In my eyes, Blasphemous 2 is a story of redemption.

Throughout the blighted lands in this sequel, you will find no shortage of denizens hoping to be redeemed. Condemned to often dark, grisly fates by the entity called the Miracle, these people graciously accept their punishments, hoping that their pain will absolve them of sin. Similarly, Blasphemous 2 strikes me as a game that wants to absolve itself from its predecessor’s shortcomings. I briefly played Blasphemous before taking on this review, but I honestly couldn’t get into it. I felt the combat was stiff, the platforming was aggravating, and the story absolutely did not grab me with its ornate, often vague prose.

On two of those counts, Blasphemous 2 marks an inspired improvement. In a world where even Mickey Mouse needs a Metroidvania, games of this genre require absolute excellence to stand out. I didn’t expect Blasphemous 2 to give me the same highs as all-time genre greats like Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, but that’s exactly how I felt playing much of this one. Blasphemous 2 truly shines with the love of its creators.

It's unfortunate, then, that this otherwise immaculate sequel didn’t completely cleanse itself of the first game’s sins. But I must admit that where I see imperfections, Blasphemous fans may find profound beauty instead.

Blasphemous 2 (PC [Reviewed], PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch)
Developer: The Game Kitchen
Publisher: Team17
Released: August 24, 2023
MSRP: $29.99

[caption id="attachment_397051" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Free will

Our story kicks off after the original Blasphemous’ Wounds of Evertide update. Set against the backdrop of dark religious imagery, our hero, the Penitent One, must battle through enemies both fierce and grotesque as they unravel a new mystery surrounding the Miracle. That said, I found the tone of Blasphemous 2 was established more by the first major choice players make.

Blasphemous 2 presents one of three weapons to bring into battle. You have the balanced option in the sword Ruego Al Alba, which should feel familiar to fans of Blasphemous. But players who prefer a nimbler option can instead opt for the Sarmiento & Centella rapiers, which rewards evasive dashing and consistent attacks. And then there’s my mainstay throughout the adventure, the Veredicto. As a Claimh Solais wielder in Dawn of Sorrow, I felt right at home with this huge ball-and-chain. Its wide attack arc makes it great for aerial enemies, but the longer animations and lack of a block button makes your positioning especially important during boss battles.

I love how Blasphemous 2 lets players tackle combat with their own playstyle. While you do eventually collect each weapon to switch between later on, I never felt like I had to use one specific weapon to win. Even in fast, fierce boss battles which looked impossible without a dedicated block button, I still found ways to dodge and deal damage with the Veredicto. I will say I didn’t find much use for the Sarmiento & Centella rapiers, as they play a bit too similarly to the Ruego Al Alba. But I’m willing to bet some players will absolutely tear the game apart using them.

[caption id="attachment_397052" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The valley of the shadow of death

The weapons don’t just add nice variety to the combat; they expand the level design too. As you make your way through the game, you’ll encounter gimmicks that use each weapon in unique ways. For example, you can hit large bells with the Veredicto that send out shockwaves that make platforms appear for a limited amount of time. Or you can stab mirrors with the Sarmiento & Centella to instantly launch a short distance in a specific direction.

This doesn’t sound like a lot on paper, but Blasephemous 2 uses these concepts to create some great platforming sections between battles. More than a few sequences actually require flipping through your weapons in rapid succession to interact with their gimmicks. I never got bored of these moments, and they’re a remarkable improvement over the platforming sections I saw in Blasphemous.

Exploration also feels great in general due to the infusion of new progression systems. Like before, you can find rosary beads and similar equipment that can grant certain passives. However, Blasphemous 2 adds Marks of Martyrdom, which functionally work like skill points. Whenever you earn one, you can invest them into your weapons to strengthen them, or expand your carrying capacity for Altarpieces that can help you specialize your playstyle. You’ll find Marks both from exploration and an EXP bar that fills while fighting enemies, which gives combat more meaning without overwriting the impact of exploration.

Blasphemous 2 does a fantastic job of dishing out meaningful upgrades without undermining its own difficulty. I always felt like the battles in front of me required skill over grinding, no matter how strong my character was at any moment. Which is good, because the challenge in Blasphemous 2 is well worth savoring.

[caption id="attachment_397053" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Gnashing of teeth

Virtually every enemy in Blasphemous 2 is a delight to take down. Most foes have distinct attacks and movement patterns, so you can’t steamroll the game with one surefire tactic. At the same time, I never felt bogged down by tanky, annoying enemies. This is a delicate balance that many Metroidvanias stumble on, so it’s refreshing to see Blasphemous 2 handle it so well.

Similarly, almost all the boss fights were an absolute joy to play. For most encounters, I often found myself getting slapped hard at first. However, incoming attacks always have clear telegraphs you can watch out for, so repeated attempts felt like opportunities to learn from my mistakes. I typically took down bosses within three attempts, usually stomping them hard once I mastered their quirks.

Blasphemous 2 consistently gave me that hard game rush without ever really feeling like a hard game. It’s a challenge, especially if you aren’t well-versed in this genre, but I never felt particularly frustrated. At the same time, victory always gave me that “heck yes!” feeling. I will say the game does weirdly dip in challenge shortly after the midpoint. It gates a few upgrade systems despite letting you find their applicable items throughout the adventure, so bosses right after this big stat jump for me didn’t have quite the bite that prior bosses did. Fortunately, the game does come back around near the end, with some especially great encounters near the final act.

[caption id="attachment_397054" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Walking by faith

The only piece of Blasphemous 2 that I never quite fully got on board with is its storytelling. Before I go any further, I will acknowledge that anyone who enjoyed piecing together Blasphemous’ lore will almost certainly enjoy Blasphemous 2. Vague, minimalist stories like this are often divisive, and I'm just not a fan of them. If my thoughts don’t resonate with you in this regard, take these words with a grain of salt. The story is still framed as a key part of Blasphemous 2 though, so it did impact my overall experience.

Blasphemous 2 makes no effort to catch anyone up if they didn’t finish Blasphemous and its Wounds of Eventide update. If you don’t know what the Miracle is going into this one, good luck. And even if you do, Blasphemous 2 strikes me as a game that expects you to only know what’s going on after its intended community solves it. All the dialogue is incredibly wordy, often saying in 15 words what could have been said in five. I followed the broad strokes just fine, but so much between the big story beats just felt meaningless.

That said, I eventually wondered if that feeling of meaningless was the point of Blasphemous 2. I don’t need to tell you that this game leans heavily on its religious imagery, and against that backdrop, it does make sense that everyone talks like they’re reading scripture. Yet in a world in which so many of its denizens attribute their meaning to the Miracle, my protagonist succeeded in spite of it. I charted my course through these lands, I acquired power through my own actions, and I decided how to use the prayers and rosary beads I found along the way. My play experience was at direct odds with the other characters, which made their dark fates all the more pitiable.

In short, my take away from Blasphemous 2 wasn’t necessarily a religious commentary. Instead, I interpreted it as a story of agency versus submission. That’s not the deepest theme to focus on, but it did kind of work for me on that level.

[caption id="attachment_397055" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The ends didn’t justify the means

Though I felt happy with this interpretation, I still think the story's execution is a bit at odds with itself. For reference, when FromSoftware does vague, minimalist storytelling, I generally think it works because it mostly stays in the background. It’s there for the lore folks to unpack, but it otherwise kind of blends in with the atmosphere.

Blasphemous 2, meanwhile, gives its story a bit more prominence. The plot is presented like you’re already invested without ever making an effort to draw players in. For example, one secret I found late in the game hit me with a horror stinger sound effect, like I just discovered something that should blow my mind. Yet while I grasped the implications, I just didn’t really care. It made the moment feel weirdly comical for me, even though that clearly wasn't the intention.

Honestly, I could forgive that on its own. But for as consistently fun and engaging as Blasphemous 2 was for me, I felt really underwhelmed by the end. I won't say more than that for spoilers sake, though the final act did have one standout moment for me. I wanted to compensate for this by doubling back and exploring to get that sweet 100% completion. But after chasing down clues and wondering how the heck to uncover secrets in rooms that apparently hid them, I realized I could be doing literally anything else with my time. So my time with Blasphemous 2 kind of ended on a whimper, but that fortunately didn't ruin the experience.

[caption id="attachment_397056" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

A book of revelation

I want to reiterate that these hang-ups for me will likely be selling points for other players. If you fall into this camp, then I’m happy to tell you you’re going to absolutely love Blasphemous 2. Even with these loose ends left on my save file, I hope I can return to get that 100% completion after the community properly solves the game. Not as a critic, but just as a fan.

Even with a few grievances, I still came out really enjoying Blasphemous 2. The challenge was consistently on point, the variety of areas in the map felt consistently fresh, and I had a great time powering up and uncovering secrets. Not counting my postgame wandering, Blasphemous 2 took me roughly 15 hours to clear. I'd have been happy if it continued for another 10, which I mean entirely as a compliment. I forgot at times that I was even reviewing the game, I just looked forward to laying back with my Steam Deck and seeing what I could uncover next.

Anyone who likes Metroidvanias should absolutely make time for Blasphemous 2. Aside from an underwhelming final act, I had nearly consistent fun with this one from start to finish. From the gorgeous visuals to the customizable combat, your journey as the Penitent One will be filled with steady highs and only occasional lows. It’s a great sequel, a great game, and just a great time in general. If you were a fan of Blasphemous, you’re in for a treat with Blasphemous 2.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Blasphemous 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

When a game like Disney Illusion Island puts "Illusion" in its name, it immediately evokes a rich legacy of Disney platformers.

Growing up, I wasn’t exactly a Disney kid. I had nothing against the mouse’s house, I was just more interested in mascot platformers with tragic backstories. Regardless, I loved the heck out of so many 16-bit Disney platformers. Games like Sega’s Castle of Illusion didn’t engage me because of the license, but because they offered their own unique spin on the world of Mickey Mouse. I still remember how Castle of Illusion could effortlessly transition from feeling whimsical, to mysterious, to kind of ominous when it wanted. Heck, it did all of that in the first world!

