Skul: The Hero Slayer

 PC
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 41
  3. Negative: 11 out of 41

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  1. Gohax
    Jan 31, 2021
    9
    skul the hero slayer is such a fun rouge lite i spent hours just playing the game because of the addicting gameplay and to see which skull will i get this time all the enemies and bosses are super awesome and difficult and everything about this game is so much fun the only problem that i have with this game is the sequel baiting it felt like some content was missing because reason ?? iskul the hero slayer is such a fun rouge lite i spent hours just playing the game because of the addicting gameplay and to see which skull will i get this time all the enemies and bosses are super awesome and difficult and everything about this game is so much fun the only problem that i have with this game is the sequel baiting it felt like some content was missing because reason ?? i guess ?? plus the story was kind of meh but except for that i don't have anything bad to say about this game in conclusion i wont even do a pro and con list just because this game is a super awesome indie that does almost everything perfectly which bring me to my final score and its a 9 out of 10… Expand
  2. ALTYN
    Jun 20, 2021
    4
    The screenshots looked interesting and the first couple of hours were fun to play. But the more you play, the more disappointed and bored you become. There are some very silly things about game design. For example, you cannot save when you exit the game. Thus, if the computer or game crashes, you have to start a new run, so stupid. In Hades or DeadCells, you always continue from where youThe screenshots looked interesting and the first couple of hours were fun to play. But the more you play, the more disappointed and bored you become. There are some very silly things about game design. For example, you cannot save when you exit the game. Thus, if the computer or game crashes, you have to start a new run, so stupid. In Hades or DeadCells, you always continue from where you left off last time. One more thing: all run are quite the same, because the maps almost don't change. Thus you play over and over with the same maps and the same enemies. Also, there are only a couple of repetitive dialogues with NPCs, which makes the world seem empty. Don't waste time playing this game, there are tons of the better roguelikes to play: Hades, DeadCells, Children of Morta, Moonlighter and so on. Perhaps in the future the developers will fix these problems and add some content, but the game is mediocre right now.… Expand
  3. alivemau5
    Mar 27, 2021
    6
    i also had high hopes from this game after finishing Hades. While I can see that this is a great game for rogue-like fans, it just wasn't cutting it for me. Charming characters.. but after awhile there wasn't enough there to keep me going for more.
  4. lagari
    Mar 18, 2021
    3
    If you are looking for new games like Hades or Dead Cells, I can easily say that, you are in the wrong place. I bought and started this game with great expectations after played these remarkable games but I'm really disappointed.

    I'm not expecting a good story from a rogue-lite game (Hades is an extreme example, in my opinion) but if you had to write a story, it could be better.    If you are looking for new games like Hades or Dead Cells, I can easily say that, you are in the wrong place. I bought and started this game with great expectations after played these remarkable games but I'm really disappointed.

    I'm not expecting a good story from a rogue-lite game (Hades is an extreme example, in my opinion) but if you had to write a story, it could be better. Soundtrack doesn't catch your mood. But the biggest shortcoming, no sense of improvement. One of the biggest lacks for replayability. I can't feel that I'm developing and learning. It all feels like it's just to extend the game play time.    … Expand
  5. IBullack
    Feb 4, 2021
    0
    Голимая хуйня. Кривое управление. Вся надежда только на невнятный рандом. Отсутствие восстановление здоровья после сражения с боссами. Вообще заебись!!!
  6. Zer0TheHer0
    Jan 23, 2021
    10
    This is really fun, great game with excellent controls and beautiful pixel art! Recommended!
  7. aeinator
    Jan 27, 2021
    0
    Wow I really despise this game. Sure its cute and the art is good but i hate everything else about it. It basically doesn't improve on anything from its predecessor StarCraft 69 members of weed country, Very disappointed in the developers
  8. RenTen
    Jan 28, 2021
    10
    Это просто супер, давно не получал такого удовольствия от игр!
  9. Remen
    May 5, 2021
    0
    It's worth playing again, the developers regularly update so the game always has something new to play
  10. bxrxsxtx
    Sep 15, 2021
    3
    A well reviewed game with attractive art and screenshots can make it seem like what could go wrong? This is a rogue like (or whatever you want to call it) where you go through semi random areas having to kill everything (you cant run through). Death means starting from the beginning but there are some resources you can carry over after death.

