Apple Slash

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 141 reviews

gameplay15 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Charming art style and character design, with a unique minimalist aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience.
Satisfying and fluid combat mechanics that make slashing through enemies feel enjoyable and impactful.
Short but engaging gameplay that respects players' time, making it a perfect quick play for those looking for a fun distraction.

Extremely short playtime, often completed in under an hour, which may leave players feeling unsatisfied and wanting more content.
Limited enemy variety and simplistic gameplay mechanics can lead to a monotonous experience over time.
The game feels more like a demo or proof of concept rather than a fully fleshed-out title, lacking depth in story and exploration.

gameplay
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
49%
9%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and fast-paced hack-and-slash mechanics, which some players find enjoyable and satisfying, while others criticize it for being monotonous and lacking depth. Many reviews highlight the game's short duration, typically under an hour, and express a desire for more variety in areas, puzzles, and bosses. Despite its limitations, the controls are praised for being responsive, and the overall experience is described as charming with appealing art and music.
- “The gameplay feels responsive and even satisfying; the abilities are fun to use, and being able to use the mouse to aim your sword makes it feel like you have even more control, next to the clean movement.”
- “Very short and satisfying; excellent hack and slash mechanics, progression, art and animation, level design, and music and sound.”
- “Satisfying gameplay that keeps you at the edge of your seat.”
- “The gameplay aspect is quite simple and I wish there were more areas, puzzles, and bosses.”
- “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.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's almost mindless; you hold to slash and move to traverse the landscapes. 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. The game is very, very short.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
24%
9%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its atmospheric and adventurous qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the well-composed soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The audio design is noted as solid, featuring catchy and engaging tracks that complement the gameplay and art style effectively. Overall, the music is described as a standout element, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersion.
- “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.”
- “While there's generally not much music, it's decent enough.”
- “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.”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
32%
12%
The graphics of the game are praised for their clean, minimalist style, utilizing a striking black, white, and red palette that enhances visual clarity during gameplay. Many reviewers appreciate the charming character designs and retro aesthetic, noting that the art style complements the action and adds to the overall enjoyment, despite some minor navigation challenges. Overall, the visuals are described as stylish, cohesive, and engaging, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and experience.
- “A short but satisfying game with a unique, minimalist art style.”
- “The art style is very easy on the eyes and the three color (white, black, red) palette makes it very apparent even in hectic moments what is dangerous/an enemy.”
- “Truly awesome art style, and overflowing with juiciness.”
- “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.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
73%
14%
The game's story is minimal and primarily serves as a setup for quests, with hints and brief cutscenes providing context. While some players appreciate the charming characters and the potential for a larger narrative, the overall plot is lightweight and often feels disjointed, leaving many wanting a more developed storyline in a potential sequel. Despite its brevity, the game manages to evoke emotional responses, though the abrupt tonal shifts can be jarring due to its simplistic art style.
- “It's fine enough for a small game, and there's some decent writing, so I'd definitely want to see how a full game would look from a story perspective.”
- “Storywise it's very lightweight, delivered mostly through very brief cutscenes and dialogue, and features some darker moments both treated seriously and sometimes humorously.”
- “The game is very short and has the feel of a prologue to a larger adventure, and a sequel or simply expanded content to include more levels and a further plot would feel perfectly appropriate for the framework.”
- “In turn there's really not much of a story here.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a charming addition that enhances its character, making it feel more substantial despite its lightweight story. Players appreciate the funny moments and the blend of serious and humorous treatment of darker themes, contributing to an overall enjoyable and lighthearted experience. The game's quirky sense of humor and engaging achievements further elevate its appeal for a casual adventure.
- “I found it humorous and it adds a tiny touch of character that makes me think the game is worth paying 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.”
- “The world is interesting and I loved the sense of humor.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's replayability is primarily driven by the pursuit of achievements, such as hitless runs and speedruns, but overall, it is considered minimal for casual players due to its short playtime of 20-30 minutes. While the gameplay is straightforward and lacks depth, some players find enjoyment in revisiting the game for completionist goals. Ultimately, it offers a brief but fun experience that can be replayed for those interested in maximizing achievements.
- “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.”
- “If you're looking for something different, short and replayable (due to achievements), this is a game for you.”
- “There's some replayability (if you want to 100%), otherwise you can finish this game in 20-30 minutes tops if you take your time.”
- “I'd say that the replay value is fairly minimal unless you want to go back and get all the achievements.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's almost mindless; you hold to slash and move to traverse the landscapes. The game isn't too big either, so if you get lost, it usually doesn't take long to find your way. The combat allows you to just tank everything, and this applies to all areas except the final boss, which isn't hard at all. Achievements provide some replay value with hitless runs and speedruns, but overall, the game barely clocks over 1 hour with absolutely everything, making it very, very short.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The character development is praised for its charming and cute art style, featuring well-designed characters that evoke a blend of influences from games like Downwell and Undertale. Overall, the character designs contribute positively to the game's aesthetic appeal.
- “It’s got a downwell kind of thing going on mixed with some Undertale-like character design.”
- “I think the art is quite nice overall, and I found the character design to be quite charming.”
- “Cute art style with great character design.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its charm, enhanced by a captivating art style and engaging music. However, some players feel that the content provided feels more like a teaser than a complete experience, leaving them wanting more.
- “Charming game with a great art style and catchy, atmospheric music.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game repetitive, as they frequently encounter the same types of enemies, which can lead to a tedious experience despite occasional new enemy introductions.
- “It's all the same blob that differs in size, and later down the line, you encounter a new type of enemy. However, it does get tedious to see the same enemies over and over again.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “I find myself doing the same tasks repeatedly just to level up, which takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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 optimization is so poor that I experience frequent frame drops, making it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
- “Even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, which is incredibly frustrating.”