In Woods Review
In a world full of survivorslikes, In Woods fails to make an impression.
In Woods. Credit: Vision Party
In Woods from Vision Party is a roguelite hack-and-slash survivors game that's competent but unremarkable. Despite offering a large roster of playable classes, the experience feels barebones and struggles to distinguish itself in an overcrowded genre.
There's no story. You select a character, choose from a handful of levels, and survive long enough to defeat the final boss. Each level represents a different biome has its own enemy types that behave slightly differently, but they all boil down to the same basic threat: overwhelming you with numbers.
In Woods. Credit: Vision Party
The main twist here is manual combat instead of the auto-attacks most survivors games rely on. Each character has melee and ranged attacks triggered with shoulder buttons, and you aim with the right stick. Some level-up upgrades add auto-firing abilities, but these supplement rather than replace your base moveset. It works fine, though it doesn't fundamentally change how these games feel to play.
You'll also chop down trees for wood used to craft items after defeating minibosses. It's optional, but some of the best upgrades come from crafting rather than the random level-up selections. The system adds a minor resource management layer without much depth.
In Woods. Credit: Vision Party
Metaprogression is straightforward: spend coins from runs to upgrade offensive and defensive stats. Characters unlock through specific conditions or repeated actions, some more easily than others. The problem is how quickly it all runs dry. There isn't enough variety or compelling unlocks to sustain interest beyond a few play sessions.
Visually, the game uses low-poly 3D models with flat, solid-colored textures; it's blocky without being charming. It’s as if the developers intended for a papercraft look, but forgot to add the texture. It’s just bland and generic.
In Woods. Credit: Vision Party
In Woods is competent but lacks anything approaching a personality or a unique hook. In a genre filled with excellent options at every price point, there's no reason to choose this over something more distinctive and punchy.
In Woods is available now on Steam.
Overall Score: 4/10
Played on: Steam Deck
