So...what an absolutely fabulous game this is!

Rating: 10/10

Gameplay & Mechanics
This game is a masterpiece in every sense! From smooth gameplay to perfect mechanics and responsive physics, it delivers an intuitive experience. No bugs, no glitches, just pure fun and that's it. You’re fully immersed, using simple WASD controls and leaving your second hand free to eat some sushi during the game.

Visuals, Atmosphere & Music
The music, atmosphere, and color palette are all top-notch. Whether you play on Ultra or Medium settings, the graphics remain beautiful, though not the central focus here. However, I have to highlight a shortcoming: variety. There’s definitely room for growth, but considering it’s still in Early Access, there’s already a solid foundation of content for sure.

Spells, Augmentations & Relics
Currently there are around 10-12 spells and augmentations, with clear potential to expand that pool to 30 or more. Each run feels unique due to randomized spell builds, which adds to the replayability. Some spells need balancing, as certain ones feel much weaker than others (Falling Stars is the one I could reach 4k DPS unlike all others that are impossible to go above 2k or so).

Relics, on the other hand, are the weakest link as they are functional but not particularly exciting. They offer passive buffs and need to be found during your 20 minute rounds. There’s a lot of potential here as introducing more meaningful and impactful relics would drastically improve the experience.

Narrative & Characters
While there’s no overarching story, I didn’t find it to be an issue. However, giving characters more emotional depth and connecting them to a narrative could add an extra layer of immersion. It’s not essential, but it would be a welcomed addition (Lydwig is a good example here, a character with a huge SWORD that makes you wanna feel some Dark Souls vibes....)

Enemy Hitboxes & Precision
The hitboxes are on point! Precision is critical in this game, and you can maneuver through hordes of enemies without getting hit if you’ve got the skills. It’s incredibly satisfying, think Need for Speed, but with mobs instead of cars.

Areas for Improvement:

1. Enemy Variety:
There are only 5-6 enemy types, with a single boss that has just one attack pattern. Expanding this lineup would add much-needed diversity.

2. Maps:
While the game introduces different biomes like ice and lava (only 2 as of now + starting map), the level design feels simple. Ideally, the game should offer 10-12 unique maps to enhance longevity and replayability.

3. Performance Issue – FPS Lock (not a huge issue but still, needs to be addressed)
Important note: If you don’t lock your FPS, the game may crash during the later stages due to the overwhelming number of mobs. I experienced this once. my GPU usage hit 100% (RTX 2080 Super, i7 14700KF). FPS cap or optimization fix is needed to prevent such issues, since game defaults to "Unlimited" FPS initially. This only happened once.

4. Relics & Buffs:
Expanding the buff system beyond relics and augmentations could make gameplay even more exciting. Imagine building intricate synergies around new types of buffs, it would keep players hooked for hours.

5. Infusion Elements:
Currently, there are 4 infusion elements, but the system feels ripe for expansion. We need new elements, like Grass that converts enemies into allies or Water that makes mobs slip and fall, or so.

Final Thoughts
With over 25 hours of gameplay under my belt and all achievements unlocked, mostly in coop with friends, I can confidently say this game is amazing. It’s simple, fun, and intuitive, with loads of potential to grow into something truly great, maybe even a breakout hit like Lethal Company or Chained Together. The game’s cooperative aspect adds even more charm, and I’m excited to see what future updates bring.

To the Developers
If any of you happen to read this - thank you! From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of my 3 friends, I want to express our deepest gratitude. You’ve done an incredible job, and you’re on the right track. We believe in Spell Brigade and know it will find a special place in the hearts of many. Keep up the amazing work, we are looking forward to every update and can’t wait to keep playing!

Thanks for reading! 😊

"Early Access" but that doesn't mean it's worth playing now. Visuals are nice but there is no depth at all compared to other similar games.

First, friendly fire is a bad mechanic in a survivor like game because it makes a co-op game feel like a solo game. It encourage you to avoid your friends and to never interact. You can't show off your build, you can't combo.
Second, the balance is off. Luck is mathematically about 5x better than xp because base xp upgrade nets you one level at most while luck gets you about 5 rares per game, doubling an upgrade. Do not xp, it is awful in this game.
Third, there is no one spell procs another spell. Your build is entirely your upgrades to one ability. It's like playing 4 different builds where the last two spells will always suck because you get them later. The upgrades you get are damage, cooldown, size to one ability. There is 0 interaction or do more damage to burning enemies or more lightning or anything like that.
Fourth, The game ends WAY too soon. My character at the end feels about the same as the character at the start because my spells barely change.