Another thing to think about is when it comes to binding of Issac most items you got on you made
you more powerful.
While in this game if you get another weapon that doesn't fit your playstyle the weapon is useless, if your accessory isn't what you like it's useless, if the helmet gives less overall stats
it's flippin useless (aside from selling it of course but even then so).
I still stand by my suggestion to add passive items, like totems or relics or something, that wouldn't be equipped to your character but would just give passive buffs that could be up front like:
- +10 more damage
- +5 Defense
- +10 Speed
However, I find that boring. It could get more interesting like:
- +3 health gained upon hitting an enemy
- +25% more range and knockback during basic strikes
- +20% chance to inflict (status) on an enemy upon hitting them with a basic strike strike
- Guarded attacks deflect 20% damage back at the opponent.
OR could get really wonky with:
- Summons a shadow clone of yourself while cutting your max health by 25% that follows to your right and copies everything you do (cannot block or take damage)
- If you perfect guard you explode, dealing damage and knocking back everyone
- 5% chance when taking a hit to convert the damage into healing
- Leave a small trail behind you when you walk, if you connect the trail back to itself everything inside of it takes a decent amount of damage.
I feel like having items that would get really weird and interesting like that would start making the gameplay much different and would add a new level of depth to a character during every individual run. Sure, you can be more like Spelunky but that game was more based upon using your resources to ignore dangerous areas, while this is more binding of Issac you're forced to deal with your problems. Therefore, since this isn't a game where you run and destroy blocks to get to the goal quickly it's to go from room to room to room it's going to need something more when it comes to a specialty within every run.
There could also be more 'bonus area' feels that could feel more rewarding to get to (Like there's a chalice of gold and a Pool of red liquid, one gives you money and one heals you to full hp. If you grab one, you lose the other).
Maybe there could be an exchange an item thing. Have an outdated helmet? Put it in with 300 gold and see if you can grab a better one! Put in three with 900 gold and your chances are amazing! (The first one can still get you something dangerous, but the other ones have a higher chance to.)
I personally feel like the variation is lacking a bit. It's fun and it's cool, which I'm not gonna lie about because it is well made and nice, I simply think there's just one thing they could push in there, something that would make it feel like how I did in binding of Issac when I got something nice (Not broken per say but really nice) in order to just keep myself alive.
Basic stat increases could make it feel like you could blow through it more, but basic stat increases just feel a bit too basic to me. Too simple and overall too bland. I feel there just needs to be more spice to it to where every run isn't me leveling up basically the spells I'm most comfortable using while grabbing the same weapon and hoping for my armor to give me at least one more defense then my current one.