To its credit, Disney Illusion Island does not wear the “Illusion” brand lightly. Though it bares little similarity to Sega’s seminal title, I could tell how much the developers at DLALA Studios wanted to create a game that could sit alongside the greats in Disney's video game canon. In some respects, Illusion Island accomplishes this goal. I just don't think I’ll reminisce about it 30 years from now.

[caption id="attachment_393537" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Disney Illusion Island (Switch)
Developer: DLALA Studios, Disney Games
Publisher: Disney Electronic Content
Released: July 28, 2023
MSRP: $39.99

Everybody's busy bringing you a Disney Afternoon

Illusion Island starts on an unexpected high note. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy meet up for a picnic on the titular island, each believing the event was planned by someone else in their crew. But just as many afternoon outings go, the picnic was not planned by friends, but by a race of hamster people who are in desperate need of help. It turns out that calamity is imminent for said hamsters if they don’t collect some magic books, and they need help from heroes who can do the job for them.

Naturally they turn to Mickey and friends to handle that adventuring. And I mean, as someone who grew up playing The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse, I must admit the mouse does have some heroic chops.

As basic as this plot sounds, it’s told in a fully voiced, fully animated scene that I found charming. It has a Disney XD vibe, but I genuinely laughed at some lines here. Unfortunately, outside of the final act of the game, most story bits don’t employ this level of production. You’ll mostly stare at unvoiced dialogue boxes that lean heavier on fourth-wall breaking jokes that just don’t land quite as well, whether you’re a Disney fan or not.

This is a small, arguably inessential disappointment. The story obviously isn’t the focus here, I just liked the fully animated stuff so much that most everything after it felt disappointing. It’s a bummer for younger audiences, but I get the vibe that Illusion Island caters more to Disney adults. Especially when you realize what type of game it is.

https://youtu.be/QiUG1YWiMIY

Mouse-troidvania

Disney Illusion Island is technically a Metroidvania. If you told me 15 years ago that the exploratory platformer genre would become so popular that Mickey Mouse would throw his hat into the ring, I would have called you crazy. Regardless, here we are. Mickey and friends will traverse interconnected biomes across the island to recover the missing tomes, earning valuable movement upgrades along the way. At the start, the mouse's party can do little more than run and jump. By the end of the game, they can double jump, wall jump, and even ground pound to access new areas.

Control and movement lay the foundation for any good platformer, and luckily Disney Illusion Island nails this. It doesn’t lock off your best movement options for long, and everything from jump arcs to movement speed feel great. The game lacks any combat mechanics, so a surprisingly nimble move set keeps the experience feeling fresh. I really enjoyed the game when it simply focuses on testing your platforming prowess.

At its best, the level design throws you at challenge rooms that utilize all your abilities. While the game’s hardest is maybe 1/10^th of what something like Celeste throws at you, the difficulty can ramp up nicely in the second half. Platforming newbies may choose to play with infinite health, so no one should expect to get stuck necessarily. But as someone who once spent a summer playing Ninja Gaiden to see if I could beat it without any continues, I was shocked that I died in certain sections of the game. Granted, this was mostly due to my own impatience, but more on that in a bit.

While swimming in the latter part of the game can feel a little loose, I felt surprised by how tight Illusion Island controlled. Movement just feels good, with a level of polish typically reserved for top-shelf platformers. This is fortunate, since this counteracts several small stumbles that Illusion Island makes along the way.

[caption id="attachment_393538" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Bouncing here and there and everywhere

The biggest, most substantial question that could not leave my head during the entirety of Illusion Island’s runtime was one I’d never thought I’d ask: why is this a Metroidvania?

Look, I grew up on enough Metroid and Castlevania to absolutely love this genre. I’ve also enjoyed non-violent exploratory platformers too. The thing is, these games only work if they give you incentive to explore, and Illusion Island just… doesn’t have that. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of stuff to collect here. I’d go so far as to call Illusion Island a collect-athon. It’s just that the things you hunt for don’t really matter.

You have Tokuns, a basic compendium of characters and enemies in the game with some banal flavor text. There’s Mickey Memorabilia, which is literally just Disney references drawn by the art team. Hidden Mickeys are, again, just small pieces of art you can find by spotting Mickey Mouse icons in the wild. And finally we have Glimts, the game’s equivalent of coins which unlock health upgrades. While I’m glad something impacts the play experience, these feel relatively insignificant since the game’s difficulty settings already determine how much health you start with.

I don’t think Illusion Island needs a robust RPG system to encourage exploration. But in a game that has precious few fast travel options until criminally late into the game, why would I want to backtrack just to unlock a picture of the wheel from Steamboat Willie? Honestly, that’s all this format really adds to the game: backtracking. Considering you can't even collect one category of unlockables until you've already explored the first few areas, I did occasionally feel that the game was just trying to pad its runtime.

To be clear, I didn't think the backtracking was necessarily egregious. But I did wish the game would have gone with a simple level-to-level progression instead.

[caption id="attachment_393539" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

D-d-d-danger! Watch behind you!

I also have to discuss the enemy design, which became more and more of a sticking point as I progressed.

As mentioned above, Illusion Island is a nonviolent platformer. I’m cool with this decision, but you'll still find plenty of enemies determined to smack you. And without combat, the game’s only way to escalate challenge from enemies involves making you wait. In the late game, I felt an alarming amount of enemies simply existed to interrupt a player’s natural forward trajectory. You can use acrobatics to dodge some foes, but many just want you to wait until they move or finish attacking. No platforming, no strategy, just waiting.

Like the level design, this isn’t game breaking. However, I eventually reached a point where I racked up deaths just because I was tired of waiting for enemies to move and tried to cheese my way past them. Sure, dying over and over to restart at the frequent checkpoints isn’t an efficient way to progress. But I'd rather die on my own terms than let Walt Disney's grunts control how I live.

After a certain point, I felt Illusion Island wasn’t necessarily getting harder as much as it was making it easier to get hit. I’m sure if I didn’t play on the hardest difficulty setting, I probably could brute force through all these obstacles. I just would have liked to have seen more exploration of the core controls over abrasive enemy placement. The developers put all this work into making movement fun, so why would they want players to not move?

[caption id="attachment_393544" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Side by side wherever we go

I do want to touch on the multiplayer in Illusion Island. While major platforming series like Rayman and Super Mario have embraced local multiplayer, I was still excited to test out how it handles here.

I had my girlfriend join my nearly complete playthrough for a session, and the results surprised me. Though she's generally unfamiliar with 2D platformers, she was able to wall jump and rope swing at my pace within minutes. This really is a testament to how natural Illusion Island feels to play, and we had a lot of fun running around together.

The problem, again, is that I don’t know why this is an exploratory platformer. While I don’t think anything of frequently opening and closing my map to track where I’m going, that constant pausing really disrupts multiplayer. Illusion Island doesn’t have a mini-map either, so even small forks in the road feel more troublesome than necessary. I mean, at several points in the game, you’ll find several branching paths. But three paths will lead to keys, all of which you’ll need to unlock a door blocking the critical path. Our takeaway joke while we played was "in Illusion Island, the only illusion is that we have any freedom."

I did like that each player could specify their own difficulty level via the health they start with. It makes Illusion Island easy to play with less experienced players when they can just turn on infinite health for themselves. But beyond that, I don’t think Illusion Island stands out as a multiplayer experience unless you specifically want to get someone into platformers. My partner and I enjoyed our session, but we didn't talk about it after we put our controllers down. And that kind of sums up the game in general.

[caption id="attachment_393541" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

I’m Timothy Monbleau from Destructoid, and you’re reading a Disney review

As much as I’ve focused on nitpicks, I could overlook them all if Illusion Island offered a charming, unique experience like the 16-bit Disney classics. But outside those fun animated scenes, I never saw anything in the game that really stuck with me. All the biomes in the game just kind of blur together, with somewhat differentiated but ultimately unremarkable visuals separating them. Outside of a water zone, the whole thing just feels like one long level.

Yet despite everything, I still played Illusion Island to 100% completion (which took me just under ten hours). And even after I was left with one small incentive to replay the game, I started a second save file. Illusion Island is undoubtedly a fun game. It plays very well at its core, which is hard for me to wax poetic about. But the game does deliver on that, especially when its level design lets those core mechanics shine.

I’d compare my experience to getting a burger from a nice fast casual restaurant. It’s not the best you’ve had, but it’s good in a pinch and you’re glad you had it. And sometimes you need a diversion to entertain you and possibly a family member for a weekend.

Disney Illusion Island won’t go down in history like the best Disney platformer classics have. But it’s still a fun, if not forgettable, romp starring Mickey and friends. Those who are newer to platformers or want to get someone in on the genre will be primed to enjoy this title. Also, while I don’t think the exploratory angle does the game any favors, it may appeal to collect-athon fans. Otherwise, Illusion Island is just a reliable game for a rainy day. A perfect seven if there ever was one.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Disney Illusion Island appeared first on Destructoid.

Humbug!

It certainly isn't a "Silent Night" while playing Ebenezer and the Invisible World. Instead of three French hens and four calling birds, your relatives will hear a ruckus as you scream at the game. There's a lot to like, but the combat needs to be refined before this Metroidvania's release. The visuals call back to those old Christmas specials you watch as a kid, but other than that, there's a lot to be fixed in this holiday-themed game. Here's a preview of the stunning, yet currently flawed Ebenezer and the Invisible World.

[caption id="attachment_389609" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Ten lords a-leaping for a great art style

Set after the events of the Christmas Carol storyline, Ebenezer Scrooge is now fighting for the city's people with the help of the spirits he meets along the way. While the demo doesn't particularly show an intriguing storyline, the environments truly stand out with the premise. You see a prosperous holiday version of London with gorgeous architecture, lighting, and seemingly hand-drawn characters across the city. It really pops on the screen and the art style reminds you of straight-to-video/TV animated movies like Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer and The Snowman.

During the main boss battle of the demo, you can see the shimmer of the ice below while Big Ben is beaming in the distance. Buildings around the area are also adorned with greenery and garlands. The way the game uses the forefront is also striking; for example, the lantern on the bottom left of the picture above adds depth to the scene. It's almost like a painting.