    The gameplay loop is terrible. You enter    A well reviewed game with attractive art and screenshots can make it seem like what could go wrong? This is a rogue like (or whatever you want to call it) where you go through semi random areas having to kill everything (you cant run through). Death means starting from the beginning but there are some resources you can carry over after death.

    The gameplay loop is terrible. You enter each room and slowly fight uninteresting battles trying to loose as little life as possible. The boring war of attrition eventually leads you to a boss battle, which you will lose (or not, if you're gud) without knowing the mechanics. Winning relies heavily on getting lucky on the skull upgrades you find and just not losing life as I said.

    Abilities and items seemed pretty bad. Even if you love games like this there are hundreds of other ones to play that probably have a better version of everything in "Skul".    … Expand
  11. Rilke21
    Feb 10, 2021
    8
    Skul is a charming little gem of a game. It’s not perfect—you will get very familiar with the levels, there could be more hidden secrets to discover, and you’ll be craving more content after 30 hours of play. But, that’s also a sign of the game’s strength—I’ve logged almost 70 hours into this $20 beauty, and I’m still having fun trying to get those last few dastardly achievements.

    In a    Skul is a charming little gem of a game. It’s not perfect—you will get very familiar with the levels, there could be more hidden secrets to discover, and you’ll be craving more content after 30 hours of play. But, that’s also a sign of the game’s strength—I’ve logged almost 70 hours into this $20 beauty, and I’m still having fun trying to get those last few dastardly achievements.

    In a nutshell, the music, art and gameplay are top notch. The story is simple, but charming, and definitely leaves you wanting more. Another mixed blessing is the challenge—the game is unforgivably difficult at first, so much so that it would be easy to toss it aside in frustration. However, with re-mapped controls and a little patience, mastery is more than possible.

    For new players, it’s also a bit jarring that not much is explained in terms of the game mechanics. You are not spoon fed much of anything—you’re thrown in, die plenty of times, and eventually figure things out on your own. This is annoying, but also lends a bit of charm and mystery to the experience. (Hint: items have synergies! Don’t be afraid to swap your skulls! Green doors = skulls, treasure doors = items, and normal doors = gold…all three are situationally important!)

    Skul feels like a passion project, and it works well in almost every way. It’s a super refreshing experience (especially if you’ve suffered through any *cough* Cybergarbage recently.) Don’t hesitate to pick it up.    … Expand
  12. Kickass2552
    May 15, 2021
    0
    As someone who loves roguelikes, I do not recommend this game. (my favorite games are Binding of Isaac, Dead Cells, Rogue Legacy, Hades)

    Punishing difficulty and button mashy combat lead to a lackluster experience. It seems like items & upgrades could be interesting, if you didn't have to start over from scratch. To summarize the game loop: Clear a few rooms of cannon fodder    As someone who loves roguelikes, I do not recommend this game. (my favorite games are Binding of Isaac, Dead Cells, Rogue Legacy, Hades)

    Punishing difficulty and button mashy combat lead to a lackluster experience. It seems like items & upgrades could be interesting, if you didn't have to start over from scratch.

    To summarize the game loop:
    Clear a few rooms of cannon fodder enemies (mash attack button, occasionally dodge)
    Pick up some items (eg +6% Cri, +10% damage)
    Fight a boss that can kill you in 3-4 hits, hopefully you memorize this pattern for next time
    Repeat (start over with no upgrades or additional abilities again)

