I’d just like to provide a bit more feedback.
- Story
One thing that bothers me a bit, is the player character’s lines and responses in the start of the story. Our character goes walking through the forest, only to suddenly be transported through time to when the world is in ruin. The problem here from a narrative standpoint is that the player character has an almost apathetic “whatever” attitude to this. Just pretending like this is normal.
For the sake of believability, and to make the foundation of the narrative more solid. I think there needs to be more transitional voice lines for the player characters during all this. Maybe also a cutscene when you arrive at the council chamber, where the character’s thoughts about all this is revealed. As well as some days time having passed from his/her arrival until setting out from there.
It is a bit of a narrative uncanny valley, that the player character is seemingly “Yeah whatever” to the fact he/she not only jumped through time, but ended up in a time where the world is in ruin.
I think there needs to be more voice lines here, and maybe a cinematic - to more smoothly transition the player character from A to B here. To make it feel more natural and organic.
- Visuals of some minions
Since the game is still in development some things are probably placeholders still purposefully - like all the Necromancer Golems just being copies with slight variations of each other (I hope the blood and fire golem gets their own models with time).
I think when taking dread phalanx or archmage for the Necromancer, the minions should have a more “elite” appearance. As for primalist, you already have winter sabretooth as a new model - so I’m hoping that this is something you want to do, the problem just being more important priorities right now. Not sure what your plans are here, but it would be awesome if skill modifiers would visually change minions more, like the Primalist’s Sabretooth.
- Music
I read some comments about people complaining that the music often feels “off” with where you are in the game at points. I’m not sure if this is something you’ve done something about already. I’d just like to say that… I don’t see this problem. As an example with the sad melancholic music in the void starting areas - I think this really helps the mood and atmosphere being set to “Despair and hopelessness”. I actually like it as it is. Please don’t make some “generic action-y music”.
- Skills and Passives
To further help, balance and add build diversity. I personally think it would be a good idea, to have more skills that are mutually exclusive. In both the passive trees and skill trees. Nothing too heavy handed. Just some interesting passives where you have to choose EITHER - OR.
- Primalist specific
I don’t quiet understand the reasoning for why companions are not all allowed multiple of the same creature, when it’s already balanced around a minion cap. If you have 2 companion limit, I don’t see the problem with having say - 2 Spriggans, or 3 Sabretooths if Beastmaster or something. ADMITTEDLY - there may be a balancing issue here I’m overlooking!
- Ideas for Boss Battles
I noticed that many of the current bosses are “big bad in the middle firing stuff”. Here’s some suggestion for boss battle types to spice things up.
-
A bossfight with 2 bosses, where one is fast and don’t do much damage, the other slow with high damage. The fast one also using buffs on itself and the other boss. This would make a boss fight where you have to kite until the buffing boss is dead. So you have one very, very slow moving high damage boss. And one weaker boss with fast movement.
-
Multiboss fight with shared health pool. A bossfight where the bosses share health.
-
A boss with high HP that becomes stronger over time, by for example eating his minions periodically. This would be a DPS test in this case. Players would realize the boss gets more and more dangerous (as to not be killed in what feels like an unfair death).
-
A bossfight where the boss is strongest in the beginning, but getting weaker over time. So the boss can be outlasted. Only for the boss to be reanimated at death with this switched around, so it becomes stronger over time as those who reanimated him - a 2nd boss - joins the fight. Basically a fight which becomes easier over time, then a hard timed period in which you start with an advantage.
-
4 bosses where you have a mindcontrol device of some kind, so one of them joins your side. So it becomes you and a chosen boss Vs the 3 remaining bosses.
-
A bossfight where a random specialized skill of yours periodically gets locked out of use, but during this time, the boss also suffers more damage.
Anyway just some ideas.
- World Building and atmosphere
I think there needs to be a few more citizens in the various camps and towns. The world, even pre-ruined era - feels kinda empty and uninhabited. I think it would help to have a bit more people around the various towns and such. Doesn’t need to be a lot. In the underground human cities in the start (those look beautiful btw!), maybe have some people animated in the world background.
In the end of time - the place feels kinda off. Are these people ghosts? Are they biological humans living in this end of time place magically? I think the end of time player area could need some work in fleshing out so that even with magic and time travel - it makes a bit more sense. The ramp up to the upper floor gives for a beautiful backdrop, but maybe rather expand the lower area a bit and place those NPCs on the first floor as well. And place something else up there. The pathing and navigation of the end of time is a bit meh imo. Like I said - it does look beautiful though!
- Leaderboards
I’m not sure what the plan is. HC and SC leaderboards only? I’d really like an option to compete with people if this will be a seasonal thing, in categories like not using stash. Not using gambler or shops, in addition to HC and SSF. I also think you went a bit overboard with the masochist mode. I like the idea but the numbers are a bit too harsh, especially endgame.
Maybe have your score on the leaderboards get a multiplier for each handicap? So if a player has HC SSF NO STASH, he gains 1.3 multiplier to his score (0.1 multiplier per handicap). I don’t really know what you have planned here, so I’m just giving some random thoughts on this.
- Shop and Gambler
I’m probably in a VAST minority. Buuuut I have to say it. I feel like these were added just for the sake of it. I don’t think shopkeepers or gambler is necessary or serve any function in this game. Like I said - I’m guessing I’m in a vast minority on this. I just think these could be cut and the game would be better for it (stash staying ofc).
Hmmm… That’s all I think.