While the visuals look fantastic, it does make me wonder if the London area may get dull after a while. The observatory at the end of the demo and the sewers show that there may be other major environments to find in the game.

[caption id="attachment_389615" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The disappointing combat is certainly a Grinch

While the graphics are certainly promising, Ebenezer and the Invisible World's combat certainly isn't. The biggest issue is how your enemies aren't impacted by your strikes. Like Buddy the Elf jumping through crowds for Santa, your attacks do not stagger your foes during their animations. You can't stun them with your strikes, and that befuddled me so many times. As a larger enemy begins to swing its heavy sword, your strikes should interrupt or slow their movement; however, they still carry on with the heavy thud of their weapon. A dodge feature or a way to counter the incoming strike would be appreciated.

Additionally, there's a frustrating foe that throws grenades at Ebenezer. They're hard to avoid and tough to attack. However, there's one spirit that can provide a diagonal attack, which helps greatly. There is a magic meter, on the other hand, so they might not be able to perform the action. You'll have to conserve your magic, like Scott Calvin in The Santa Clause 2. Other foes have annoying patterns that should be addressed during development. For example, there's a flying lantern that sends fire towards Ebenezer. It's just outside of the old man's reach so you need to jump, and if you come into contact with it, you'll take unnecessary damage.

More checkpoints would be a "Joy to the World."

These issues are compounded by a checkpoint system that is too far apart, and the time it takes to run through empty spaces to get to where I was can be supremely irritating. The light platforming, with the help of a friendly spirit, can be entertaining enough to keep you going. With the new abilities you gain along the way, I expect it will be satisfying to revisit previously inaccessible areas.

Despite this demo featuring 30 minutes to an hour of gameplay, I already witnessed a copied battle stance from one enemy to the next. They slam the hammer toward you and have it stuck to the ground; this happens with two different foes so far. Hopefully, there's more variety in the full game like Bloodstained. 

Please change the music

Christmas movies often have catchy songs and imaginative music that captures your heart. Think of The Polar Express' "Spirit of the Season" and the North Pole theme from the Santa Clause movies. Unfortunately, Ebenezer and the Invisible World lacks that holiday spirit in its soundtrack. There are depressing 30-second loops that have some elements of jingle bells, but the overall composition is such a downer. During my playthrough of the demo, I had to turn off the game's music and put on some Castlevania tracks. It was a much better experience after that.

If it wanted to go for a dark take on the Christmas season, it would be intriguing to hear the composer's creepy takes on classic Christmas tunes like "Silent Night" or "Jingle Bells." Perhaps, it could also take inspiration from Danny Elfman's Scrooged movie score, which has a darker edge than most holiday flicks.

The elves have a lot of work to do

There is so much potential in Ebenezer and the Invisible World. It has a unique holiday-themed world to explore, and the spirits may provide fun Metroidvania elements to the game. The combat system needs to be refined heavily, though, for me to not regift this title.

The post Preview: Ebenezer and The Invisible World doesn’t have a lot of holiday cheer appeared first on Destructoid.

Dance with the Dead

During the weekend's PC Gaming Show presentation, publisher Freedom Games raised the curtain on an intriguing new release, Mariachi Legends, which is currently in development for PC at Mexican developer Halberd Studios, the studio behind 9 Years of Shadow.

Mariachi Legends tells a tale of highly-skilled private detective Pablo Cruz, who is chosen by no less than Lady Death herself to retrieve an ancient amulet that has the capability of undermining her rule over the afterlife and bring about an end to Dia de los Muertos, The Day of the Dead. Tasked with this otherworldy case, Cruz must journey through the dark underbelly of the town of Santa Mascota, en route to a showdown with its criminally corrupt mayor, Don Emilio Obregon.

While his enemies will be both plentiful and deadly, Lady Death has imbued Cruz with the powers of La Sombra, which will enhance the hero's natural swordsmanship, while affording him additional supernatural abilities to help him navigate the environment and get the drop on those who would do him harm. You can check out the very first teaser trailer below, as featured in the PC Gaming Show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TJcdoi4xG8&t

"We’ve put a piece of our Mexican culture, and therefore our very souls, within Mariachi Legends," said Miguel Hasson, Creative Director of Halberd Studios. "Infusing our love of video games with our beautiful history, culture, and ethnology is a dream come true. We learned countless lessons as a studio when putting the finishing touches on 9 Years of Shadows, so our fans can fully expect the bar to be raised with our next game!"

While this early trailer is unfortunately very light on gameplay, we can see the makings of something very cool in Mariachi Legends. While the Symphony of the Night aesthetic will be lost on nobody, the implementation of timeless Spanish culture — from the locales and general atmosphere to the art design and use of Mariachi itself — is incredibly compelling. Halberd Studios is promising deep and precise combat, diverse and intriguing characters, and an adventure dripping in proud Mexican culture and, even more curiously, cuisine.

I really like what we're seeing here, and Mariachi Legends is already one of my favorite reveals of Summer Game Fest. The game looks positively dripping in cool style, culture, and personality. We could still be a long, long way from taking our first steps into Santa Mascota, given the teasing nature of this trailer, but we do know that Freedom Games aims to launch Mariachi Legends on PC at some point in 2024...

I hope so, as I do not want to keep the fair lady waiting...

The post Mariachi Legends is one of my favorite reveals this week appeared first on Destructoid.

Over 30 updates launches so far

Studios Motion Twin and Evil Empire have announced that popular fantasy Metroidvania Dead Cells has now smashed past 10 million global sales. This incredible number represents an accumulation of sales on PC and console since the games' Early Access debut back in the summer of 2017.

"Following the success of Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania, Evil Empire has been exploring the path forward for the title as a whole," said the studio in a celebratory statement. "With years of successful updates and expansions behind it after taking over live ops of Dead Cells in 2019, the studio is tinkering with its time-tested methodology, experimenting with ideas for future updates and new ways for fans to enjoy one of their favorite roguelikes."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBBwIHYm8Mw&ab_channel=MotionTwin

The studio also revealed that plans are in motion to develop new updates and DLC for Dead Cells for the foreseeable future — with new content drops planned until at least 2025. Just recently, Dead Cells fans were able to enjoy the aforementioned Return to Castlevania DLC, which saw Dead Cells partner with one of the foremost titles in the Metroidvania genre, bringing familiar locales, enemies, and bosses to the title.

Outside of the digital realm, Dead Cells is also being adapted for the tabletop crowd, with an official board game in the works at Scorpion Masque. This project opened its crowdfunding campaign with a $30,000 USD target, and successfully raised around half a million dollars in less than fifteen minutes. Clearly, even with an amazing 10 million sales under its tunic, Dead Cells is only just beginning to open up its fascinatingly weird universe

Dead Cells is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One, and iOS and Android platforms.

The post Dead Cells hits 10 million sales, further content updates in the works appeared first on Destructoid.

"Later today"

As part of the Nintendo Indie World stream, Modus Games has announced that Rain Games' anticipated Teslagrad 2 is out now on all platforms!

By "now," I mean, "later today."

https://youtu.be/LnWJCg2XDMk

And that's not all. Alongside it is Teslagrad Remastered, an upgraded version of the 2013 indie title. It features improved visuals and ten extra challenge levels. Rain Games says they have taken a "light-touch" approach to the remaster, so don't expect any drastic changes.

Teslagrad 2 was first announced back in 2020. Like the original, it's a physics-based puzzle-platformer centered around electromagnetism. It's a Metroidvania set in a Scandinavian-inspired world. "Scandivania" is the word they've cleverly coined to describe it. The sequel boasts an expanded world and visual storytelling without the use of text or voice.

I never played the first Teslagrad because, at that point, we had just been swamped by puzzle-platformers in the wake of games like Trine. However, it's been some time since the heyday of XBLA, so I might be interested in trying it out now.

Despite being part of Nintendo's Indie World stream, both Teslagrad 2 and Teslagrad Remastered will be available today on all the platforms it was announced for. That's PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.

The post Teslagrad 2 drops out of nowhere alongside remaster of the first game appeared first on Destructoid.

Swing for the fences

Rusted Moss will finally swing onto PC very soon. Developers faxdoc, happyquared, sunnydaze, and publisher Playism have confirmed that Rusted Moss will land on PC via Steam on April 12.

This twin-stick, side-scrolling shooter has some definite Metroid vibes. With the same sort of grid-based map and world to explore, it feels a bit familiar. But its own unique quality lies in the grappling hook.

One of Rusted Moss' core features is a grapple, letting the protagonist Fern hook and swing across the world. That, plus big guns, makes for a pretty fast and active side-scrolling shooter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iteSJWwSaAg

It's a full-on twin-stick shooter too, so no limits on what direction you can point. Add in some big, chaotic boss fights, and this feels like a search-action game made for folks who want a little more adrenaline in their secret hunting.

The hook brings you back

I've played the demo for Rusted Moss a few times, at PAX and through events like Steam demo festivals. Heck, the demo for Rusted Moss has stayed live and is playable right now if you head over to the store page.

Each time, I've really enjoyed the mix of movement and shooting that feels like it's got shades of Titanfall or Spider-Man. It's punishing in a good way, though I definitely recommend tinkering with the grapple options to find the playstyle that suits you best.

With April looking a little light compared to the heavy-hitters of May and June, it might be a good time to check out a smaller title like Rusted Moss. The demo's there either way, and if it hooks you in, the full game hits on April 12.

The post Grapple-swinging shooter Rusted Moss arrives on Steam in April appeared first on Destructoid.

My safe word is "Phlebotomist"

Without hyperbole, Romancelvania has been one of my most anticipated releases this year. I just didn’t expect it to be so soon this year, and honestly, it probably shouldn’t have been. As a fan of both Castlevania and dating sims, you couldn’t throw a bowling ball further up my alley. It’s like inviting me to an afternoon of tea and ToeJam & Earl. I am there. I am already there.

However, my impressions of Romancelvania’s early demo haven’t been forgotten. My worry was that meshing the two concepts was an ambition out of reach of a small team. Having played through the whole game and landed my big fish, I have to say that the chase was indeed a lot more exciting than actually getting it into bed.

