Y'all really feeling strider??? The gameplay looked extremely simple.
You know, after a few minutes of me initially playing it, I kinda felt this way and that it is even rather button-mashy (it actually is quite, but not in a bad way as you progress), but I had a feeling it'd probably get better and it does. On paper, it is rather simple, but that's really only if you were to compare it to something like DMC/NG or Gaucamelee, as it's not exactly a combo-orientated style of game like those ones are. But if you look at it like Megaman or SOTN and Metroid, it's combat is somewhat akin to that, but still quite different nonetheless. After a few hours into the game, I can definitely say the gameplay nor combat are outright simple, aside from the fact that most of your skills set are simple enough to do. The amount of different skills and abilities you get in the game and how you use them in conjunction (and are kinda encouraged to and some extent, even forced to doing so) will have you realize that the gameplay is definitely not simple and is quite fun. Some of your additional attack assets and movement capabilities that you pick up are bullet deflection, kunai projectiles, a freeze blade, double jumping, wall & ceiling scaling, and an orbiting shield that doubles in protection and attack assist. This is just a few that I've gained, after about 4 hours into the game, with quite a few more to unlock. A big part of the gameplay/combat itself is also less about your actual attacks, but your range of movement too.
As stated above though, the gameplay is quite button mashy, to an extent, because all throughout the game, you'll most likely have a frenetic and frantic feeling of mad dashing thru droves of enemies whilst quickly and efficiently moving throughout each screen, traversing every inch of it (which is encouraged as you gain skills to get to new, previously inaccessible areas of the map). Like Megaman, your man attack has a quick attack and a strong attack version of it, which the enemies and overall feel of the game have you constantly switching back n forth between the two while combining each new attack and traversal abilities. I liken the mindset of the preferred method of playing to Glengarry Glen Ross' A-B-C's of gameplay, 'Always Be Charging', as you wanna charge your plasma blade at damn near every fukking second of use, but also use the quick attacks in between to quickly dispatch foes. Trust me dawg, game is hella dope.
Also, something that cats like @
Kodie will appreciate and enjoy, there's challenge rooms with leaderboards in the game as well.