General impressions so far:
It's a PS1 game with fluid modern graphics, for better or worse. For better, because things like panning camera angles combined with the newer graphics make for pure eye candy. It's such a dream game in that regard. I love fixed/panning camera angles in video games. For worse, because things that could've been more polished up like certain aspects of the combat, feels unfair to control at times. Now I didn't expect this to have DMC tier combat or anything and it wasn't so bad in the demo since the enemies in that level were weaker than what you had to face later on, but later on, the enemies do become more...bullet spongey and take more hits to die and the combat, ranged or melee, don't really feel effective against these enemies. And considering that the Chalice system wants you to kill most enemies in an area to fill it to be able to collect it...I personally wish the combat was upgraded to be fun, fun enough to make me want to collect the chalices by killing most of the level's enemies. There is the shield system, which can potentially negate the issues I have with the combat by blocking them, then retaliating after blocking an enemies' attack...but even that feels unpredictable to use because there are moments you enter a new area and get spammed out of nowhere by a mob of enemies...so yea it can become hard to block them there.
I know I sounded really negative about the game...but I do indeed like this game, warts and all so far. It's like a Sony Luigi's Mansion in a way. It's cartoony, but horror. My favorite level so, the one where you're inside the Mausoleum and fight the mirror boss, is pretty cool. The atmosphere and music inside are top notch, and has really clever suprises and ways to navigate through the level. The boss at the end was pretty interesting and fun to fight.
I'm glad I picked up this game, even with my nitpicks about the combat, for $30 you can't go wrong on this perfect-for-Haloween game.
