Apple Slash
- February 5, 2020
- agelvik
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Apple Slash" is a short action game featuring a rotating sword mechanic. As the player, you must explore a murky marshland to find and combine skills, with the goal of finding the missing 'Cartboi'. Use your powerful attacks to navigate through the swamp and complete the game in 30-60 minutes. This passion project is a test for a potential larger project, so the developer welcome feedback and suggestions.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Apple Slash features charming pixel art and a unique minimalist art style that enhances the overall experience.
- The combat is satisfying and fluid, providing a fun and engaging gameplay experience despite the game's short length.
- The game offers a quirky world with humorous moments and a decent soundtrack, making it an enjoyable quick play.
- The game is extremely short, often completed in under an hour, which may leave players feeling unsatisfied.
- Gameplay can feel monotonous and lacks depth, with limited enemy variety and simplistic mechanics.
- The story is minimal and can feel disjointed, with tonal inconsistencies that may detract from the overall experience.
- music27 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and engaging qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the mysterious and somber main track that complements the game's exploration theme. The soundtrack is described as catchy, well-composed, and fitting for the game's art style, enhancing the overall experience with its rich chiptune elements and charming melodies. Overall, players appreciate the music as a standout feature that adds depth and enjoyment to the gameplay.
“The action is all click-happy madness of a punchy and satisfying sort, and the rich chiptune soundtrack bounces along a theme of daring enterprise sprinkled with a bit of heroic trepidation for good measure.”
“Definitely a very interesting short experience... love the world building and the music is shockingly good.”
“Well composed music to set you in the mood of the adventure.”
“Felt cheated it was so short, and I even went around to explore more (collect the four keys, watch the music thing, look for my brother, etc).”
“Charming game with a great artstyle and catchy and atmospheric music.”
“Very short and satisfying; excellent hack and slash mechanics, progression, art and animation, level design, and music and sound.”
- gameplay26 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and fast-paced mechanics, often described as "button mashy" and lacking depth, with many players noting that it can be completed in under an hour. While the controls are responsive and the art style and music are praised, the overall experience feels short and somewhat monotonous, leaving players wanting more variety and exploration. Despite its brevity, the game offers some replay value through achievements and has a charming atmosphere that appeals to fans of quick, engaging gameplay.
“Nice controls and fun mechanics; I hope a longer game is made with this soon!”
“The gameplay is fast and maddening, if a little bit 'button mashy' for lack of a better term. It looks good for being pixelated and only using the colors black, white, and red, and it succeeds in looking and feeling like an addicting flash game.”
“Very short and satisfying; excellent hack and slash mechanics, progression, art and animation, level design, and music and sound.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's almost mindless; you hold to slash and move to traverse the landscapes. It never really tells a story but slowly gives you hints and nods of where to go. The game isn't too big either, so if you get lost, it usually doesn't take long to find your way. The combat honestly allows you to just tank everything, hold slash, and charge through. This applies to all areas, and the only exception is the final boss, which is really not hard at all. Achievements-wise, there's some replay value with hitless and speedruns, but let me make it clear, this game is very, very short.”
“The gameplay is monotonous, the mechanics are poorly thought out, the story is pretty much nonexistent, and the whole thing can be beaten in 30 minutes at most.”
“The gameplay aspect is quite simple, and I wish there were more areas, puzzles, and bosses.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their clean, minimalist art style that effectively uses a black, white, and red color palette, creating a stylish yet occasionally confusing navigation experience. Players appreciate the charming animations and retro visuals that complement the gameplay, although some note that the cartoonish tone can lead to jarring shifts in mood. Overall, the art style is considered unique and cohesive, enhancing the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.
“A short but satisfying game with a unique, minimalist art style.”
“It's got nice stylized visuals that fit the action well, and even if it's super short, coming back for a hitless run was a bit of a challenge.”
“Short but sweet, the game starts very basic but as you discover more abilities, the combat starts to flourish. Music is great and graphics-wise it's got a pleasing art style with bouncy and charming animations!”
“Graphics-wise, it's pretty clean; the black, white, and red work well but can lead to everything looking kind of the same, so navigation-wise it hurts a bit.”
