>>969793
You don't need to play it with friends, I soloed the game and had a blast. The game even has a revive mechanic for single player.
>floaty
That's just the game telling you to explore your options. You have a huge load of offensive and defensive options. Magic has a bunch of possible effects, and combos using debuffs have massive damage potential. Even the shield element can be used offensively. Don't underestimate the active abilities of your gear either. I'm not sure anymore, but some enemies have elemental defenses and weaknesses if I remember correctly. Also, you can actually fuck with enemy spellcasters, for example making them wet so they can't use lightning. You should also learn the teleport and haste casts by heart.
>beam
Well, yeah. The beam is accurate, slow and long range, while spray is spread, quick, and shorter range.
>I wish there were some way to hotkey spells
Dialing your spells is pretty much a core part of how the game is balanced. Sure, ice and steam do good damage, but that nine button combo isn't going to save your butt when you get bumrushed. It's why keeping your elements around without casting slows you down. The key is adaptability.
>>969803
After beating it, I read that the most broken combo is
triple steam, lightning, beam. I tested it out and it shreds through health.