Evilbane Alpha Playtest Impressions: A Fun but Easy Start

My time with Evilbane’s alpha playtest was enjoyable, especially when I was cutting through smaller monsters and experimenting with skills. Switching between sword attacks and a ranged weapon gave me options against enemies on the ground and in the air.

What I wanted more of was challenge. Between the tutorial and the missions I tried on Easy, I had plenty of opportunities to get familiar with combat, but few moments that really pushed me.

These impressions cover that early experience, rather than the full game or its higher difficulty settings.

Destroying the sources of corruption

During the opening quest, Dawn of Destruction, I had to destroy three ancient trees spreading corruption. They had glowing orange growths tangled inside their trunks, which initially looked to me like eggs or something filled with lava.

Nearby huts were another target. Monsters kept emerging from them, so taking down the enemies alone would not stop their arrival. Destroying the summoning huts dealt with the source.

That gave the opening fights a purpose beyond clearing whatever stood in front of me. I needed to pay attention to the structures producing enemies as well as the enemies themselves.

The same idea appeared later with fiery circular portals. Leaving those standing meant more monsters could emerge, making them another priority during combat.

Sword attacks and ranged weapons both have a role

The flying enemies were manageable during my session and dealt relatively little damage. My ranged weapon was useful for bringing them down without waiting for them to come within reach of my sword.

That combination also helped during the encounter with Gatnoth the Greedy. I could attack with my sword when the creature was within reach, then use ranged attacks while it was airborne.

Having both options gave me something practical to do as the distance between us changed. The ranged weapon had a clear purpose alongside melee combat.

The skills were my favorite part

My loadout had four skills available, and using them against groups of smaller monsters was one of the highlights of the session. They could clear several enemies at once, giving me a chance to enjoy the attacks without much pressure.

My favorite was the first skill, which could launch an enemy into the air. Following that with sword attacks and slamming the enemy back into the ground was the moment I enjoyed most.

Those interactions made experimenting with combat worthwhile, even when the enemies themselves were easy to defeat.

Gatnoth felt like a tutorial encounter

Gatnoth’s introduction initially made me think I had reached the first major boss. The creature’s size, wings, and glowing green weapons certainly gave it a threatening appearance.

In practice, I found the fight fairly easy. It felt like a tutorial boss encounter that gave me room to become familiar with the controls, attacks, and weapon options.

Sword attacks worked when Gatnoth was close, while my ranged weapon remained useful when it took flight. I enjoyed the encounter, but it did not deliver the demanding boss fight I was hoping for.

Afterward, an armored figure emerged through a red portal in the closing scene. The tutorial then gave way to the hub and mission selection.

Easy difficulty lived up to its name

The Operation List offered Easy, Normal, and Hard settings. Missions shown on the map included Raid on the Heretic Base and Retake the Village of Lot.

I tried missions on Easy and had a good time fighting through them, but they were very easy for me. That made them comfortable places to keep learning the combat, though they offered little resistance.

My difficulty impressions are limited to the tutorial and those Easy missions. I cannot judge Normal or Hard from that experience.

An enjoyable introduction with an unanswered question

Evilbane gave me an enjoyable early look at its combat. The skills were the strongest part of my session, particularly launching enemies into the air and following through with sword attacks. Destroying summoning structures also gave me clear priorities during fights.

My main disappointment was that I did not encounter a boss fight that seriously challenged me in the content I played. Gatnoth worked as an introduction, but I wanted an encounter that demanded more from the combat tools available.

For players interested in trying the weapons and skills, this early experience has something to offer. For anyone looking for demanding monster battles, my session leaves that question unanswered. Higher difficulties and the eventual release may feel different, but this alpha experience does not establish how challenging they will be.