[caption id="attachment_367206" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Romancelvania (PC [Reviewed], PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: The Deep End Games
Publisher: 2124 Publishing
Released: March 7, 2023
MSRP: $24.99

The plot of Romancelvania is ripped straight out of its inspiration. Drac has spent a century nursing their wounded pride, after the Van Helsings gave them a whipping so hard their lover left them in disgrace. The Grim Reaper grows tired of the pity party and whips up a reality TV show to help Drac get their mojo back. Drac must travel Transylvania to round up a delectable cast of singles, then gradually eliminate them until picking just one in the end.

The cast is rather diverse. There are tops, bottoms, lefters, righters, doms, subs, and switch-witches. It’s a sex-positive dating sim, so not only can you choose Drac’s gender identity, no one has a sexual preference. From the frat-boy incubus to the well-endowed pumpkin witch, the world is your buffet to rub your genitals on.

It’s quite refreshing. The only downside is that you have three Van Helsings, and you can only pick one. No polyamory option. Whatever, Romancelvania has enough variance to grapple with, to begin with. The point is there’s a lot available to fit your preferences. For me, Fenton the werewolf came in with the advantage of… being a werewolf.

[embed]https://youtu.be/jiNcZfGQu6g[/embed]

Those peaks are turning me on

While the dialogue is laced with overtly sexual themes, the actual content is much tamer. It’s actually something of a mismatch, but perhaps that expectation comes from my familiarity with dating sims. Not that I expect conversations to end with explicit CGs, but Romancelvania isn’t even all that playful with its imagery.

The graphics might be the weakest part of the whole package. The game looks rather uneven and this just gets worse as the game goes on. The characters are represented in the world as 3D models, but in dialogue, there are 2D images. The unfortunate part is that there’s very little diversity to the 2D art, and the 3D is rough. A lot of characters don’t quite match. Ilessa the Succubus, for example, looks ravishing as a 2D image and like a twisted facsimile when the extra dimension is thrown in. She looks like that cockroach monster from Men in Black crawled into the drawing, and moves in much the same way.

What’s worse is that, even on my relatively beefy PC, Romancelvania chugged in a lot of areas. One particular spot was so bad, that I thought there might be a memory leak involved. I rebooted, went back in, and found that the same issue was there.

I just find the graphical work to be uneven and lifeless. It looks fine – even great – in some areas, and then others are a bit more slapdash. I feel like the game would have been better off taking a fully 2D approach, but maybe that’s my love of the source material talking.

[caption id="attachment_367207" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Cuddle in the Bubbles

The consummation of the two genres could have gone a lot better. Romancelvania is one of those situations where combining the two genres created a product that doesn’t excel in either arena. It’s neither a very good dating sim, nor an enjoyable Metroidvania. If the Metroidvania was substandard but the dating portions worthwhile, or vice versa, that would have been preferable. Instead, it’s just all-around kind of weak.

The exploration is technically Metroidvania’s gated exploration formula; As you gain new powers, you get access to different areas. The problem is that the world feels poorly designed. It’s hard to boil this down to a few examples, but the best I can do is tell you that Transylvania has no flow. It’s a lot of disconnected branches going in all directions, so exploration is unsatisfying. Combat is fine, but is limited and lacks nuance. It gets as far as “gets the job done,” then stops.

As for the dating, it has a few high points and a lot of lows. I like the idea of discovering date spots out in the world, but so much of the dialogue feels disposable. You unlock new cast members on a chapter-by-chapter basis, but this means that the last batch you get has very little time to develop. Characters like Vess, the genie, are able to give direct lines to their hang-ups, but others, like the zombie pirate, Robert, I just don’t get.

I really tried getting into the character. Leira, for example, is a striking siren. However, when I tried to get to know her, I found she has the depth of a kiddie pool. Her hang-up is her duty to her royal subjects, and that’s it. Dig in deeper, and that’s the drum she constantly beats on. I still wound up taking her on a final date, based completely on her stunning appearance, and then she dropped the bombshell of what was required to get with her, and it was all over. Maybe that’s on me. I guess it’s an unreasonable expectation that someone will eventually express a personality.

[caption id="attachment_367205" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Puppet-play

Romancelvania’s biggest issue is that it’s monstrously unpolished. It gives that impression from the hop, but as you get closer to taking the bra off, it all starts shaking apart. Parts of it seem to be entirely unused, others seem to have been glued together at the last minute. There’s a skateboarding portion apropos of nothing, and it’s bewilderingly thrown together.

The plot has a major twist at the end, which sounds like it was thought up early on, but when it was finally implemented, it was crammed in as quickly as possible. Such little thought went into tacking the ending together, that I’m not even clear on what the heck even happened. It’s like getting someone’s clothes off, and they suddenly pull out puppets. It’s not your kink, and you might try to have a good time anyway, but the whole experience is going to weigh heavy on your mind later.

I feel like Romancelvania’s mechanics ultimately failed the writing. A lot of the dialogue is genuinely fun and entertaining. However, there wasn’t really enough focus for it. It probably would have been better if more of the visual novel genre had been pulled into it with the action sitting in its own silo, while the romance enjoys its own adventure elsewhere. The dates could have been more than just sitting on a bench and flirting, which gets us absolutely nowhere.

[caption id="attachment_367204" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Chaste

Romancelvania feels a lot like an idea too grand, a team too small, and a deadline too short. There is a lot of vision, a great deal of creativity, and no shortage of love, but all of that got crushed under the reality of the workload. The whole combination of two established subgenres is a substantial experiment, and that requires a lot of prototyping, testing, failing, and starting over. Romancelvania feels like it charged ahead without looking back on a lot of things. As such, the end product is a bit of a mess.

Like your own favorite hand, it gets the job done. You can accurately say that Romancelvania is both dating sim and Metroidvania. However, also like your hand, it’s ultimately an unsatisfying experience.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Romancelvania appeared first on Destructoid.

What is a man? A miserable pile of smooches!

It might be Valentine’s Day, but we’re going to have to wait a bit longer for that love blood to hit the water. The Deep End Games and 2124 Publishing has announced that Romancelvania, their unholy cross-breed of Metroidvania and dating sim, will be hitting the bedsheets March 7, 2023.

Romancelvania introduces us to a Dracula whose confidence is still laid up after a savage beating at the hands of the Van Helsing clan. Their lover left them, their minions don’t respect them, and evil just doesn’t have the same appeal anymore. Death gets fed up with this pity party and sets Dracula up with their own dating show. It’s time to choose from 12 “lucky” singles and help the dark lord (or lady) get their mojo back. Peer pressure is the proven way to turn a spark into a flame.

[embed]https://youtu.be/-iJkv94HlBA[/embed]

Gameplay is a clever combination of gated exploration and choice-driven dialogue. You’re given the option to choose a body type, and the dating options cover whatever it is you’re into, whether you’re more a Medusa or werewolf kind of person. The whole affair is fully voiced, which is an appreciated bit of extra effort.

It feels like simultaneously forever and not that long ago that I played the demo and came away impressed but skeptical. The whole concept seems like it will be extremely difficult to get right, given the amount of player agency available and the two disparate genres that are trying to be married. However, nothing about the demo implied that The Deep End Games is in over the depth, so provided the rest of the game matches the bar set by the earlier peek we got, then we’re in for a real treat.

Romancelvania is out on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on March 7.

The post Romancelvania brings the vampire smooching March 7 appeared first on Destructoid.

Discover the secrets hidden away in shadows

If you've wished that action-platformers would lean a little more in the horror side, then Plot Twist's new game might be up your alley. The Last Case of Benedict Fox is due to arrive on April 27 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and it's coming to Game Pass.

Playing as the titular Benedict Fox, your goal is to uncover your father's secrets following his untimely demise. Benedict isn't alone, however; he's accompanied by a strange, intimidating demon companion, and as he delves deeper into his father's memories, he'll also peer deeper into the abyss.

It's easy enough to sum up Benedict Fox by describing it as "Lovecraft meets Metroidvania," but seeing it play out, the blend works. Developer Plot Twist put out a new guided gameplay look today, showing how investigation and mystery are in store for Benedict alongside the action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKvv--Yc5Yk

Defeating enemies lets Benedict build up ink, which he can then use to tattoo himself for more power. I dig the way these intersecting systems feed into the darker side of the story. It seems like The Last Case of Benedict Fox might be a good pick-up for those who want some more horror in their Metroidvanias.

Joining the pass

Benedict Fox is one of four games highlighted as coming to Xbox Game Pass today over on the Xbox Wire. The other games included are space-sim Everspace 2, side-scrolling narrative adventure Planet of Lana, and co-op mech-farming game Lightyear Frontier.

It's a pretty wide array of video game styles, and it's always nice to see a good variety of games headed to the Pass alongside the big Microsoft titles. Even though some big games are going to be swallowing up the oxygen for the foreseeable future, it's nice to get a spotlight on cool and interesting new games like The Last Case of Benedict Fox.

The post Lovecraft-vania The Last Case of Benedict Fox arrives in April appeared first on Destructoid.

Wascally Wabbit of Wor

Epic Games Store is continuing its Holiday campaign of rolling out a free game for each and every day of the season — And today's offering is an unsung doozy, as users can bag themselves a free copy of TiGames dystopian metroidvania F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch.

Released on PlayStation and PC in the fall of 2021, before being ported to the Switch earlier this year, F.I.S.T. is an anthropomorphic adventure set against the backdrop of a miserable and repressed cityscape, battered and bruised by the hand of an omnipresent corporation known as "Legion". The working class civilians and fallen soldiers of war do what they can to keep their heads down and eik out a meager existence beneath the polluted skies and clanking machinery that rules with a literal iron fist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNZBo8rpw8&ab_channel=F.I.S.T.%3AForgedInShadowTorch

But one ex-soldier, Rayton Rabbit, is ultimately forced to take up arms once again when his dear friend is arrested by the state and taken to Forge Tower — a grim monolith that stands looming over the oily suburbs. Donning what is left of his aging, war-torn battle armor, Rayton sets out on a do-or-die mission to rescue his friend, smash the state, and return the city to its people.

