The new PS5 was released this year alongside a few initial games, one being Counterplay Games' Godfall. With visuals as rich as a crème brûlée, Godfall provides players with a satisfying experience with slash-and-loot gameplay that captures the best parts of this genre of game. If one of Godfall's objectives is to display the graphic capability of the PS5, then success, but also hitting it a bit on the nose with the game being so literally shiny.
One of Godfall's downfalls, however, is its straightforwardness. Simplicity is not always a bad thing, and in some ways it works really well for this game. Yet, simplicity sneaks in where it feels unwelcome, such as the lackluster story, the repetitive encounters, and similar environments. Godfall succeeds, despite this, in making a fun and light game. Although there is little in the way of hidden mechanics, here are a few surprising things and ways for players to modify their playthroughs.
10 A Polarizing Mechanic
One of the most interesting mechanics to Godfall is the skill system, giving players different ways to change their combat style. There are quite a few skills, and each one brings its own advantages to the table, such as the Polarity Attack. Simply put, this charges the unused weapon in a player's arsenal as they fight; once that other weapon charges, switch to it and enjoy a damage boost or a secondary effect.
The noteworthy aspect is how much this skill encourages players to keep using different weapons, especially since weapons have different effects from the polarity charge. So when there's more loot than anyone knows what to do with, it just means more options to try out.
9 Starting Light
As Mortal Kombat demonstrates over and again, finishing moves can be a satisfying experience, and Godfall takes this to heart. There are many options in Godfall's combat, and the different weapons, valorplates, and skills add more depth to it, as well. One of these skills is SoulShatter, giving players the chance for a Breach (effectively a stun for an opening) which, with a heavy attack, will deliver a single final blow to the opposition.
To do this, players start out with a flurry of light attacks and then hit heavy at the right moment. When the right moment will be is determined by the white glow around an enemy's health bar–and a player's skill with timing. SoulShatter adds a mechanic that's both fun and a bit of a challenge.
8 Right In The Weakpoint
This isn't hidden, but depending on the brightness, it could be. In combat, enemies in Godfall can have a faint orange-like glow to them (with the Weakpoints skill) that signals a vulnerable point for the player to strike and deal considerable damage or a deathblow. To achieve this, players must line up their reticle with the glowing spot, which is tough if a player is enemy-locking, so should this skill be equipped, best to stay unlocked.
What can become frustrating about this is how hard it can be to see the glow. The game is a hailstorm of environmental glitter, dappled with beads of blinding light everywhere, and it can still be overpowering with the brightness down. Sometimes, this vibrancy can effectively hide the weakpoint glow entirely.
7 Valorplate Pairings
Gear-gathering is the name of the game for Godfall, and Valorplates are how to play it. These armor sets, of which there are 12 inspired by the Zodiac signs, have different perks and they offer different bonuses when paired with certain weapons. With all the loot, players should have no shortage of options for these pairings, finding out what works and makes the game easy, or finding out what works against one another and provides a challenge.
Luckily, Godfall avoids being sadistic with any of its challenges, even the final boss, clearing the way for player-made difficulties to spice it up.
6 Born To Salvage
In addition to the many weapons offered to players, the weapons are also upgradeable with certain resources, either found scattered across the shining landscape or by players dismantling weapons and salvaging what they can use. The higher the rarity-level of the weapon, the better the salvaged resources will be. Now, with an overwhelming amount of weapons to choose from, what would be the point in upgrading?
Not only does upgrading increase the damage and possibly strengthen a secondary effect, it also allows players to keep the weapons they have become attached to relevant. When it comes to a loot frenzy, it can be easier to just abandon an old weapon for a stronger new one; but in Godfall, it's easy to become attached to weapons whose style fits a player perfectly. In that case, it may be worth salvaging new weapons to keep the oldies up to date.
5 Deep In Dreamstones
Once the game is beaten, players are given access to the endgame content where they can choose what are called "Dreamstones," to randomize one of the earlier fights with modifications so fans can keep playing and grinding for better gear. Counterplay Games isn't shy about Dreamstones simply reskinning the older missions, vaguely explaining that the concept behind Dreamstones is an exploration into Orin's "memories" (though, not one new memory is introduced).
The randomizing on each Dreamstone level does keep things fresh for awhile, and it's a great opportunity for players who felt they didn't get to use all of their weapons to continue trying styles and setups against different opponents. Each Dreamstone costs Electrum to enter, so players would be best prepared with deep pockets of the stuff.
4 A Player's Challenge
After a full play-through and a foray into the Dreamstones content, players may feel a desire to start it all over again without wanting to play the same way. Unfortunately, Godfall doesn't offer much replay value in the way of the campaign itself, but it gives players space to institute their own challenges to complicate the game a bit. For instance, one can choose to upgrade no weapons and attempt to beat the game with one of the first longswords they acquire; or another could try their hand at only parrying until an opening reveals itself for retaliation.
The window for parrying, against both melee and ranged attacks, is pretty forgiving, so the struggle may not be so much as landing the parries as it is being patient enough to stick with it, something Assassin's Creed II veterans are no strangers to.
3 All That's Unseen
In this very visual game, Counterplay Games did decide to include a hidden component to the game. Although the hidden objectives only add more to the already-gargantuan loot pool, it gives players a different way to interact with the game world, which can be a refreshing change of pace from all the hacking and slashing. To reveal the hidden objectives, players must find a Twilight Beacon in their current realm and light it.
Once that's over with, next comes the use of the Spirit Vision skill, which will allow the player to see the glowing red beam that indicates where a hidden objective is. Each Twilight beacon gives out a handful of rewards, and after players have finished that list, they can return to the beacon and receive a new set of tasks.
2 Throwing Like Cap
With all that blinding glitter light, it'd be a shame if players couldn't see a glimmering shield flying through the air like a golden frisbee. Fortunately, Godfall delivers. Orin can toss his shield (with the Shield Throw skill) at enemies and do a surprising amount of damage, and there are different unlockable levels to the skill that increase the possibilities on how to use the shield.
For example, players can toss the shield straight and hit multiple enemies in a line. Another option is to throw the shield at an enemy and dash towards them in the same action, truly displaying Orin's epic powers. The more the shield gets used, the more a player will feel like Captain America with his magnificent shield.
1 Weave A New Web
For even more possible combinations, Godfall includes a decent amount of skills that are all quite unique and upgrading the skill tree is just as intuitive as Skyrim's or any other. Each new skill costs 1 skill point, and then each skill can be upgraded up to 5 levels. It won't take some players very long to find out what skills work best for them; for others, they might not have done the skill web the way that they wanted to.
Those players are in luck: Godfall gives players the freedom to redo their skills entirely, if they want. This can be especially appealing to players who are looking for a way to freshen up the gameplay and challenge themselves. Perhaps the easiness of the first play-through would be enough incentive to give it a replay.