When the indie game Windblown was revealed during the 2023 The Game Awards, I found it intriguing yet familiar. However, not much information about the game was shared at the time. Since then, I’ve been searching high and low to see what Motion Twin—yes, the developers of the indie game sensation, Dead Cells—had in store for us. Thankfully, I recently had the opportunity to try the game and eagerly jumped at the chance.
But is this just more of the same Dead Cells experience, something entirely new, or a combination of both?
So, What Exactly Is Windblown?
In Windblown, you play as an anthropomorphic character known as a Leaper, and your mission is to investigate a massive, swirling vortex of doom. Your goal? To save everyone from impending chaos, if possible. That’s essentially the story premise.
One thing I typically avoid when describing a game is saying, “It reminds me of another game,” as this can be a bit lazy. Plus, not everyone may have played the game you’re referencing. That said, Windblown reminds me quite a bit of Supergiant Games’ Hades—which is both a compliment and, well, something that was bound to happen. As much as Hades revolutionized the roguelike dungeon-crawler genre, Windblown feels like it’s taking a cue from Hades and building on those mechanics.
Let’s Talk About Gameplay
The gameplay in Windblown is straightforward and incredibly fun. At the start, you pick from several anthropomorphic characters get introduced to some brief story elements, and then you’re free to explore several biomes filled with enemies. You have access to a dash mechanic, essential for traversing these biomes, along with various methods of attack. Like most roguelike dungeon crawlers, you gain access to weapons and items along the way, which are randomized.
Every so often, you’ll encounter the soul of a character who perished in the vortex. Interacting with them gives you the option to choose from a set of perks—or “gifts,” as they are called. These are random, so sometimes you get fantastic options, and other times, not so much. It’s all part of the game’s RNG (random number generator) system—sound familiar? With luck, you might end up with an incredible build; other times, not so much.
The goal? Battle your way to the baddie at the end of the purple brick road and defeat it. Of course, if you fail and die at any point, you’ll be sent back to the starting point, which is called the Ark. Here, you can exchange currency to unlock items that will appear randomly in the vortex, as well as some permanent items like healing potions. It’s super important to keep upgrading and unlocking here, or you won’t last very long as things get more difficult the further you progress.
While Windblown may follow the tried-and-true formula of roguelikes, it doesn’t feel stale. Motion Twin has clearly borrowed some inspiration from Hades and Deadcells, yet the gameplay remains just as enjoyable.
You Can Play Online Too
One of the key features that sets Windblown apart from other roguelike games—aside from its anthropomorphic characters—is its online multiplayer component. The game was designed with the belief that gaming is more fun with friends, so players can join each other’s worlds and tackle the vortex together. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to try this feature during my preview, but from what I’ve heard, the online co-op is a blast.
Thankfully, there’s a demo of Windblown releasing on October 14, 2024, running until October 24, 2024, which should bring more players into the mix. Hopefully, I’ll get to experience the online co-op action during that time. Maybe I’ll see you online?
Final Thoughts
From the few hours I’ve spent with Windblown, it’s clear that while the roguelike formula hasn’t drastically changed, Motion Twin has taken what worked in games like Hades and refined it. The result is a game that feels fresh and fun. It’s not as polished as Hades, but given that this is still a game that’s still very much in its infancy, I’m sure things will change over time.
The Windblown demo will be available from October 14, 2024, until October 21, 2024, ahead of the early access release on October 24, 2024.
