Slain: Back From Hell

Slain: Back from Hell is a more metal and modern Castlevania that looks and plays great, but is held back by a few sections which feel unfairly difficulty.

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In "Slain: Back from Hell," players control Bathoryn and battle through a Gothic world, fighting grotesque pixel art enemies and overcoming fiendish traps to defeat six deadly overlords. To vanquish these foes, players must master three deadly elemental weapons, each with unique combos, timing, and uses, and learn the placement and timing of enemy encounters. Death is a common occurrence, with many gruesome ways to meet your end.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,729 reviews

music450 positive mentions

grinding56 negative mentions

Gorgeous pixel art and animations that create a stunning atmosphere.
Challenging gameplay that rewards skill and timing, making victories feel satisfying.
Great heavy metal soundtrack that fits the game's theme perfectly.

Controls can feel unresponsive and clunky, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Some levels and enemy placements can feel unfair, resulting in cheap deaths.
The game lacks depth in combat mechanics, with limited attack options and no character progression.

music
927 mentions
49 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in "Slain: Back from Hell" is predominantly a heavy metal soundtrack that many players find fitting for the game's aesthetic, with some praising its energetic and atmospheric qualities. However, a significant number of reviews note that the music can become repetitive and lacks variety, leading to a diminished impact over time. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated for its alignment with the game's themes, it often fails to leave a lasting impression due to its looping nature and limited composition.
- “Slain is an awesome 2D platformer with amazing art and a badass metal soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and the levels are challenging.”
- “The music is top notch and as a metal head it brought a tear to my eye.”
- “On the auditory front, the metal rock soundtrack, while fitting for the genre, didn't leave a lasting impression on me.”
- “The music is of the heavy-metal sort, a bit forgettable in the way that it is mixed and merged with the gameplay...there are few musical stings or mood-setting moments and that is a little unfortunate for a game that is linear like this.”
- “The soundtrack is repetitive to the point of distraction.”
graphics
593 mentions
56 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Slain: Back from Hell" are widely praised for their stunning pixel art and heavy metal aesthetic, drawing comparisons to classic album covers and retro games. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful environments and character designs, noting that the visuals significantly enhance the overall experience, even if the gameplay itself can be frustrating or lackluster. However, some players also mention issues with visibility and clarity, as certain graphical elements can obscure gameplay, detracting from the otherwise impressive artistic presentation.
- “The visuals are stunning and I loved the art style and the heavy metal tone of the game which made me buy it in the first place.”
- “Slain: back from hell is incredibly satisfying hack-and-slash platformer with gorgeous pixel art graphical coating and merciless difficulty.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning - some of the finest pixel art I have ever seen, channeling the very best of the 16-bit console era along with the glory of the old VGA Pentium days of platform gaming.”
- “The controls are really bad and the graphics are also nothing to be proud of; it's a pixelated game.”
- “The graphics are awful; the combat is even worse.”
- “Combined with the fact that most traps are hard to spot, either due to poor visibility or because the pixelated graphics style ends up making things difficult to discern, the game just doesn't want you trying to get through it smoothly.”
gameplay
577 mentions
30 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Slain: Back from Hell" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its challenging mechanics and parry system, which can be rewarding when mastered. However, numerous players have criticized the controls as clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating experiences, particularly with delayed inputs and repetitive combat. While the game offers a nostalgic homage to classic platformers, its execution often feels flawed, resulting in a gameplay experience that can be both engaging and tedious.
- “One aspect I thoroughly enjoyed was the parry mechanic, which rewards precise defense timing with a satisfying counterattack.”
- “In summary, Slain is a solid choice for fans of classic metroidvania games, featuring a straightforward yet challenging gameplay loop centered around hitting, spellcasting, and parrying.”
- “The gameplay of Slain: Back from Hell, with its fast pace and timing-based moves, is all great, but the real draw is its phenomenal pixel art and soundtrack.”
