I’m not normally one to play a twin stick shooter or a shoot ’em up. They really aren’t my thing. Thankfully, that is not a hard and fast rule. Otherwise, I would not have given Don’t Die Miverva a chance. The art style caught my eye and I am so happy that I gave it a try. It’s still in early access, but you wouldn’t know that by the high level of polish that it has.
Don’t Die Minerva is the tale of a young girl named Minerva that finds her way into a haunted mansion. The ghost of the butler, Mr. Butterworth, is there to give you hints and to buy upgrades from. He instructs you to take the elevator into the mansion and battle the monsters that are within. Oh and he offers one piece of advice, “Don’t die Minerva”.
The Mansion is Never the Same as it Was Before
The mansion is procedurally generated which ensures no play through is ever the same as one you had before. This adds to the haunted mansion setting of Don’t Die Minerva. It makes it seem like it’s not the monsters, but also the mansion itself that is out to get you. You have two ways to beat the monsters and ghosts that haunt the halls. The flashlight is your main weapon. It’s upgraded with various gems to add status effects and increase your damage output. The second weapon is your stuffed animal. These are minions you deploy to help you. I’ve only found two or three stuffed animals but they add some variety to your arsenal. For example, the monkey is stationary and shoots bananas while the cat roams around and scratches baddies.
It’s Not as Easy as it Looks
Don’t Die Minerva may have a little girl as the main character and have a cartoony art style, but it is not easy. I died… A lot. With enough skill, you can find a fountain randomly placed on a floor of the mansion. This fountain will transport you back to Mr Butterworth and are used to buy upgrades. In a few hours of play, I was fortunate enough to do this once and I didn’t even have enough for a full upgrade. Bottom line, this makes Don’t Die Minerva challenging. If you are looking for a game that is difficult but not frustrating, this is a great choice!
The more I played, the more I realized that I need to use the dash roll and my surroundings to stay alive. That being said, Don’t Die Minerva didn’t get any easier. Overall, it’s a lot of fun and I really enjoy it! It’s hard to believe that it’s still in early access. I can’t wait for future updates to Don’t Die Minerva. At this time, you can find it on Windows and Xbox in early access. If you are looking for a fun game with a great art style, give Don’t Die Minerva a shot. You will like it!
