This was a very unique and interesting gaming experience!
An interesting and nuanced take on the classic trope of trying again and again against a boss, with the twist that you are playing as the boss trying to keep the hero at bay.
The story begins as a classic action-adventure story, but swiftly evolves to something more. This makes the game worth a 5/5 from me.
If you want a deeper take from my side, I have a review bellow containing spoiler to the experience and story.
----- Spoiler to gameplay and story -----
The mechanics are enjoyable but eventually pretty predictable. The fighting is not necessarily scripted to be experienced as an action-fantasy game since the Hero's reactions to your attacks are carefully designed to fit the pace of the story. Sometimes it feels like the Hero is "letting" you hit them, to serve and progress the story, plot points and pacing.
But this game is not designed to be an action-adventure game, it's a narrative game which explores the blooming relation between the Hero and the player's character, the undying empress of darkness. What started out as a classic action-adventure story and dialogue, effectively evolves to a deeper conflict of different personalities, questions of fate and the meaning of life. One could say the Empress biggest fear is the fear of change where the change renders her irrelevant, which is why she is so steadfast of being the Eternal Tyrant of Darkness.
This is a really good story and fantastic game. The comments in this review about the predictable gameplay should be seen more as an analysis and not as a critique. Really well done game, I look forward to see what else the creator is coming up with in the future! <3