- “Clunky gameplay (you'll die more often because the game ate your input than because you made a mistake).”
- “The gameplay is boring, the combat sessions are monotonous and super repetitive.”
- “Unfortunately the central game mechanic - the combat - is utterly flawed.”
story
129 mentions
22 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The story of "Slain: Back from Hell" is generally viewed as simplistic and lacking depth, often described as cheesy and unengaging, with some reviewers noting its brevity and basic plot structure. While it serves its purpose in connecting gameplay elements, many players feel it could have been more interesting and better executed, with dialogue that is frequently criticized for being poorly written and inconsistent. Overall, the narrative is seen as a minor aspect of the game, overshadowed by its gameplay and artistic elements.
- “The story of 'Slain: Back from Hell' is that of a metalhead who starts off by waking from a tomb; Bathoryn, they called him.”
- “Nice story, good progression and great narrative, written in an epic old English style.”
- “A fun and difficult metroidvania-like game with really nice pixel art, and a delightfully cheesy story.”
- “The game lacks any meaningful storyline, your motivations are hazy at best, and the actual gameplay loop is uninspiring and frustrating (in the not good way) and the controls are repetitive and dull.”
- “Not only are the plot and dialogue completely uninspired and unnecessary, they're also atrociously edited and inconsistent in their language—sometimes we get Middle English-style words, sometimes we get modern English words, and by the folly of Darkthrone, sometimes we even get futuristic English in the form of abbreviations!”
- “The story and dialogue are so cringe-worthy it is a feat not shutting the game down just then and there.”
atmosphere
90 mentions
58 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, gothic aesthetic, enhanced by stunning pixel art and a heavy metal soundtrack that resonates with fans of dark fantasy. Reviewers highlight the unique flavor of each level, the immersive sound design, and the overall visual appeal, creating a compelling environment reminiscent of classic titles like Diablo and Symphony of the Night. However, some critiques mention that the music can feel repetitive, detracting from the otherwise rich atmosphere.
- “The pixel art is beautiful, and if you like heavy metal/dark fantasy vibes, you'll definitely love the atmosphere of this game.”
- “Amazing atmosphere and unforgiving difficulty, and beautiful soundtrack!”
- “The atmosphere is augmented by fantastic music and flavor narrative that complete the dark, gothic environment and works on the same vibes that made Diablo or Symphony of the Night so engrossing.”
- “The game itself felt like it was trying way too hard to be 'edgy' and 'cool' and it just came off as an edgelord cringe-fest to me. The traps blending in with the overdesigned set pieces made it hard to distinguish what was part of the atmosphere and what was a trap, leading to flawed design by a developer who obviously has talent.”
- “The atmosphere, which is visually stimulating, falls lower than flat due to its repetitive sounds and music.”
- “So, the music didn't help create the atmosphere of the game, when you have a dark and brooding game.”
grinding
56 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tediousness, stemming from sluggish controls, repetitive enemy encounters, and a lack of engaging combat mechanics. Players find the difficulty frustrating rather than challenging, with many encounters feeling like a chore rather than an exciting test of skill. Overall, the grinding experience is described as monotonous and unenjoyable, detracting from the potential enjoyment of the game's artistic elements and heavy metal theme.
- “Sluggish controls, awkward combat, and tediously repetitive enemies.”
- “Hard games are fun when frustration is balanced by fun gameplay but here you get a lot of frustration and a lot of tedious repetition.”
- “You get to a certain point in the gameplay where the mechanics become very tedious and frustrating.”
humor
24 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as lighthearted and fitting within its dark, metal fantasy setting, providing a mix of funny dialogue and amusing moments, such as headbanging after defeating bosses. While many players appreciate the comedic elements and find them enjoyable, some feel that the humor can occasionally detract from the overall experience, particularly when it undermines the game's challenging nature. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the game, balancing its intense themes with moments of levity.
- “The lighthearted humor in the midst of monsters and demons and gore was actually decent.”
- “Not without frustrations, *Slain* is a beautiful game, humorous with its epic metal fantasy setting and plays like a modernized game of old.”
- “It's a fun game, with great art style and fitting music, and you can headbang when you kill a boss, which is funny.”
stability
20 mentions
10 % positive mentions
