Summary
- Windblown features different Leapers with unique designs inspired by animal aesthetics.
- Each Leaper has subtle details that contribute to their overall appearance and personality.
- Some Leapers have thematic designs like a guinea pig representing a test subject or a cephalopod as a secret design.
Windblown is a Roguelike game by Motion Twin, the same developers as the renowned Dead Cells. It features plenty of different weapons to come across on each run, along with many Gifts, Boosts, and materials for Upgrades. This means that players can learn and take a lot from the developer's previous game for this one.
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Players will control a character known as a Leaper, and each Leaper comes with their own unique appearance. Different Leapers only lend to the aesthetics of the game, and do not provide any special abilities or passive buffs to core elements of the game. As such, each Leaper design is purely cosmetic and can be freely switched out by players to suit their preferred look.
7 Axolotl
The Face Of The Game
- Unlocked by default
- Amphibian
The Axolotl is one of the first Leapers seen following the game’s reveal trailer. The design of the Axolotl differs a lot from that of the one used in the animated trailers, especially around the eyes. This Leaper design draws a lot of inspiration from a punk rock aesthetic—with dark eyeliner and piercings—but it also has some pirate-style influences.
A lot of players might think that the limbs growing from the head of the character might be some form of tentacle, but as many axolotl enthusiasts will already know, these are actually external gills. All the characters bear a hyper-stylised design that adds to the feel of the game, but the pink skin of the Axolotl really pops against the use of blue in the game environment.
6 Basilisk
Simple Yet Stylish
- Unlocked by default
- Reptile
The design used for the Basilisk is much softer and easier to digest. The character has more feminine features, with a skin color that blends into the base colors of the character’s clothing. Leapers tend to have primary and secondary colors, and the Basilisk's design is one that many players can resonate with for its simplicity.
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Despite this, looking more in-depth will show that this character has some asymmetry to it, with a mantle that slopes only on one side, a satchel in the front, and flaps on either side of their pants. This makes it both a simple design, but one that still displays a good sense of fashion.
5 Bat
Playing Into Bat Tropes
- Unlocked by default
- Mammal
The Bat shares a similar edgy punk look with the Axolotl, in that it features plenty of piercings—with three rings piercing its right ear from the side, and one at the bottom of its left ear. This Leaper design also features a large bulky scarf around its neck and an orange band on one of its legs.
One of the most noteworthy elements of this design is its large circular glasses. This plays into a common trope—and misconception—that bats are blind. These glasses give the design a lot of character and help it to stand out among all the others with a humorous little nod to its animal inspiration.
4 Intern
Early Adopters Incentive
- Unlocked by playing the game before November 7th
- Unknown
The Intern is one of the only Leaper design options that does not have a name based on a type of animal. However, it does bear some resemblance to a chameleon. The design features two branching parts from the back of the head, and two large eyes that are sticking out of the head and seemingly looking in different directions.
This character design is based on the merchants found in the developer’s previous game, Dead Cells, and is a very fitting choice for players who have been long-time fans of Motion Twin and are awaiting the studio’s follow-up project. The Dead Cells merchants have much longer horn-like extremities, and their eyes do not stick out like those of the Intern. The Intern has a bandanna over its mouth, a rope for a belt, and pants that puff out near the bottom.
3 Pangolin
The Big Guy
- Unlocked by default
- Scaled Mammal
While size does not matter at all in Windblown, the Pangolin does look a lot more physically well-built than other Leaper designs. Every game should have a big guy for those who want to play a character who resembles more of a bruiser.
This design won’t make players hit any harder, but it can offer players the same sense of satisfaction of being the muscle in a group of friends—especially when their build is focused on a heavy melee playstyle. The Pangolin wears a large jumpsuit with a dark pink harness on top.
2 Guinea Pig
The Demo Exclusive
- Unlocked by playing the demo
- Mammal
The Guinea Pig is one of Windblown's currently unobtainable designs. Players who played the game in its demo stages will be able to change their design to this adorable rodent while at the Ark. The design is that of a wastelander, with spiked hair and an eyepatch on its left eye.
The Guinea Pig looks ready for anything and is very fitting to the stigma associated with its name. Guinea pig is a term that means “test subject” and is a perfect reward for those players who helped play the game close to its Early Access release. The demo is sadly no longer available, making this design unobtainable in the game's current state.
1 Project 2501
The Secret Design
- Unlocked by completing a run
- Cephalopod
This is the only unlockable design currently available in Windblown, and players will need to have progressed their in-game skills to be able to take on every challenge needed to acquire it. Players will die a lot in the process of unlocking Project 2501, as is expected from a Roguelike game. However, those who make it all the way to the end of the game will be rewarded with a new design they can switch to. Project 2501 looks like a deep sea squid, complete with bioluminescence and tentacles extending from its head.
It has a battered and bruised face, most likely inspired by all the attempted runs players will have gone through on the road to unlocking it. Its clothing displays the most pirate influence of any other Leaper design, with a crop top, billowing trousers, and various rings on both its wrists. This design is perfect for a loot-driven Roguelike that is all about smashing and grabbing.
Windblown
- Developer(s)
- Motion Twin
WHERE TO PLAY
- Publisher(s)
- Kepler Ghost, Motion Twin
- Early Access Release
- October 24, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Action, Roguelike, Indie Games
