Spirit Hunters: Infinite Horde
- May 24, 2022
- Creature Cauldron
- 11h median play time
"Spirit Hunters: Infinite Horde" is an action-packed game where players assume the role of a spirit hunter, fighting against endless waves of supernatural creatures in a variety of environments. Utilize an arsenal of weapons, abilities, and magical artifacts to strategically plan your attacks and survive the onslaught. With procedurally generated levels and a wide range of enemy types, each playthrough offers a unique and challenging experience.
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and art style that enhances the gameplay experience.
- Engaging meta-progression system with a large skill tree that encourages exploration and experimentation.
- Fun and addictive gameplay loop that keeps players coming back for more.
- Grindy progression that can feel tedious, with slow unlocks and minimal impact from upgrades.
- Weapons and abilities often feel underwhelming, lacking the satisfying power spikes found in similar games.
- Hitboxes and enemy mechanics can be inconsistent, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- graphics336 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their unique art style, vibrant colors, and crisp visuals, which set it apart from other titles in the genre, particularly the pixel-art aesthetic common in many survivor games. Players appreciate the charming character designs and the overall aesthetic, describing it as both cute and engaging, while some note that the graphics are among the best in this emerging genre. However, there are mixed feelings regarding the animations and some aspects of the visual presentation, with a few reviewers suggesting that while the graphics are appealing, they may lack depth in gameplay.
“Vampire survivors with better graphics (beautiful, crisp HD graphics) and a couple original twists.”
“For a survival horde game, the visuals are surprisingly crisp and clear even when you are hopelessly outnumbered.”
“The art style is unique and makes it stand out from the flood of pixel-art survivor games in the last months.”
“Really no graphical/performance settings to change, the entire options menu is like three settings.”
“The visuals feel cheap (sorry artists that worked hard on this).”
“i usually don't care about the graphics but the ones in this seem like an old flash game, and not in a good way.”
- gameplay316 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is characterized by a mix of addictive mechanics and a roguelike structure, featuring a variety of builds and skill trees that keep the experience fresh. However, many players note issues with slow progression, clunky controls, and a lack of depth in certain mechanics, leading to a frustrating experience at times. While the art and overall aesthetic are praised, comparisons to similar games like "Vampire Survivors" highlight shortcomings in gameplay fluidity and balance, suggesting that while the game has potential, it requires further refinement to fully realize its promise.
“It's a horde survival game with roguelike gameplay elements.”
“The mechanics demonstrate precision and sophistication, leveraging advanced physics and AI algorithms.”
“The gameplay loop is fun and addictive; I love the unlock tree and how powerful you can feel when you get a perfect run!”
“The game does not explain some mechanics at all.”
“In my opinion, the game is in dire need of a complete rework of core gameplay, progression, and abilities to be ever truly enjoyable.”
“Several odd design choices cripple the core gameplay loop and make the game slow and tedious without any rewarding design element to end in satisfying payoff.”
- grinding210 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting it can be excessively grindy, particularly in the early stages, leading to a tedious experience. While some appreciate the slow progression and find enjoyment in the grind, others criticize it for being unbalanced and lacking rewarding gameplay, with minor upgrades feeling insufficient. Recent updates have aimed to alleviate some of the grindiness, but opinions remain divided on whether the current balance is satisfactory.
“This game has nothing interesting... not a single build or skill feels really fun and the progression is just locked behind grinding levels over and over for a quantity of certain monsters to unlock nodes that make your skills stronger, except the game doesn't have enough materials to justify the grind; there are so few skills.”
“My experience devolved into tedious repetition with little sense of progress or reward.”
“Unfortunately, it becomes incredibly tedious and grindy.”
- music94 mentions
- 74 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its catchy and engaging qualities, while others find it repetitive and lacking depth. Many appreciate the soundtrack's ability to complement the game's aesthetic and gameplay, but some feel it could benefit from more variety and complexity. Overall, while the music enhances the experience for some, it detracts from enjoyment for others, leading to a polarized reception.
“Having really great art, bopping music, and a fun core gameplay loop makes me enjoy grinding this game more than other bullet heavens.”
“The music is awesome, the mob designs are some of the best I've seen in this genre, and the gameplay is addictive.”
“This game is something else; it's gorgeous, it's addicting, and the music is to die for!”
“The soundtrack leaves a lot to be desired; when playing games like this, the music has to hook you in.”
“The music is terrible as well.”
“Music is not great, designed to put you to sleep rather than engage you.”
- replayability22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mixed bag of replayability; while many players appreciate the extensive skill tree and variety of challenges that enhance replay value, some feel it lacks depth for long-term engagement. The potential for future updates and improvements in build variety and modifiers is promising, especially for those who enjoy rogue-like mechanics. Many reviewers anticipate around 40-60 hours of enjoyable gameplay, with some noting it has more replay value than similar titles at launch.
“The great variety of challenges added to the game are excellent and greatly increase replayability.”
“Spirit hunters' replayability is thanks to a large tree used to purchase new characters, abilities, pets, and upgrades.”