10 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has seen significant improvement since its initial release, with many players reporting a smooth experience free of glitches and bugs after a major overhaul. However, some users still encounter issues such as broken achievements and controls that are less responsive than desired, leading to mixed opinions on its overall stability. While some recommend it for hardcore gamers, others caution against its lingering bugs and gameplay frustrations.
- “I've encountered no glitches or bugs so far, and it's regularly on sale, so I suggest anyone who's into hardcore games to get it.”
- “Runs great, looks great, plays great.”
- “Before, 'Slain' felt like an old-school hardcore action platformer... including not-as-responsive-as-you-would-want-them-to-be controls, questionable level design, bizarre bugs and glitches, and even spelling and grammatical errors.”
- “This game is buggy as hell.”
- “Hard for me to recommend... it had fun moments, and the art is beautiful, but it's a pretty short and buggy game; the achievements are broken, the credits are broken, and the ending is terrible.”
emotional
18 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional response to the game is mixed, with players appreciating its artistic style and nostalgic elements, yet feeling frustrated by its outdated mechanics and punishing gameplay. Many express disappointment over the frequent and seemingly unfair damage from enemies and traps, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and emotional connection to the game. While it has the potential to evoke fond memories of classic platformers, the execution leaves players feeling more annoyed than fulfilled.
- “I remember Total Biscuit recommending this game way back when, as it was a flawed but heartfelt one-man passion project.”
- “Slain: Back from Hell is a platformer that made me feel like a kid again playing Castlevania for the first time.”
- “Salt and Sanctuary had me loving every single hit, but this game never made me feel that way.”
replayability
14 mentions
14 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The game suffers from a lack of replayability, with many players noting that it can be completed in just a few hours and offers little incentive to return after finishing. The limited number of stages and repetitive gameplay contribute to this sentiment, leading to suggestions for more diverse characters and gameplay elements in future installments. Overall, the current offering does not justify its price due to its minimal replay value.
- “For the next game, I would like to request more playable characters like Bathoryn's daughter or his wife, each having a different weapon and skill set.”
- “So far I've been enjoying it, but even after just an hour, some of the attacks seem repetitive, so replayability may not be a good factor here.”
- “Unfortunately, there is little substance to the world and zero replayability if you get 5 vaguely hidden items, which have a lackluster reward for obtaining.”
- “It has a few stages only, and no replayability.”
- “But still, for a game that you can beat in a couple of hours that has absolutely no replay value, the price tag should be far less than $12.99.”
optimization
14 mentions
29 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has significantly improved since its troubled launch, with developers actively addressing performance issues and enhancing controls. While the game now runs smoothly for many players, some minor presentation flaws and occasional crashes remain, indicating that further tweaks are still needed for a fully polished experience. Overall, the commitment to optimization has transformed the game into a much more enjoyable product.
- “This game is a perfect example of something that started as a mess on launch, but with a developer being serious about their game and the people who bought it, it has now been optimized and fixed so it's pure awesomeness.”
- “The control is tighter and performance is much improved.”
- “Thanks to the updates, the game runs smoothly as it was intended to be.”
- “There are some rough edges here in terms of presentation: sound effects vs. background music, minor performance issues, occasional crashes.”
- “It sounds like perhaps there are some optimization issues that, at the time of me writing this, need to be resolved for some folks, but the devs are already looking into it.”
- “There may be some optimization issues.”
character development
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a significant lack of character development, with many users criticizing the story as poorly executed. Despite the negative feedback on character growth, the game's art and soundtrack received praise, contributing to a low overall rating of 3/10.
- “No character development.”
- “Character development and story is just trash but has really nice art and soundtrack.”
- “Metal rating: 3/10 (because graphics & character design)”
monetization
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for its misleading advertising, particularly regarding the quality of the soundtrack, which does not live up to the hype created by promotional materials. Players feel that the game fails to deliver on its promises, leading to disappointment among fans of the genre.