“Characters in this story have a habit of dying brutally in a way that feels a bit like whiplash, and I think this is partially due to the art style creating a general tone of cartooniness that makes the abrupt shifts in tone incredibly jarring.”
“My only complaints would be the visuals themselves; sometimes it's difficult to tell where you are in relation to the enemies.”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and often feels disjointed, with players noting a lack of depth in characters and world-building. While some find the narrative charming and capable of evoking emotions, many agree that it is overshadowed by the gameplay's simplicity and the game's overall brevity, leaving them wanting a more expansive adventure. Despite its shortcomings, the story hints at potential for future development, suggesting a foundation for a more engaging experience.
“Easy to understand indie hack n slash with a cute wholesome look and story.”
“Please make a bigger, bolder adventure with the same engine, and if it's an expansion of this story -- which ends on a tantalizing note of new beginnings -- so much the better!”
“- charming characters and also a storyline that sets up a natural continuation of the game, but also a well-rounded finish for a short game.”
“The gameplay is monotonous, the mechanics are poorly thought out, the story is pretty much nonexistent, and the whole thing can be beaten in 30 minutes at most.”
“- not really much in terms of story or characters or world building.”
“They make such quality content but at the price of it being over before you get immersed in the gameplay and sometimes even story/setting.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, adding character and charm that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the funny moments and the lighthearted tone, making it a delightful choice for a short, enjoyable adventure. The combination of humor and engaging achievements contributes to its appeal.
“I found it humorous, and to me, it adds that tiny touch of character which otherwise might make me think the game isn't substantial enough to be paid for. It feels conflicting, but I give it a pass and say if you want to have a chill adventure for 1 hour, here it is.”
“Plenty of achievements to collect and hunt for too, plus it has very funny moments.”
“Also, the world is interesting, and I loved the sense of humor.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers limited gameplay depth, with a straightforward combat system and a short overall length, making it easy to complete in under an hour. However, its replayability is enhanced by achievements related to hitless runs and speedruns, encouraging players to explore different strategies and routes despite the brevity of the experience. Overall, while the game is very short, its fun factor and achievement system provide enough incentive for players to revisit it.
“Yes, it's super short and can be speedrun under 15 minutes for an achievement, but it's easily replayable just because of how fun it was.”
“The game isn't too big either, so if you get lost it usually doesn't take long to find your way. The achievements provide some replay value with hitless and speedruns, making it interesting to learn what you can skip to progress the main story.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's almost mindless; you just hold to slash and move to traverse the landscapes. It never really tells a story but slowly gives you hints and nods of where to go. The game isn't too big either, so if you get lost, it usually doesn't take long to find your way. The combat honestly allows you to just tank everything, holding slash and charging through. This applies to all areas, and the only exception is the final boss, which isn't hard at all. Achievements-wise, there's some replay value with hitless runs and speedruns, so learning what you can skip to progress the main story is interesting. However, it barely clocked over 1 hour with absolutely everything, so let me make it clear: this game is very, very short.”
“If you're looking for something different, short, and replayable (due to achievements), this is a game for you.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a charming and wholesome aesthetic paired with an engaging story, culminating in a touching ending that resonates emotionally with players. Its fun gameplay enhances the overall experience, making it a memorable indie title.
“Super fun gameplay and a touching ending.”
“Easy to understand indie hack and slash with a cute, wholesome look and story.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its charm, engaging art style, and catchy music, contributing to an enjoyable experience. However, some players feel that the content provided feels more like a teaser than a complete game, leaving them wanting more.
“Charming game with a great art style and catchy, atmospheric music.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players report that the game suffers from noticeable stuttering and a constant vibrating or shaking effect, indicating significant optimization issues that detract from the overall experience.
“It's like everything is slightly vibrating or shaking constantly, as if the game is stuttering.”
“The performance issues make it hard to enjoy the game; it feels like I'm playing in slow motion.”
“Frequent frame drops and lag make the experience frustrating and unenjoyable.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted by users for its charming and cute character designs, which enhance the overall appeal and engagement of the game.
