Spiritfall Review Summary

Smooth combat and varied weapons make a great roguelite platform fighter, but uninspired bosses, short length, and weak upgrades hold it back.

Smooth and responsive combat: Combat is highlighted as smooth, responsive, and fluid, allowing quick decisions to turn into satisfying combos. The controls feel great, enhancing the overall combat experience.

Great platform fighter roguelite blend: Players praise the successful fusion of platform fighter and roguelite mechanics, calling it an elegant and refreshing combination. The concept is well-executed and appeals to fans of both genres.

Distinct and varied weapons: Weapons are praised for being well-designed, distinct, and each offering unique playstyles and movesets. The variety keeps gameplay interesting and encourages experimentation.

Smooth and fluid gameplay: The core gameplay feels unbelievably good, smooth, and satisfying. Movement and combat are well-integrated, providing a very enjoyable and fluid experience.

Excellent and well-crafted game: The game is described as excellent, wonderful, and well-crafted, offering very satisfying gameplay. Reviewers feel it is well worth the purchase and a polished experience.

Uninspired boss design and difficulty: Bosses are repetitive, lack variety, and often become bullet-hell or health-sack fights. Players complain about cheap difficulty, limited openings, and tedious shield mechanics.

Lack of content and shortness: A pervasive issue is the game's short length, with players finishing in as little as 2 to 20 hours and noting a lack of content for a paid roguelike. Many mention insufficient missions, stages, and replayability, leading to early boredom.

Ineffective and underwhelming upgrades: Players criticize the upgrade and progression systems as boring, with minimal impact or poor synergies. Many feel that skills and relics are nearly pointless or uninspired.

Unbalanced and frustrating difficulty: Difficulty spikes, inconsistent enemy strength, and punishing mechanics lead to frustration. Players note unfair damage, overpowered enemies, and a steep learning curve.

Underwhelming weapon design and balance: Players consistently report that weapon systems feel weak, under-tuned, or imbalanced, with specific mentions of ineffective, slow, and samey weapons. Some weapons like the bow, axe, and dual blades are highlighted as particularly problematic, reducing combat satisfaction.

Roguelike platform fighter hybrid: Players consistently describe the game as a blend of roguelike mechanics with platform fighter combat, often comparing it to Brawlhalla or Super Smash Bros. This genre fusion is the core identity of the game.

Hades-like structure and progression: Many reviews note the game's run-based structure, room selection, boss fights, and meta-progression are very similar to Hades. Comparisons to Dead Cells and Slay the Spire also appear, indicating a familiar roguelite loop.

Weapon variety supports different playstyles: Players appreciate the multiple weapons, each with distinct forms and movesets, allowing for varied approaches. This variety is a highlight and adds replayability.

Relic and upgrade systems: The game includes relics, powers, boosts, and elemental upgrades that synergize, allowing for powerful combinations. This contributes to build diversity and strategic depth.

Combo-based combat with juggling: The combat emphasizes combos and juggling, which adds a unique twist to the platform fighter genre. This depth is noted as a key part of the gameplay.

Recommended for Smash and roguelite fans: Multiple reviewers recommend the game to players who enjoy Super Smash Bros or similar platform fighters combined with roguelite elements, often citing Hades as a comparison. This is the most frequent recommendation type.

Recommended for roguelike lovers: The game is strongly recommended to fans of roguelikes and roguelites, with mentions of Dead Cells and Slay the Spire. This indicates the roguelike progression and replayability are appealing.

Recommended for platform fighter fans: Several clusters specifically target fans of platform fighters like Brawlhalla and Rivals of Aether, suggesting the game fits well within that genre. The recommendation is consistent and broad.

High praise and strong endorsement: Many clusters contain enthusiastic recommendations, using phrases like 'highly recommended' and 'definitely buy'. This indicates a generally positive reception, though specific reasons vary.

Similar to Hades and Dead Cells: The game is frequently compared to successful roguelites like Hades and Dead Cells, which serves as a strong endorsement for fans of those titles. This suggests the game delivers a similar experience.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $20.00.

Game completion: 30.0h.

Story completion: 12.0h.

Session length: 30.0h.

The game begins with significant friction from a lack of unlocks and stiff controls, but meta progression and weapon unlocks gradually turn it into a deeply enjoyable action roguelite.

Friction: lack of starting unlocks; stiff controls; enemy shields that stop combos; punishing randomized nature early on.

Unlock drivers: meta progression upgrades; weapon unlocks; permanent upgrades; blessings and perks.

Hybrid Genre Enthusiast: Juggling enemies, experimenting with weapon forms and boon upgrades, focusing on stylish combos and mid-run decision making. Motivation: Satisfying combat with platform fighter combos combined with roguelike progression and build variety. Stance: buy.

Content Hungry Roguelike Player: Completionist: rushing to unlock everything, hunting achievements, and expecting meaningful endgame loops. Motivation: Seeking long-term replayability, deeper meta-progression, and additional content to sustain engagement. Stance: sale.

Casual PvE Platform Fighter Fan: Casual button mashing, experimenting with weapons, and enjoying the power fantasy without deep mechanical learning. Motivation: Relaxing, non-toxic fun with flashy combos and charming presentation, avoiding competitive pressure. Stance: buy.

Steam Deck: All user feedback indicates that Spiritfall is fully compatible with Steam Deck, with no reported technical barriers. The game is Verified, runs smoothly, and controls work out of the box.

Linux and Proton: All user reviews indicate that Spiritfall runs smoothly on Linux using Proton, with Steam Deck verification further confirming strong cross-platform compatibility. No negative Linux-specific feedback exists.

Frequently compared to Brawlhalla: Many reviewers compare the game to Brawlhalla, often without detailed reasoning. This suggests the game shares core platform fighter mechanics with Brawlhalla.

Comparisons to Hades and Smash: The game is often described as a mix of Super Smash Bros and Hades, combining platform fighter combat with roguelike progression. This blend seems to be a defining characteristic for many players.

Mixed comparisons to other games: Reviewers also compare the game to Dead Cells, Slay the Spire, and Skul, indicating a variety of inspirations. This suggests the game blends multiple genres beyond just platform fighters.

Roguelike comparisons with Hades: The game is compared to Hades in structure, progression, and design, being called a Hades-like roguelite. This indicates that the roguelike elements are prominent and favorably received.

Early access concerns: Reviewers mention the game is in early access, with some noting it feels polished while others feel it lacks content. This indicates a mixed reception regarding the game's completeness.