Ever since I saw Windblown in action at this year’s Game Developers Conference, I’ve been eager to get my hands on it. Motion Twin’s Dead Cells follow-up looked like an entirely different rouguelike on its colorful surface, but I could see the studio’s DNA in its fast action and progression hooks. Now players don’t have to wait long to try it for themselves. Windblown will launch into early access on October 24, and a free demo will be available even sooner on October 14.
Ahead of its launch, I went hands-on with a truncated version of the early access build. I wouldn’t have access to every weapon and I’d only get to explore two biomes (there will be five in the early access version), but that was more than enough to hook me. While it may look like a fairly standard action roguelike on its surface, Windblown’s lightning-fast action demands to be played. Once you do, you’ll immediately understand why it’s likely to become the next great roguelike.
Quick as lightning
Windblown wastes no time getting into the action. I’m immediately thrown into a run after choosing what animal hero I want to play as (I went as an adorable axolotl, of course). From there, I’m introduced to what initially feels like a fairly simple genre loop. I slash rooms full of enemies with my trusty cleaver and collect upgrades that make me stronger in that run. The main difference, especially from Dead Cells, is that I’m doing it in a 3D world that looks like it was pulled from a joyful cartoon. It’s a night-and-day change for Motion Twin, but it nails the vibrant style.
The more I play, the more Windblown unfurls into something special. The star feature is my character’s dash ability. By pressing a button, I can zip forward incredibly fast. That’s not just used for evading attacks; it’s how I navigate levels, which are fractured, floating islands. Even without aiming too precisely, it always feels like Windblown understands where I’m trying to go, creating perfectly smooth traversal. The more confident I get with it, the more fantastic it feels. I can zip around biomes like a lightning bolt, making Windblown a speedrunner’s dream. Battles can fly by just as fast too, as I can bolt away from an enemy to avoid its attack in an instant and just as quickly pop back in to continue my assault.
Not long after getting the hang of that, I really start to see what sets Windblown apart from its peers. At any given time, I can equip two main weapons (as well as two side trinkets that operate on cooldowns, like bombs or a whirling slash). Each weapon is assigned to a button, so I don’t need to swap one out to use the other. They don’t just have different ranges and attack speeds; each one achieves critical hits in different ways. One weapon will only deal critical damage via backstabs. Another, a crossbow, has a rhythm game component to it. If I fire when a circle on the screen lights up, I’ll dish out extra damage.
The combat widens even more when I learn about alterattacks. My two-weapon loadout isn’t just for show. Any pair of weapons I mix and match unlocks an extra attack for each. When I hit a specific attack sequence, a blue marker flashes on screen. For instance, it will always flash after I land two critical hits in a row with my bow. If I attack with my other weapon while it’s on screen, I pull off a bit of a special attack like a massive crossbow shot or jumping spin slash. Both of these twists make combat more rhythmic and strategic, almost like Hi-Fi Rush without the actual beat markers. You can button mash your way through battles if you want, but you’ll dish out far more damage if you actually learn the nuances of each weapon and nail them accordingly.
Even then, that’s not the bottom of Windblown’s deceptively complex combat system. After getting deep into its second biome after a few runs, I unlock a new ability: Crystallize. When an enemy is weak enough, I’ll occasionally be prompted to hit the left trigger. If I do that instead of finishing it off with standard attacks, I’ll slam into it to perform a finisher and get more resources for doing so. It’s another way that Windblown makes players stop and think about their actions instead of hastily spamming buttons. Alterattacks and Crystallization are both split-second decisions that require quick reaction time from players. While I have trouble keeping up with both at first, I eventually find that they become second nature to me as I hit them consistently. I feel like I’m mastering an instrument, going from an amateur guitarist barely being able to strum basic chords to someone capable of nailing a riff without thinking about it.
Building on a formula
All of those twists pair with Motion Twin’s genre expertise, building off the foundational Dead Cells. There are tons of progression hooks to chase that already have me popping into runs over and over without a second thought. My accumulated currencies let me unlock more weapons, perks that can appear during runs, and even some permanent upgrades that open up where I can explore — it’s the same Metroidvania hook that Dead Cells uses so well. I still have plenty to unlock after playing for hours, including upgraded healing flask capacity, more starting weapon choices at the top of each run, and more.
The more I’ve unlocked, the more build potential I’ve found. When I unlock the Goo Brush, a paintbrush weapon that makes enemies more susceptible to critical blows, I’m able to pair it with perks that make my goo corrosive. That, combined with a secondary Goo Bomb, meant that I could burn enemy health down quickly with the right strategy.
All of this comes together in co-op play. Up to three players can adventure together and there are lots of little design decisions that buff up that system. One trinket sets an enemy ablaze, but also puts a round aura around me for a short time. Any teammates standing in its perimeter get burn damage applied to their weapon while it’s active. Health flasks also create healing circles that any player can stand in to recharge their health, giving Windblown some light MMO influence.
Even the small touches stand out in co-op. When buying things from shops between biomes, players can actually pool their own resources to help others. In my co-op game, my teammate didn’t quite have enough golden shells to recharge their healing flask. He deposited 275 or so into the shop and then I put in the other 25, letting him take it. There’s a lot of potential for thoughtful team play here.
While Windblown is already winning me over, keep in mind that it’s an early access game. Weapon and perk choices are still limited, which can make runs feel a bit repetitive early on. The first two biomes I played also tended to feel the same from run to run, with a small set of room layouts that shuffled around each run. The early access release will be bigger, though, and Motion Twin will undoubtedly expand the experience based on player feedback on its road to 1.0. If you want to be part of the crowd that shapes it, Windblown is already worth diving into. It’s a blood-pumping bolt of adrenaline that’s destined to help shape the roguelike genre, just as its predecessor did all those years ago.
Windblown launches into PC early access on October 24.