F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch is a fine example of the metroidvania genre, boasting incredibly detailed and layered world design, a dramatic and immersive story, and a very deep combat system — utilizing, strikes, blocks, parries, combos, and all manner of fighting game mechanics. As an original IP, developed by a small Chinese studio, F.I.S.T. flew somewhat under the radar on release, but was easily one of my favorite games of 2021, as well as being one of the most detailed metroidvanias ever.

Even if you don't have the intention of playing it right now, you would do well to bag yourselves this rock-solid title and the incredible price of nothing. F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch is free right now on Epic Games Store. But don't dally, as it will be switched out for another game in just a few hours' time. It is also available on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.

The post Great metroidvania F.I.S.T. is currently free on Epic Games Store appeared first on Destructoid.

Bloodlust. Or perhaps just lust.

If there’s one thing I love more than Castlevania, it’s the fantasy that someone can find me interesting enough to extend our companionship beyond the boundaries of a five-minute conversation about the weather. Ah, yes, that’s the good stuff. Now, what if you took Castlevania and mashed it up with my delusions of tolerability? You’d get Romancelvania, which sounds like a pun that is trying too hard until you realize it’s a play on the word Transylvania and not Castlevania. Video games have warped my perspective on puns, apparently.

However, the way of executing this sort of composition eluded me when I heard the pitch. I could think of a few ways to approach it, and each sounded rather precarious. I’m happy someone is making the attempt, even though I’m skeptical. After spending some time with Romancelvania’s demo, I’m not fully convinced they can pull it off, but I’m satisfied that the project is moving in the right direction.

Gets the blood pumping.

The setup is almost flawlessly clever. You play as Dracula, 99 years after being defeated by humans. The humiliation of being whipped into submission has caused your lover to abandon you and all your followers to start questioning your leadership. You’ve been moping ever since.

Your buddy, Death, has gotten tired of your constant whining and sets you up on a reality dating show. A number of potentially lucky guys and ladies are scattered throughout your newly renovated castle, waiting for you to put the moves on them. Or you can just be friends, which is nice to know. Not everyone is into Incubi, so having the option to keep things platonic is appreciated.

To win them over, you need to pick the best answers from a dialogue tree, complete sidequests for them, and take them on dates.

You charmer, you

You also have to choose one of them to vote off with a currently unknown amount of frequency. This feels like a needless complication to me, and I have to wonder if the small development team is ready to deal with that many permutations of the gameplay. This is a concern I had through much of the runtime, but let me be clear in saying that the demo gave no indication that they’re in over their heads. I’m only saying that when I’m envisioning the end product, my mind gets a bit boggled. It seems precarious to me, but maybe I’m the one who lacks vision.

The demo itself is a small slice that introduces the game’s mechanics. Generally, things are similar to a Castlevania game of the Symphony of the Night formula. Areas are generally locked off until you gather abilities that allow you to bypass whatever obstacle is preventing you from getting there.

Scattered throughout the castle are 12 lucky contestants for you to get to know. The demo only gave a taste of three of these: Medusa, Brocifer, and Vess the genie. The actual cast is quite a diverse buffet for different tastes. There’s a succubus, a werewolf, a siren, and a bunch of others who, I guess, will have to rely on personality to get my attention.

If there’s one thing that Romancelvania nails, it’s setting the potential lovers up as quest investments. You can tell, even from the demo, that you’ll be jumping through hoops to score with any of them, which is, of course, the whole crux of the dating sim genre. Maybe it sounds like I’m stating the obvious, but if Romancelvania comes up short in any of its facets, the whole product will wind up limp and flaccid.

With extra cheese.

It helps that Romancelvania offers options for genders and gender preferences. While the demo only lets you play as the hunky he-Drac, it demonstrates its plans for she-Drac as well. Likewise, the cast of bachelorettes also includes bachelors, as well, and neither seems to have a preference between oysters and blood sausage. Even visual novel-styled dating sims often exclude the ability to set your preferences, so it’s great to see Deep End Games going the extra mile.

Once again, however, this adds an extra bit of chaos into the cauldron, so I remain cautiously optimistic as I watch to see if they can chew all that they’ve bitten off.

All of this is wrapped up in a goofy bow. From the obvious references to the Castlevania series to the provocatively accentuated anatomy, Romancelvania eagerly embraces its cheese. Some of the jokes it reaches for are eye-rolling but almost seem intentionally so. The area you start in, the ruins of Drac’s castle, are rendered with pixel-art textures while Dracula himself is sporting all the latest in abdominal shaders. It’s charming in its awkwardness.

On the other hand, I did get some pretty crap performance on my PC, which seems strange. It had a habit of dropping frames with annoying frequency. There’s still plenty of time to spit-shine the technical side of things, I would just hate to see that get missed.

Immortal pleasures.

There’s a lot that is yet to be seen in Romancelvania. The demo isn’t particularly short, but it only gives a taste of what’s to come. If the dish comes out as flavorful as what’s been shown so far, it’s going to be an absolute feast for fans of dating sims and Castlevania. However, I feel like Deep End Games have set themselves up with quite the balancing act. There are a lot of targets that they need to nail in order to pull off a real knockout.

On the other hand, the demo certainly suggests that they might be able to do it or, at the very least, they’re headed in the right direction. They’ve certainly demonstrated enough talent to gain my attention, so I’ll be eagerly awaiting the opportunity to sink my fangs into it. It’s currently unknown when we’ll get the full four-course meal, and the demo is hardly substantial enough to satisfy, but hopefully, we won’t be waiting too long for some spooky romance.

The post The Romancelvania Demo shows off a strong marriage between two irresistible genres appeared first on Destructoid.

PlayStation owners won't miss out on Silksong

A small piece of Hollow Knight: Silksong news has dropped in today. The long-awaited Hollow Knight follow-up will be coming to PlayStation platforms.

Team Cherry has been gradually adding platforms to the lineup for Silksong. PC and Nintendo Switch are on the docket, and Team Cherry confirmed a few months ago that Silksong is also headed to Xbox Game Pass.

With PlayStation's reveal, it now seems like everyone will get a chance to get in on the new Hollow Knight game when it arrives.

https://twitter.com/PlayStation/status/1570797280063627264

The Game Pass reveal, along with this, is also the latest news we've had on Hollow Knight: Silksong. The long-awaited title is still in development, with no date locked in quite yet.

All that being said, though, the sleek needle-and-thread action of Silksong has looked pretty great in every showing. Here's the latest trailer, as an example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSfuFlhsxZY

Good things for those who wait

It's hopefully not too much longer before we get some official details on Silksong's debut. Considering how much folks loved the original Hollow Knight, it's got some big shoes to fill.

Of course, there have been some quite solid action exploration games, or Metroidvanias, in the gap between. Last year's Axiom Verge 2, a sequel to the excellent Axiom Verge, springs to mind.

Fans really want the dark hollows and armored bugs, though, ever since its reveal as a fully-fledged follow-up in 2019.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC, and Switch sometime in the future.

The post Hollow Knight: Silksong adds PS4 and PS5 to its target platforms appeared first on Destructoid.

It's been how many years?

The long-time-coming sci-fi metroidvania game Ghost Song is almost finished, and considering we first covered it nine years ago, that's a big deal! Developer Old Moon and publisher Humble Games are eying a November 3, 2022 release for Ghost Song across Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Seris X/S — including Game Pass.

If you need a refresher, same. Mostly. I could immediately picture this game's gloomy bioluminescent vibe, as well as its protagonist, but other details were long forgotten.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvRmiOQmCmY

Here's a new trailer for the game showing some of the weapons, from a familiar missile launcher, to a flesh-exploding metal fist, to a fast-stabbing spear. As you blast grotesque aliens and skeletal machinery, you'll generate heat that "empowers your melee attacks."

From a brief look at the inventory screen, we've got stats like Class, Level, HP, Stamina, Resolve, and even Luck. So it's not strictly a matter of finding key items and abilities.

[caption id="attachment_342062" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{A look at the player stats in Ghost Song.}[/caption]

Admittedly, I never backed Ghost Song on Kickstarter, and I haven't been keeping tabs in recent years. Voice acting is an interesting surprise, and I still like the idea of a "Deadsuit" — it just sounds cool. The Super Metroid-inspired antics will unfold on Lorian, a "desolate moon" with notes of "self-discovery, ancient mysteries, and cosmic terror."

With this latest check-in, my expectations are modest, yet hopeful. It's challenging to stand out in this crowded genre, as "good" isn't always "good enough" in today's market. I do think Ghost Song has the right stuff, conceptually — it's just a matter of execution.

If you've got a Steam Deck ready to go, this one seems like a snug fit — wishlist it here. Otherwise, between Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and Game Pass, there will be plenty of ways to check out Ghost Song in November. It's great to finally enter the home stretch.

The post Ghost Song is out in November and Super Metroid fans shouldn’t miss it appeared first on Destructoid.

Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak

It's nice to see a cool off-the-radar indie game resurface with a release window after years of wondering. This is my first time seeing The Siege and the Sandfox, but as a stealth-based metroidvania with detailed pixel art, it quickly left a good impression.

The developers at Cardboard Sword have teamed up with publisher Koch Media to launch their debut game. Along with a new trailer this week (which helps reintroduce the "stealthvania" concept), they've set their sights on a 2023 release on PC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlUN7K2bk1c

If you're curious about the game's name, here's the deal: a desert kingdom is under siege, and you'll sneak around as a legendary figure, the Sandfox, to save the kingdom.

"The Sandfox — known as the Kasha'i — is famed across the land as the legendary line of faithful protectors and servants to the crown. The current holder of this mantle has been left for dead at the base of 'Traitor's Fall' — a deep pit leading to the depths of the underground prisons. Betrayed by the Queen in order to hide her regicide, you must now take on the role of the Sandfox and begin your journey back up to the palace."

Metroidvania meets parkour

With metroidvania roots, expanding your traversal options will be part of the progression and it'll come down to getting new items, equipment, and skills, according to the team.

The Siege and the Sandfox is split up into distinct areas — the prison, palace, mausoleum, and caves, to name a few — but it's all "one giant continuous world."

