Despite these issues, Vigil: The Longest Night absolutely holds its own, both in 2D adventure games, as well as in the glut of Souls-alikes that have emerged in recent years. It's fast, fun and rewarding to players who manage to overcome the initial similarities to FROM Software's series, and manages to carve its own unique take on the formula, with strong narrative and combat hooks to support it. If only those load times could let us get to the action sooner.
It's hard to recommend Endurance, particularly at the price, given that so much of it feels unfinished, and cheap. It is very possible to brute force through the game, solely using credits to restore health, but there is little satisfaction here. Plaudits to the sole developer for creating the game, but this alone is not enough to warrant any type of recommendation.
However, for players who persevere beyond those opening levels, there are some genuinely clever and fun platforming elements to be discovered, adapting and evolving the 16 bit template. It's just a shame that the first part of the game is so slavish to the formula. There's fun to be had here, just at the expense of the legacy it evokes.