    This game is very stingy on healing, and could likely be beaten within an hour, if the health/damage numbers weren't so janky.    … Expand
  13. Hangedman84
    Feb 11, 2021
    10
    A magnificent roguelike, worthy to stand next to the godlike Binding of Isaac, Dead Cells and Hades (stand next but not jump over them). Stop waste your time and just give it a bone! 10 skulls from 10!
  14. Dexter991
    Nov 27, 2021
    4
    This game difficulty is a joke the last part of the game is unreasonably extremely hard and the rng in the game is just too much it was super fun for the first 20 hrs or so after that when you reach the end it gets insanly hard
  15. LegitMan
    Feb 6, 2021
    8
    I love this game, I've enjoyed it a lot and I recommend it to every roguelike lover.
    But, it lacks.
    Other than the great skull variety that makes this game has replayability. When you beat it a couple of times, you start seeing how repetitive the game is. There is not much to keep you coming because you see the same items, rooms, bosses and so every run other than some mini-bosses that    I love this game, I've enjoyed it a lot and I recommend it to every roguelike lover.
    But, it lacks.
    Other than the great skull variety that makes this game has replayability. When you beat it a couple of times, you start seeing how repetitive the game is.
    There is not much to keep you coming because you see the same items, rooms, bosses and so every run other than some mini-bosses that have a good variety.
    Only the core gameplay and experimenting with the skulls' abilities will bring you back but the lack of the item pool will make you be able to reach any build you want almost every run because the way the game works is that you can almost see every item every game.
    I think they should develop it more, make it deeper, they also need to polish some sections.
    Another small gripe I had is that it's one of the only combat-based roguelikes where I encounter unavoidable damage in some incidents, where it doesn't matter how good you are but there are some attacks and some skulls with one dash that can't dodge some attacks.
    I think this game is hard but it's not unfair and a good player would be able to eventually beat every run.
    Give it a try because it's really fun but don't expect too much to keep you playing like other games in the genre.    … Expand
  16. Level_Headed
    Apr 27, 2021
    9
    A charming, little game. Why do I give this a nine? Emphasis on the "little" part. It's really short after you get the hang of it. Rather than that, I'd say it's a blast!
  17. elchicogamer16
    Jan 26, 2021
    10
    Amo los videojuegos como estos pero este sin duda alguna es un Juegazo, aparte su Historia es muy Interesante la verdad un muy buen juego el cual recomiendo mucho.
  18. VooDoo1349
    Jun 16, 2021
    0
    Worst rogue-like I've played for the past few years.
    Too much random stuff.
    No balance at all.
  19. mat_b
    Jun 21, 2021
    8
    mat b .
  20. RobPlaysGames
    Mar 13, 2022
    6
    Wonderful sprite art/animation aside, Skul's fatal flaw is that your enjoyment hinges entirely on random drops. It's not a case of challenge: Certain skulls are simply not fun to use, and the complete lack of choice in starting skulls means it's usually better to just quit out and re-roll til you get one you actually want to play as.

    This high-RNG dependency spoils the game as a whole,    Wonderful sprite art/animation aside, Skul's fatal flaw is that your enjoyment hinges entirely on random drops. It's not a case of challenge: Certain skulls are simply not fun to use, and the complete lack of choice in starting skulls means it's usually better to just quit out and re-roll til you get one you actually want to play as.

    This high-RNG dependency spoils the game as a whole, really. Unlike its peers such as Dead Cells or Risk of Rain 2, where any build is not only viable but fun, your success in Skul feels entirely dependent on getting the right drops for whatever skull you get saddled with. I appreciate this is the appeal of the genre to some, but for me it kills my will to keep playing when success is dependent less on skill/planning and more on luck.

    Perhaps balance changes will fix the game in future, but as it stands currently Skul is a relatively fun game with little lasting appeal; less than ideal for the roguelite genre.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Best PC Game of 2021
92
#92 Most Discussed PC Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 12, 2021
    60
    Fast and original, sometimes complicated. The retro action with a skeleton in the lead role has its own opinion on the roguelike genre. [Issue#309]
  2. GameCritics
    Mar 9, 2021
    80
    The horrors of the last year have given me a new appreciation for the type of entertainment that allows me to fall into a predictable routine, and roguelikes are the perfect venue. In the past, too many developers have assumed that the simple inclusion of procedurally-generated levels is enough to keep run-based games interesting, but the increased regularity of quality titles like Skul leaves me confident that studios are learning, and that the roguelike renaissance isn’t going away anytime soon.
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  3. GameGrin
    Feb 16, 2021
    90
    Simple enough to draw you in, yet complex enough to keep you interested for the long haul. Skull: The Hero Slayer expertly balances risk-and-reward elements with player skill to make a wholly engaging action platformer.
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