona also seems like a more well-rounded character.
“Vindictus: Defying Fate sets itself apart with its meticulous attention to detail in building out the atmosphere and environments.”
Then, there is Lana, a returning character from the 2010 Vindictus and dual sword wielder for the more aggressive players with strong forward slash skills and a rush that allows you to close the gap between you and the beasts quickly.
Speaking of beasts, in the pre-alpha for Vindictus: Defying Fate, there are only a handful, which might not seem like a lot, but keep in mind this is just a playtest. Even so, they are varied enough that they stayed fresh for my short time in Vindictus: Defying Fate. They are variations of the same humanlike beast but with different weapon sets. There is a fighter that carries a sword, a ranged focus one with a bow, and a hammer-wielding oin that proved quite difficult.
Overall, I am of two minds when it comes to the combat of Vindictus: Defying Fate. There is a part of me that really likes the no-gain, no-loss gameplay. As we are in the pre-alpha, there is no levelling, resources, money, etc. So, who knows? The game can change come release, but there was something missing from the biggest boss-style fights.
“Vindictus: Defying Fate gave us a promising look at what to expect when the full game releases sometime in the future.”
It feels like because there is nothing to gain or lose, there are no stakes in the fights. I want to give it the benefit of the doubt because we are very early on in development, and the combat feels intuitive and fluid. With skills being tied to cooldowns instead of stamina bars, it is an interesting approach since it does feel like it wants to be set in the Souls-esque genre with its focus on difficulty.
Since there is no story to touch on, it’s hard to speak to what we are in for. The cutscenes in the pre-alpha don’t give much away, but they do look gorgeous. Being tied to an older MMO, I will be interested to see if there is some required reading in terms of lore for everything to hit home for newer players.
Vindictus: Defying Fate gave us a promising look at what to expect when the full game releases sometime in the future. With smooth stylistic gameplay, gorgeous atmosphere, and environments, there is definitely something to showcase here. Again, there is no real sense of danger from falling in combat, but I am willing to give that up to its pre-alpha state, given that I came across a few chests with big Work In Progress signs hanging over them. So, there is a promise that we will be able to get new weapons, armour, and skills.
All in all, I had a good time, and it has put Vindictus: Defying Fate on my radar. I look forward to seeing more of it as development comes along.
