I had a lot of fun with Ball X Pit. This game combines elements from the brick-breaker games I loved as a kid, Vampire Survivors, and, what I think may be the key ingredient, Potion Craft.
Each session starts with a special ball powered with bleed, poison, etc., and an encroaching field of enemies. As you break down the skeletons, mushrooms, or angels in front of you, they drop experience that allows you to choose new balls, passives, or upgrades. Sounds simple enough, but the real moment this game begins to click is when you get your first ball fusion. Combining your bleed and poison balls to get both powers in one is exciting every time, especially when you begin to discover the higher-level evolutions.
Discovering the evolutions is what drove me through this game. The basic loop is fun, but not long in, all I wanted to do was see what I could create. Not every combination was a winner. There were times I came up against a boss and I felt like I was throwing tennis balls at it. But occasionally, you get a combination that easily clears the field. It feels amazing.
A major success of this game is that even when things aren't going well - the crowds are encroaching and you're searching for the next health drop - the game is still exciting. The mix of the sound design and the screen shake ramps up the intensity as you fight with your back against the wall. You might not make it out but that's ok, it's really easy to get right back in.
Outside of each run, there is a town-building mini-game where you can craft buildings that unlock permanent buffs and new characters. These buildings can significantly change the gameplay of your runs. The town building isn't the games strongest quality but there is fun to be had here. Organizing the town to get the ideal resources is tricky and will have you thinking about angles in different ways.
I mentioned new characters. There are over 15 characters to unlock that will change your gameplay style. From characters that cause all balls to pass through enemies or that shoot from the back of the field, there are a ton of ways to play. I found most of the characters fun, but there were a few that I felt were misses.
I was able to finish this game in 15 hours or so, taking my time to replay levels with characters and to develop my town. I got all achievements around 25 hours. I didn't go into new game plus but there are new levels on the way. I'm excited to jump back in.