LBR received an Xbox review code from Dolores Entertainment to review In Celebration of Violence.
In Celebration of Violence is a fantasy soulslike from indie developer Julian Edison. It’s a top-down adventure featuring cute pixel art, but an unforgiving world and bloody combat.
In Celebration of Violence centers on a warrior with amnesia. Players must explore and survive procedurally generated worlds to discover their true quest. You’ll need to master challenging hack-and-slash combat mechanics, and earn upgrades for subsequent runs.
The game originally launched in 2018, and is available now on PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4. A brand-new PlayStation 5 version launched last week on March 15th.
Here’s the original release trailer from developer Julian Edison:
In Celebration of Violence is surprisingly dense, with expansive worlds and content that give the game a vast scope. This alone could be enough for some, as the price tag is quite low.
It would take a long time to dig up every single treasure or dungeon. The game offers a near-constant sense of discovery.
The level design is natural rather than stiff, encouraging you to wander. It feels like the journey is the point. There are a variety of enemies and wildlife, and they each have their own behavior.
As a result, adaptation is the key to In Celebration of Violence. So, you must prepare yourself to be patient. This game is not friendly towards newcomers to the genre.
It doesn’t explain much of anything, so unless you’re accustomed to typical genre concepts, it won’t feel intuitive. Further, the enemies can be punishing, and the combat system is tricky.
Timing your parries, finding the right weapon, dodging, and using your surroundings are essential to get pretty much anywhere. I personally found the movement a little swimmy, but the combat is engaging and rewarding.
The interactive environments are a particular highlight. Tricking bats into the wall, leading enemies into a fire, and exploring in unique weather is satisfying.
The game caters towards longtime fans of the genre, and does lean into homage. The characters, tone, and gameplay are quite familiar. So, although the game aims for mystery, it may not surprise you very much.
I hoped for more inventive elements. For example, the bosses are certainly creative. These encounters are flavorful, and often play against expectations.
Playing the Xbox version, In Celebration of Violence runs smoothly. Its minimalist pixel art doesn’t demand a next-gen upgrade, but it does look pretty.
The game probably plays best on a PC or Nintendo Switch, for a traditional or mobile experience. But newcomers who own a PlayStation 5 might be interested if they missed previous releases.
Final Thoughts
This roguelike was clearly made by a fan, for fans. But it doesn’t have any major twists for the genre, and unfamiliar players might be frustrated. Still, you get a remarkable amount of content for the price tag, the combat is rewarding, and the boss fights are innovative.
Score: 7.0 / 10
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