Debugging Hero: A Cute Hack n' Slash with a Twist of Tweaked Enemy Stats

I must admit, I've never been so thrilled to see a spike trap as I was in Debugging Hero, the latest roguelite hack n' slash game that's got me hooked. At the start of each combat encounter, the demo hands you several numeric cards that let you pause the game and view both your and your enemies' stats – health, damage, and durability. This is where things get interesting: you can drag the cards onto the relevant stat to modify it, then unpause to continue real-time combat.

This cute gimmick lets you knock down high-health enemies to a manageable number, or kill weak ones outright, or even heal yourself in a pinch. It's not the most complex mechanic, but it felt shallow enough that I wasn't sure if it could carry an entire game – especially one with dodges and parries in its real-time combat.

But then, I entered a room with a trap tile that thrust sharpened spikes upwards at timed intervals, and realized I could manipulate the timer. I tuned it right down, and let out a raucous chuckle like a portly raccoon rummaging through bakery bins as it pneumatically skewered my idiot attackers. It was in these moments of creative problem-solving that Debugging Hero truly came alive.

When I fought the first boss, I noticed I could also slow down his attack intervals, letting me poke at him with relative impunity for long stretches. And if that wasn't enough, I could mess with projectiles like arrows, slowing them down or reducing their damage. It's clear that Debugging Hero is all about experimentation and creativity – but it's unclear how many new ideas it will introduce beyond the demo.

Will it stay interesting? That's a tough one to predict. But one thing is for sure: Debugging Hero's got a certain je ne sais quoi that sets it apart from other games in its genre. And as someone who's always on the lookout for unique and quirky titles, I'm happy to award Debugging Hero our most prestigious accolade – it's neat.

So, if you're looking for a game that'll challenge your creative problem-solving skills and make you laugh with sheer frustration, then Debugging Hero is definitely worth checking out. And don't worry – the full version drops tomorrow, May 30th.