[caption id="attachment_337304" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Slipping past guards to escape the prison.}[/caption]

As the screenshots show, there's a lot of environmental detail to take in — a godsend when you're trying to weigh your stealth options and hopefully leave no trace.

"This project is a passionate combination of stealth and 16-bit era games, brought into the modern world with beautiful visual effects and techniques," according to Cardboard Sword CEO Olly Bennett. "We wanted to make something new yet nostalgic."

The Siege and the Sandfox will be available for PC on Steam, GOG, the Humble Store, and the Epic Games Store in 2023. Above all, I'm on board for the pixel art.

The post The Siege and the Sandfox is a stealthy metroidvania coming in 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Mighty Metroidvania returns

It's been a bit of a wait, but soon Switch fans will be able to get their furry mitts on of 2021's most undersung releases. Publisher Astrolabe Games announced that dystopian Metroidvania F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch will finally arrive on Nintendo Switch on July 12, priced at $29.99. (Pre-order customers will receive a 10% discount on the price.)

I probably don't need to pour over this title once again to all y'all, especially those who have followed my coverage to date, but F.I.S.T. is a tough, creative, and surprisingly hi-tech adventure that sees a forgotten war hero forced to take up arms (literally) in order to save his friend from the sinister and oppressive regime that presides over the city and its downtrodden populace. Combining finely-detailed locations and animation, solid voice-acting, and a very deep combat system, F.I.S.T. was one of last year's slickest and most engaging adventures.

https://twitter.com/FISTthegame/status/1537430040031334401?s=20&t=apmaU3Y5J0BOYN4M5wJuAA

Despite its pulled-back camera and deceptive looks, TiGames' adventure is actually a pretty resource-heavy release, packed out with impressive special effects, fantastically "live" locations, and hectic, screen-filling boss battles. It will be interesting to see how it ports to the Nintendo Switch hardware and whether it leaves its humble processor sweating carrots. The publisher says that the Switch edition is aiming for 30 FPS at 1080p resolution docked, and 30FPS at 720p in handheld mode.

F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch launches on Nintendo Switch July 12. It is available right now on PlayStation and PC platforms. Microids will release a physical edition on PlayStation and Switch in 2023.

The post F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch hits Nintendo Switch July 12 appeared first on Destructoid.

Cutting through the noise

The Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase had a lot of known quantities — games we already knew about with new content or release dates in tow — but of the new-to-me showings, The Last Case of Benedict Fox stood out. It's a Lovecraft-inspired metroidvania game with a protagonist who's got a "demon companion" inside him. Cool, right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io5-UsjUGvU

As a detective in the 1920s, you'll tango with the occult in combat that Rogue Games and developer Plot Twist describe as "challenging" and suitable for fans of Souls-likes. So far, just going off the trailer, I'm most interested in the art direction and themes; if the more conventional action and platforming hold up decently well, that'll be a bonus for me.

As a fan of The Darkness who still thinks about that game (and to a lesser extent, its sequel) from time to time, the whole internal demonic struggle angle appeals to me.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox is coming to PC and Xbox Series X/S in spring 2023.

The post The Last Case of Benedict Fox is a cosmic horror metroidvania for PC and Xbox appeared first on Destructoid.

Wascally Weaponized Wabbit Weturns

[Update: According to Game Source Entertainment, (via Gematsu), the Nintendo Switch edition of F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch will launch in Japan July 14, suggesting that a western release will not be far behind.]

Publisher Microids has announced that it has signed a deal with bilibili to produce a physical edition of 2021's excellent but under-the-radar release F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch. In addition, it was announced that a Nintendo Switch port of F.I.S.T. is in the works, with a scheduled late-2022 release window.

Any Destructoid regular will know that yer boy Moyse is very much a proponent of F.I.S.T., which was one of, if not my actual favourite release in 2021. Set in a dystopian, steampunk, anthropomorphic world, F.I.S.T. sees an old war veteran don what remains of his well-worn battle armor to take the fight to the oppressors of Torch City’s slum-dwellers. What follows is a stellar metroidvania sporting impressive visuals, deep and satisfying combat, and an air-punching tale of anarchy and redemption.

https://youtu.be/ngNZBo8rpw8

"After the launch of F.I.S.T. Forged In Shadow Torch we’ve received many good reviews from players worldwide, and one of the frequently asked questions was about its physical release in Europe and America,” said TiGames CEO Zhang Tao. "Thankfully, with the help of bilibili and Microids, the question can finally be answered. We hope the physical versions will provide challenge-hungry players with an enjoyable adventure in Torch City. Thank you as always for the warm support!"

While F.I.S.T. has previously received a physical release in Asia, the title has only been available in the west in digital form. Microids hopes to publish a localized physical edition on both PlayStation and Switch platforms in alignment with the release of the new Switch port. I have to admit that, despite how it might look in screenshots/trailers, F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch is a deceptively hefty release from a tech standpoint, so it will be interesting to see how the epic adventure is scaled down for Nintendo's hybrid platform.

F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch is available now on PlayStation and PC. Check out our review right here.

The post (Update) F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch coming to Switch in 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

Valve's new PC game promo covers roguelikes, roguelites, soulslikes, and metroidvanias

Valve is hosting a big Going Rogue sale on Steam this week, and if you're into roguelike games, roguelite games, and everything in between, there are deals to check out by May 9.

Curiously, Steam's digital "festival" is also highlighting a whole bunch of games that were inspired by the Souls, Metroid, and Castlevania series, so the lines are even more blurred than normal. Valve broke down the genre differences in an explainer video, and as someone who tries not to get cranky about ever-shifting game genres, I'll stay out of it.

The main link: "They're all rooted in elements of RPG fantasy or action, and persistence means success." That sums up a lot of my favorite video games, especially lately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3POUi1Imy0k

Whether or not you agree with the organizers' exact terminology, it's still a cute, well-meaning, personable video, and I hope Valve does more of these in the future.

One more caveat: not every Going Rogue game is on sale, so this spotlight is about getting Steam users' attention focused on cool games they might've missed.

The best of the best

Speaking of, it's neat to see the "top-rated" list, which spans Dead Cells, Hades, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Slay the Spire, Rogue Legacy 2, Risk of Rain 2, and even Vampire Survivors. I've been meaning to check out that last one — it's three bucks. What am I waiting for???

You really can't go wrong with any of those well-reviewed picks. I'd also strongly recommend Death's Door for $11.99 — it's suitable for a really wide audience, and I hope it gets the legacy it deserves. What an awesome game; I loved 100%ing it.

As for me, I've got a lot more Rogue Legacy 2 grinding ahead of me. In case you missed it, the 1.0 version is out and it's fantastic. And better yet, it's 20 percent off right now.

The post Steam’s Going Rogue sale is full of great time sinks appeared first on Destructoid.

Steam first on April 28, then Switch down the line

I don't need three lines! If I had to sum up Haiku, the Robot in a single word, I'd stick with "comfy." This retro-style metroidvania from Mister Morris Games is launching on April 28 for Steam — with a Nintendo Switch version planned down the road — and it looks comfy, like the kind of familiar experience that'll do exactly what it needs to do.

The game's creator, Jordan Morris, just announced the PC date with a new trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcd1LuV2iVg

The color palette, protagonist's dash ability, and potential for playstyle customization with the "chip" system are all doing it for me. A game without humans sounds nice, doesn't it?

"On your journey, you will pick up different pieces of the story enshrouding the mysterious explosion that happened 200 years ago and how machines came to life," said Morris.

"All the abilities have been designed to work with and without each other, leading to different combinations and methods of traversal. You choose how you want to tackle certain challenges. Countless hours have been spent iterating on the feel and responsiveness of the controls in order to ensure that the game feels great to play."

[caption id="attachment_317142" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Not everyone is out to get Haiku.}[/caption]

While the Steam release is imminent, it's been a journey — Haiku, the Robot was funded, at least in part, through a modest Kickstarter. The original plan was to get the game out in October 2021, though Morris (smartly) ended delaying it and didn't publicly commit to a new date until now to avoid extra stress. As for the Switch version, a simultaneous release "was too much work for one person," so that'll be out... later! Don't rush it.

"Bug fixing on both platforms would have probably killed me haha," said the creator.

The post Haiku, the Robot is out soon and it’s worth a look for metroidvania fans appeared first on Destructoid.

Wascally Wabbit Weturns

Everyone's favorite spoiler — the Taiwan Game Rating Committee — has dropped a new listing for a Nintendo Switch port of TiGames excellent furry adventure F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch. While not an official confirmation, the board has developed a rep for revealing titles long before their official announcements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZEiT8QZbmY

Released on PlayStation and PC platforms in the fall of 2021, F.I.S.T. in a steampunk metroidvania that follows a weary war hero as they attempt to mount a resistance against a violent and oppressive regime, Legion, which has brought war and ruin to the fuzzy citizens of Torch City. Armed (literally) with the clunky remnants of his old battle armor, Rayton Rabbit begins his journey into the industrial hell of Forge Tower, unaware of the ghosts of the past that await him within.

Despite its small budget and unproven IP, I will personally go to bat for F.I.S.T. as one of 2021's best, most unsung releases. With gorgeous visuals, characterful animation, deep combat mechanics, and a solid, unrelenting challenge, TiGames and BiliBili delivered one of my favorite platform adventures in many years. Hopefully, this supposed Nintendo Switch port of F.I.S.T. will faithfully capture the compelling action of its PlayStation and PC brethren — bringing this great game to a wider audience.

F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch is available now on PlayStation and PC (via Steam and EGS).

The post F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch rated for Switch in Taiwan appeared first on Destructoid.

Crusader: No Remorse

[Warning: Infernax contains brief flashing images, as depicted in the trailer below. There is an option to minimize (not remove) these effects, and Team Berzerk is working on an update to improve their implementation for photosensitive players.]

Dark clouds gather on the morrow. The lands of Upel were hardly the most resplendent of homesteads to begin with, but now — infested with unholy terrors and ageless nightmares — its ramshackle towns and barren farmland have been transformed into a literal hell on Earth. The people cower in fear as demons, monsters, and the undead lay siege to each and every night and day. The military is powerless, the monarchy worthless, and the land godless.

