Death's Gambit Reviews
Death's Gambit makes a literal and blatant use of a multitude of mechanics, concepts and aesthetic aspects directly imported from Hidetaka Miyazaki's work, but, despite its ups and downs, it manages to differentiate itself enough to have its own personality.
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This 2D action-platformer is a gorgeous but frustrating test of patience.
Death's Gambit is almost an above average 2D hardcore title, with challenging bosses and some solid environmental design. However the game lacks atmosphere and the story just doesn't quite take hold. The world is compact enough that repetition is unavoidable, and repeating the same steps can you wear down. Death's Gambit isn't a bad game but it simply doesn't have the spark that others in the genre do.
Death's Gambit had such promise. At its core, it is the blueprint to properly take risks and make attempts to improve a game design that we all take for granted. But it's just surrounded with poor quality of life choices, while missing some things it should have absolutely nailed. Weird animations, strange pacing, counter-intuitive combat, and way too many bugs holds this game back from being something truly great.
Death's Gambit never quite sheds its skin as simply a Dark Souls-inspired side scroller, and is done no favors by gutless, awkward combat. There's plenty to love in its visuals and designs, but ultimately it's a title that struggles to find footing in a saturated genre.
The game is simply not finished yet, and while I can definitely see those desperately hungry for this kind of game being able to look past a fair number of its faults, I would sooner recommend the myriad of other titles which scratch the same itch, without nearly as many caveats.
The new action-RPG Death's Gambit is an ambitious, initially attractive 2D souls-alike, but it frequently stumbles where it should soar.
Death's Gambit shows moments of potential, but they're undercut by bad storytelling, flat combat, and a nagging sense that it's all been done better elsewhere.
Death's Gambit does a good job of blending a beautiful pixel world with the challenge of a souls-like game while still managing to be easy for newcomers. Minor gripes keep it from being a solid A.