Estencel

Estencel is a third-person action indie game that focuses on fast-paced hack and slash battles set in a gothic fantasy world filled with incredible monsters. The streets of this god forsaken place are filled to the brim with beasts that would swallow you whole, but its up to you to solve the ancient mysteries and find out just what is going on here. If you are looking for a game that offers something unique that few developers can pull off, then you are looking in the right place as this is one of the most impressive games that I’ve seen an indie developer deliver. Let’s jump into it.

Gameplay

The gameplay to this is strongly reminiscent of Dark Souls; that is something you will notice off the bat. That being said, its not something I hate. I do like those games, many people do, but you often find that they can be overbearingly difficulty. If you are not a strong gamer, don’t have the time to try something a 100 times, then this might be the perfect alternative, as it is something of an easy mode compared to those.

This game does something special, and that is that it allows the character to react as quickly as you can press the button. The time it takes for the character to recognize you’ve pressed dodge and has already finished the dodge is less than a second. Other games feel clumsy in comparison to this, as it really lets you feel like you deserved it when you got hit, not that you simply move faster than the game will let you. This takes your intention seriously and I love it. This might feel like a simple change, but it makes all the difference to ones enjoyment of the game.

Visuals

Visually, this shares strong resemblances to Bloodborne. Its like you are walking around a nightmare version of Hogwarts and its pretty great. The developer made sure to keep the entire game set at night, and the only illumination you really get is from yourself, street lights and occasionally from the moon or enemies. It makes the whole vibe really freaky and I loved every second, never knowing if a monster was going to jump out from around a corner or if one was hiding in the dark just a few feet ahead of you.

All the monsters you encounter are very creatively designed. The use of hair and clothing physics is a small thing, but it really ups the production value on the whole.

Multiplayer

That’s right, gang, this game is multiplayer. You are able to jump right into the madness with a few friends and take on monsters together. Traversing this nightmare city doesn’t have to be something you do alone, and having a friend makes it a lot more fun. Additionally, if you and your friend ever want to test who is the strongest, you will be able to take them on with Player Vs Player combat. Just no griping if you lose!

Pros

• A fantastic game with tight and responsive controls
• Brilliant visuals of a spooky city filled with monsters

Cons

• It shares a lot of similarities with Bloodborne. Fans of the franchise may not approve

Estencel is a dark, epic action game with frightening and bloody role-playing battles, where a lightning-quick blade is used by a hat-wearing hero to chop up the undead. The player enters the City of Eternal Night, populated by faceless creatures, materialized ghosts, and skinny rotten monsters.

Gameplay:

• The challenge is to get from one point to the next in one piece.
• The main character's way goes through corridors in pitch black, stone tunnels and the city's central square with the boss in the middle
• The graphics are the coolest - sparks, flames, and splinters