Vindictus: Defying Fateis a spin-off of theMMO Vindictus, but it focuses more on a single-player experience. It’s currently in development and has a limited-time public alpha available.
An RPG with Classic Characters and Dungeon Exploration
The new alpha test of Nexon’s upcoming action game has a deadline of June 17. A year ago, we talked about this PC spin-off of theVindictus MMO, which still has no confirmed release date.
It’s an actionRPGbuilt in Unreal Engine that promises exciting combat with dodging, counterattacks, and a variety of skills for each class or character (Lann, Fiona, Karok, and Delia).
Players will be able to explore its world, delve into dungeons, and acquire gear to prepare for future battles.
Compared to the pre-alpha from March 2024, which focused on testing the combat system, the developers have adjusted the difficulty to make it more accessible. It now offers two difficulty levels (Normal and Easy), which can be switched at any time.
They’ve also made changes to previously seen areas, such as adding more interactive objects and traps.
Additionally, this test allows players to try all four known characters, and while the gameplay is still primarily single-player, the developers mention that “once the Northern Ruins storyline is completed, players will be able to encounter other characters in the village.”
What Didn’t Convince Players?
The company never mentions that this is a soulslike game, though player reviews do compare it to that genre—and that’s precisely one of the two main points of criticism from detractors.
Only 46% of reviews are positive about the demo, a relatively low percentage. So, what’s the issue? First, many comments praise the original MMO’s combat, which was fast and more like a hack ‘n slash, whereasVindictus: Defying Fateis described as“slow, clunky, and boring. Please don’t try to beDark Souls,”says one user review.
It also doesn’t stand out as a soulslike. Many players call the gameplay sluggish. “I wish they’d add animation canceling to blocking and dodging, so I don’t get stuck in one of those ridiculous attack animations. Blocking isn’t really satisfying, since there’s hardly any time to counter after a successful block,” says another review.
“Repeating the same two combos isn’t fun,” another player concludes. “It doesn’t really reflect the player skill you expect from an action game like this. The camera is terrible; I tried all three lock-on types and it still feels awful.”
Optimization Problems Despite Good Character Models
The second most criticized point is the optimization. While the graphics—at least the character models—are praised by some players, the performance falls far below expectations. That said, this is something that can still be fixed ahead of the final release.
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“It’s obvious the developers spent most of their time on the character outfits and models (they even textured the characters’ veins). I love that aspect, but everything else was neglected. The combat was quite bad; they tried to beDark Soulsbut failed to capture the satisfaction of those games. The levels are linear and there’s no exploration,” reads another critical comment.