Into this living purgatory strides Lord Alcedor, returning home from the violent and bloodthirsty horrors of The Crusades. Finding his kingdom in ruin and his people slaughtered, Alcedor stands the one hope, the only hope, between the restoration of the land and the literal End of Days. Already well-worn and weary from his recent battles, Alcedor dons his crimson-stained armor and lifts his trusty mace once more. The Lord of the Land is both unprepared and ill-equipped to face the ghastly horror ahead.

Still, evil must be fought and the day won. The power of Christ compels him.

Infernax (PS4 [reviewed], Xbox Game Pass, PC, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Berzerk Studio
Publisher: The Arcade Crew / Dotemu
Released: February 14, 2021
MSRP: $19.99

Infernax, developed by metal af indie outfit Berzerk Studio, is a particularly bloody love letter to the brutal platform RPGs of the 8-bit era. Taking titles such as Castlevania II: Simon's Quest and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link as its key influence, Infernax styles itself after an era of gaming where challenge was paramount, sadistic design commonplace, and the odds always stacked against you. Daubed in a classic aesthetic and splashed with lashings of gore, Infernax is an everything-or-nothing tribute to yesterday's classics... with difficulty to match.

Recalling the earliest examples of the Metroidvania genre, (before the term was even coined), Infernax tasks the player with guiding Lord Alcedeor throughout his doom-trodden kingdom, slaughtering hellspawn, aiding the locals, and, ultimately, banishing a host of gruesome-looking demons that could only be crafted in the most twisted of minds. Armed with a silver mace, a rugged shield, and a scant handful of basic hexes, Alcedor is most assuredly the underdog in this quest — it's going to take razor reflexes and steel nerve to send Paimon, Mammon, Leviathan, and the rest of their demonic ilk spiraling unto the darkness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeWqzYmfOu4

It should be noted that Infernax wears its love for the NES scene violently on its sleeve. While our modern technology allows for sharper visuals and tighter control inputs than those of gaming's favorite lunchbox, Team Berzerk has made efforts to ensure Infernax does not tread too far beyond its retro roots. As such, this adventure is relatively simplistic in both its style and its gameplay design, with a sense of repetition to the visuals, locations, sounds, and rogues' gallery of monsters. Infernax rarely oversteps an "8-bit" boundary. A bold move, but one that fortunately pays off.

Lord Alcedor can explore his cursed land with relative freedom, investigating local villages and venturing deep into dank dungeons and foreboding castles. As his journey progresses, our hero can trade in the spoils of war for enhanced armor, weaponry, new spells, and stat boosts, all of which are absolute necessities for survival in the kingdom of Upel, where death awaits in every step and shadow, Alcedor's opposition decided by a rotational day and night cycle.

As this warrior lays waste to skeletons, banshees, and sorcerers, Alcedor will find himself faced with numerous moral choices, all of which risk potentially devastating consequences for the land of Upel, its citizens, and the hero himself. So choose wisely, for as Alcedor picks his way through his holy quest and a huge plethora of side-affairs, numerous fates await his words and actions.

Infernax is steadfast in its challenge, a hardy affair that will resonate immediately with anyone who remembers the sadistic platformers of yesteryear. Infernax isn't difficult in the same way, say, Bloodborne is difficult, nor does it require the muscle memory of scalpel-precise platformers such as Celeste or Super Meat Boy. No, Infernax is simply tough by the simplicity of its own design, recalling the days of weighty jumping, unruly enemy placement, and a distinct lack of health pickups.

Do you wake up in cold sweats thinking about Castlevania's Medusa heads? Then you already know the score. Instadeath upon coming into contact with water? You better believe it. At least you can cheer yourself up with the title's love affair with gruesome pixelated gore. Do you miss Splatterhouse's skinned babies? Have I got the game for you.

Despite its old-fashioned gameplay style, (as well as its stone-cold dedication to your demise), Infernax remains a compelling adventure. It's hard as nails, but it certainly isn't unfair. Bear that in mind as your corpse lies motionless, (and stomachless), in Stormheim Castle — perhaps the first major "tap-out" point for some players. Even with a slim cast of characters and a relatively thin story, Infernax still offers a solid 7-10 hours of engaging olde-wurlde adventure — mostly thanks to its nihilistic tone, menagerie of boss demons, and gruesome, blocky-blooded beheadings.

Infernax makes no allusions as to what it is: a simple yet passionate throwback to a golden age of gaming, warts an' all. Infernax boasts neat pixelated visuals, great "horror comic" artwork, a pleasing chiptune score, and one hell of a challenge — packaged with the sort of bloodlust and satanic panic that might've seen it land in front of the senate 35 years ago. I miss those days. And, if you do too, then perhaps a weekend with Infernax is just what your sanitized brain needs. Thanks to its inclusion on Xbox Game Pass, (and its modest $20 price tag), it won't even break the bank... just your spirit.

Given its strict adherence to an '80s gaming mentality, Team Berzerk's tough, visceral platform adventure might not be for everyone. But, for those who crave sadomasochistic challenges, doomsday storytelling, and absolute lashings of the red stuff, Infernax offers up a cathartic dose of 8-bit heathenism. Just run through a few FromSoft titles beforehand... You'll need to warm up, after all.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Infernax appeared first on Destructoid.

Bad year, great games

Hey kids! I hope you had a fun and frisky 2021. I guess it's possible that you did, but for most of us, it was pretty torturous. I know I shouldn't complain. No one close to me got super sick, I kept my job, and despite the constant stress and drain that came from maintaining in the midst of year two of a global pandemic, I still managed to get a bunch of cool projects done. I even have a sheep named after me in The Good Life.

But I also shouldn't pretend to be happy with 2021 when I'm not. This year was disillusioning, both in and out of the games industry. Many great titles were relatively ignored while mostly-worthless trends like NFTs seemed to be everywhere. Tons of people in power throughout the industry were revealed to have done terrible things. And to cap it all off, the CEO of Square Enix capped off the year by saying that he wants to move in a "games are not for fun" direction. The cream was sinking to the bottom while the turds rose to the top. It's enough to make you want to throw in the blood-soaked, stinking towel.

But there were many, many games that kept that towel soft and warm. Just playing games, as opposed to writing about them, talking about them, or thinking about them, did more to keep me going in 2021 than any other in my adult life. My total playtime with games was five times longer in 2021 than it was in 2020. Some of that was coping. Some of it was also keeping my kid engaged when he couldn't play with his friends. But most of all, it was a way to make a deep connection with the people who made the games through their work, in a year when connection was in short supply.

Here are some of the games of 2021 that did the best job of that.

My favorite surprise of 2021: Astalon: Tears of Earth

I'm a sucker for games that are made by small teams, and they don't get much smaller than LABS Works. Matt Kap, artist on Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Castle in the Darkness, founded the studio in 2018, and their debut game is a stunner. In a world packed to the gills with indie games of all shapes and sizes, all vying for your attention, Astalon: Tears of Earth humbly plops itself on your lap and says "Hey, remember Xanadu, the Japan-only PC prequel to Faxanadu, which is a weird NES game that you probably don't remember?" Sadly, most people seem to have answered "No."

And they're missing out! But how can I explain that to you with just words? Well, if that Faxanadu reference was lost on you, then maybe you've heard of La-Mulana, the notoriously mean Metroidvania series? Astalon is like La-Mulana but fair, and with five distinctly different playable characters that have really fun powers. And it's got key art by the creator of the 90's anime series Dragon Half! It's great stuff! But sadly, it just didn't stand out for a lot of folks amid waves hands around furiously all of this 2021 shit.

I have been following Matt Kap for years, but I may not have known about Astalon if he didn't cold email me and ask me to play it. As I did, I felt like I was sitting over Matt's shoulder as he struggled through making the game, grinning big when a particular puzzle really came together and sighing just as big when he hit a major setback on his way to the finish line. For people who love the 8-bit era of sword and sorcery adventure games, Astalon is as authentic a love letter as they come. Anyone who loves the genre is sure to feel just as loved.

My favorite guilt-free game to play with my kid: S.U.M.

2021 was the first year that I ever had to teach a child (my son) how to do math. It's harder than you might think. In a year that was already filled with massive problems to solve, there weren't many days when, come 7 p.m., my brain was energized with great ideas on how to explain why a "10" is actually "ten ones" and not "a one next to a zero".  The hardest, and also most interesting, thing about trying to teach a kid something new is you can only rely on the knowledge they already have for context.

You're also restricted by their limited list of motivations. You can't squeeze blood from a stone, and you can't get a person whose brain naturally wanders towards blowing up monsters in Dusk (the boomer shooter) instead of tips and tricks on how to add up to solutions higher than 20. One night he announced "I want a game with monsters, where you don't see the character you play, and you kill the monsters. That's all I'm going to do." He was putting me to task.

After searching the Switch eShop store for a few minutes, I found a game that met his criteria. S.U.M. Slay Uncool Monsters met all his criteria, and it also taught the boy basic addition and subtraction (it also has the option to do multiplication and division, but we're not there yet). There were many times I wondered if I was making the right choices in 2021. Should I have let him even play a bit of Dusk, No More Heroes 3 (with the swears turned off), Axiom Verge 2, and Metroid Dread, or would they give him nightmares for life? Should I have instead been engaging in non-nightmarish, fatherly fun like tossing around the football and telling him about how good vegetables are for his skin? Or is that its own kind of nightmare?

I'll never know for sure, but I have no doubt that we shared some virtual adventures that we'll never forget, and that at least one of them made him way better than his friends at basic addition and subtraction.

My favorite "It's great but I wish it was even better" game of 2021: Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread is the franchise's Force Awakens. It sticks to the formula to a fault, calling back to all the surface-level things that fans praise in the series while shaving off all the rough edges that may not appeal to modern audiences. The problem for me is, those rough edges are exactly why the series has stuck with me all those years. My ideal Metroid moment-to-moment steps are: 1) Be thrust into an illogical, alien world 2) Get stuck 3) Experiment with new things (tools, techniques, and or strategies) 4) Discover what works 5) Master what you've discovered 6) Repeat.