“Though it is of course still in early access and the devs have already expressed an interest in improving the variety of builds and significantly game-altering modifiers to offer more replay value in the endgame, so hopefully this aspect will improve in the future.”
“I'd give it high marks overall for production quality and replayability - it won't be something that I put hundreds of hours into, but I will say that I'm well pleased with the total 40-60 hours that I anticipate.”
“If there is one thing to take away from this review, it is that this game has more replay value than Vampire Survivors has almost 6 months after its release.”
- story22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, with many players noting a lack of a compelling narrative, focusing instead on gameplay mechanics and character design. While there are class-specific missions and daily challenges that provide content, the overall experience is described as more arcade-style fun rather than a rich storytelling experience. Some players appreciate the character personalities and the concept of a story, but many feel it is overshadowed by the gameplay's emphasis on upgrades and achievements.
“The ledger missions are a great way to showcase really fun builds.”
“Concept: well there's kind of a story and characters have a lot of personality in their design.”
“After about 1-2 hours of gameplay, I was able to defeat the first story boss, but I also found that to be the case in most bullet hell games, and beating the boss gives you lots of resources.”
“It is slow, boring. I told myself to get all the achievements at least, but I realized it's only about buying those stupid nodes for unlocking pets, not any quest that is somehow enticing.”
“Lots of stuff to unlock which I love, but there's no real story and some skills suck early on before you get the upgrades.”
“No story or anything, just arcade style fun.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the whimsical enemy designs and amusing character abilities, others feel that certain jokes, particularly about the "moon mummy," fall flat. The game features a lighthearted tone aimed at younger audiences, with standout moments like the "hilarious cookie monster," but some reviewers note a decline in overall charm and humor compared to previous iterations. Overall, the humor is seen as fun and engaging for its target demographic, despite some criticisms of redundancy and lack of depth.
“And the enemy design is top-notch, especially for the mini-bosses, with a fun sense of humor.”
“Not only does every creature and ability exude fun, like the hilarious cookie monster (play it to see it lol), but every move, hit, and creature is incredibly clear and readable.”
“One more thing, it is so hilarious how the images float to the character and cause damage.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance and good graphics, even during intense gameplay. However, the lack of graphical and performance settings limits customization options, and while it runs well on most systems, some users express concerns about performance on lower-end PCs. Despite these issues, many players report a solid experience with no significant bugs or performance problems.
“Runs smoothly even when a lot is going on.”
“One thing that I've never seen mentioned is how well optimized this game is!”
“Really no graphical/performance settings to change; the entire options menu is like three settings.”
“The skill tree could use some increases to its gains, though, and a reduction to the price hike increment. Otherwise, I like a solid game with decent graphics and performance, with a wide variety of enemy types.”
“The game performs extremely well; I've not run into any issues—bugs or performance-wise (and calling what I play on a 'toaster' would be exceptionally generous)—but an hour, maybe two or three in, you'll see it.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express frustration and disappointment with the game's mechanics, particularly regarding the end-level boss encounter and unclear damage interactions. The emotional impact stems from feelings of helplessness and confusion, as players feel trapped by design choices that hinder their ability to engage with the game effectively. This has led to a strong negative sentiment, with some players vowing to abandon the game altogether.
- character development6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game's character development for its unique and colorful designs, highlighting the unified art style that enhances the overall aesthetic. The personality-filled monsters and engaging environments contribute to a visually appealing experience, justifying the game's higher price point compared to similar titles.
“I enjoy the art style and the theme of the game... very unique character designs.”
“Colorful character designs, personality-filled monsters, nice environment.”
“- it has a unified art style and it's nice to look at, with some fun character designs for enemies.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game currently exhibits stability issues, including various typos, visual glitches, and bugs that hinder gameplay, such as problems with unlocking achievements. While some players find the game more enjoyable, the chaotic nature and difficulty in tracking enemy projectiles contribute to a frustrating experience. Overall, it appears to need further refinement before its full release.
“Currently a little rough around the edges with miscellaneous typos and visual glitches, but I am sure this will be a great game when it fully releases.”
“Seems to be more fun, did 5 runs with one of the new characters, and could not unlock a note on the talent tree that says 'win a run with the character.' Even after 5 runs, I still can't unlock it. So yeah, I am done with the game for good. It's still buggy, and even though it seems more fun, it is way more chaotic and hard to see enemy projectiles.”
“Currently a little rough around the edges with miscellaneous typos and visual glitches, but I am sure this will be a great game when it fully releases.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers express concern that the game resembles a low-quality mobile title, currently lacking microtransactions but suggesting that they may be introduced in the future. This raises questions about the game's balance and overall completion.
“This game feels like a cheap mobile game, only without the microtransactions (yet).”
“My take on it is that he is either planning to include paid microtransactions or he wanted this not to reach parts of the game that are not balanced or done yet.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is noted for being brighter compared to similar titles like Vampire Survivors, creating a more vibrant and uplifting experience.
“A Vampire Survivors clone but with a much brighter atmosphere.”
“A Vampire Survivors clone but with a much brighter atmosphere.”
“Vampire Survivors clone but with a much brighter atmosphere.”
“Vampire Survivors clone but with a much brighter atmosphere.”