There was definitely some of that in Metroid Dread, but the developers' urge to turn Samus into "The Badass Action Hero that you know from the Smash Bros. series"  instead of a "plodding, slow jumping astronaut with little mainstream appeal" led Dread to feel more like a 2D Bayonetta title than anything else. And that's not a bad thing! I really had fun with Dread. It just wasn't a full return to the things about the series I really love. I didn't get lost once! Everything was so clearly signposted. I also rarely felt afraid or intimidated. After getting killed by a boss or an E.M.M.I. a few times, their tells and patterns became clear, and they all became pretty easy to beat. And that's cool! It's nice to see Samus be fully empowered early on for a change.

It's also a relief to see her finally win her psychological battles. More so than any other game in the series, Dread shows Samus come to terms with her trauma. In the end, (Spoilers) she fully embraces the ways others have altered her, and the rage she feels about it, and masters it all. Self-acceptance is a beautiful thing, and it was very loving of Nintendo and Mercury Steam to want to give that gift, and many others, to their #1 Sci-Fi Action star. It's just that in order to also make the game a crowd-pleaser, they made Dread a sweet, super-powered breeze instead of the confounding storm of escape rooms that I grew up with.

My "I heard it wasn't great but it's actually amazing" game of 2021: SkateBIRD

When you love someone, their imperfections look beautiful. You can see why other people may not feel the same way about them, but you wouldn't change them for the world. That's how I feel about SkateBIRD. I get that, especially pre-patch, the game felt chunky and tough to grasp. But that's exactly how real skateboarding feels for me, a 45-year old man who has definitely ollied once, but it was a long time ago. Even then, it really may have been more of a half-olly that mostly failed. At this point, who's to say?

SkateBIRD embraces that kind of subjectivity. Come to think of it, there are a few ways that it feels more like classic Metroid than even Dread does. Instead of being a human with bird alien DNA trying to navigate through a bird alien hideout, you're a bird wearing people clothes trying to do people things. The world of humans is not built for you, but with the right mix of tenacity and curiosity, you can go places you never thought possible, pulling off moves once thought unthinkable.

And that soundtrack! Imagine the music from Jet Set Radio, but with samples of bird-obsessed scientists awing at a majestic Heron Gull one minute, and a confident young lad declaring that the president is a racist transphobe the next. It's truly an album for the ages.

My favorite "I heard it was bad but I wish it was even worse" game of 2021: GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition

I cannot legitimately enjoy the GTA series. I have tried and tried, but on the whole, they just feel bad. I don't think I would like the people that came up with them. It feels like they don't even like video games that much. Sure, they like what games can do, but instead of embracing the surreality, the creativity, and the heart of the medium, they just want to recreate Quentin Tarantino's '90s movies. They want to let you be a sociopath who... loves to explore? I don't get it. Playing 3D GTA games feels like working a boring-but-demanding job for asshole bosses, all at the cost of doing anything worthwhile with your time (and from some accounts, making them feel that way too.)

Of course, I've felt pretty alone with that opinion for the past 20 years or so. For a long time, it felt like there were two kinds of people in this world; the ones who steer clear of "Grand Theft Auto" because it sounds like a deep dive into the dank dumpster of our collective cultural consciousness, and the ones who can't wait to take that dip. The folks in the first group usually think all video games are trash. That's definitely not me. The folks in the second group usually have an attraction to being the "bad guy" in games. That's not me either! So that's been my pickle for the past two decades.

For the record, I also like the Star Wars prequels, hate Space Jam, and think that the N64 is Nintendo's worst console by a country mile. For a long time, people thought I was a dunce for these opinions as well, but for whatever reason, time seems to have brought many over to my way of thinking. Apparently, the prequels are cool again, Space Jam is largely recognized to be an overwrought McDonald's commercial, and people think N64 games look terrible! Welcome to my brain, everyone!

And that's exactly how I felt when I saw how much people hated the recently released GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition. "Hey, this game looks like crap..." Yeah, they always have! "These missions are repetitive and dull..." Yes! Always has been again! "The rain in this game looks like bukkake..."

Well, that one's new, but it's definitely still on-brand.

These three remastered GTA games looked like cheap cash grabs, unloved and uncared about. That felt honest to me. A series about stealing stuff for easy money was trying to get away with a criminally shitty "definitive" version of their "classic titles". Even better, they were so broken that they finally felt like video games again. Human faces suddenly appear in walls, cars grow to massive sizes for no reason, and people trash-talk before blasting off into space. Purely by accident, GTA had finally gotten weird and silly, and had become a worthwhile self-parody in the process. I was ready to buy the physical Switch port (the most broken version) on day one, just for laughs.

Then it was delayed indefinitely, as the publisher was surely aghast at these games finally getting the low review scores they always deserved. It's a bummer that, after GTA finally went to being "so bad it's good" from "so bad it's boring" that Rockstar is undoubtedly trying to make them blander again. But who knows, maybe they will go full Cruelty Squad with the Switch port when it's finally sold on the cartridge. One can hope.

My favorite small game of the year: Mon Amour

At the same time, I was feeling alone with my dislike of the GTA games on the PS2, I was falling in love with another open-world game on the console: Chulip, the exploration and kissing game. It was everything that GTA wasn't: cute, funny, kind, and quick to punish you for stepping out of line. And in this game, you're in line for a smooch!

Once again, history has proven my weird taste in games to be the correct one. Chulip is now worth a bunch of money on the resale market, and people much smarter and more interesting than I talk about how great it is all the time. The creator of the game has taken notice as well. His latest game, Mon Amour, returns to Chulip's smooching concept but makes it a simple Flappy Bird-esque arcade game. That doesn't sound that great, does it? But it is! The music, the graphics, the comedy, all top-notch, but my favorite thing about the game is the way if feels. In real life, it's hard to know if you're doing things right, and that goes double for moving in for your first kiss. Mon Amour replicates that feeling of "moving forward cautiously, following your instincts, but ready to fail at any moment" perfectly. Subjectively, it's perfect.

My favorite medium-sized game of 2021: Axiom Verge 2

Axiom Verge 2 is also about boldly moving into the unknown. At the start, it's not a lot like the first game, eschewing old-school Metroid aesthetics for a more athletic, organic exercise. It's about a new lead character doing new things in a new place, and while lore-hounds for the first game will find plenty of allusions to the original, this game definitely didn't need to be called Axiom Verge 2. In fact, calling it that was a pretty big risk, at least from a marketing perspective. But the risk paid off, and in the end, it makes sense.

Just as the original Axiom Verge was, intentionally or not, an accurate reflection of the one-person development team's psyche, the sequel catches us up with where Tom Happ, the creator of the franchise, is in his life today. He's a dad now, working to create both a good life for his kid with one hand and to make even better games than he has before with the other. The path to meet both goals is indelibly intertwined. He can't make money for his family if he doesn't make good games, and he can't make good games unless he creates honest work that could only come from him.

I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entirety of my playtime with Axiom Verge 2, waiting to see exactly if, and how, Tom would pull off this dual aim. In the end, he nailed it. My only complaint about the game is there isn't more of it. When the credits finally rolled, I was not ready to quit. Then again, that's true of just about every one of the games on this list. Thankfully, most of them are sure to get some sort of sequel and/or DLC expansion at some point. They all did pretty well, so we probably won't have to say goodbye to them anytime soon.

My favorite big game of 2021: No More Heroes 3

I can't believe this is goodbye! No More Heroes 3 has so many hints of where the series could go from here, from movie adaptations by Takashi Miike to Back to the Future-style forays into the far-flung foibles of Travis's offspring. (SPOILERS) I mean, he cuts his brother in half, and like five minutes later, is decapitated by him! And we still don't know exactly how why! This can't be the end, can it?

It is.

In retrospect, you can tell Suda51 was planning to make this the last game in the series. Last episodes of TV shows often swing for the fences in the same way. For a series, all the episodes before the final one have a specific job to do; to get you to want to watch the next one. The last episode doesn't have to pursue the audience in the same way. It exists in a time where there's no tomorrow.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wVs3NDHRAs[/embed]

For Quantum Leap, that meant capping things off with a bunch of small talk among characters you'd never seen before. For Jim Henson's Dinosaurs, it meant bringing a heavenly Apocolypse down to Earth. For No More Heroes 3, it meant all that and more. We've heard that even more magic was planned for the game, and fans will always wonder what could have been, but there is no doubting that this is the fullest, most fun entry in the series. Just as our old pal Jirard "The Completionist" Khalil. He put hundreds of hours into the game and is one of the few people in the world to truly see it all.

Someday, I might see it all too. No More Heroes 3 is a game I plan to play for the rest of my days. It's broken in all the right ways while fixing all of the things that were less than perfect about its predecessors. More importantly, it loves No More Heroes, and its fans, with all its heart. In a year where it was easy to lose sight of what was good, games like this reminded me why I love the medium, and I'm grateful for it.

The post Jonathan Holmes’ favorite games of 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.

The PlayStation and Xbox ports are here, but the Nintendo Switch version is coming in January

Almost nine months later, Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is available on some — but not quite all — consoles, and I figured a PSA was in order. It's a neat game!

If you missed the PC release of this Symphony of the Night-lookin' action-RPG, perhaps you'll be more into the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X/S ports. Those console versions are all available as of this week from Team Ladybug, priced at $24.99 a pop, while the Nintendo Switch edition is held up until January 28, 2022, due to a last-minute delay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5IUiPqSOL8

Crucially, Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a part of Xbox Game Pass, and that's actually how I've been playing — with cloud streaming in my browser, in fact. I played up through the first boss to get an impression, and while it's got a more straightforward structure (which could be a pro or con depending on how much exploration you want in your Castlevanias and/or metroidvanias), the pixel art is sweet and the wind, fire, and bow mechanics are pretty interesting. Whether the short run time matches the price will be up to you.

I don't know the first thing about the source material — we've got Chris for that! — but Zoey said that was fine in her review of the PC version, and so far, I tend to agree.

If you're hoping for a physical release, one's coming. Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is gearing up for a physical version on PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch from Red Art Games. And as a status check of sorts, Playism says the Steam release has cleared 100K sales to date.

With such a late-in-the-year launch, I could easily see this going under the radar. Hopefully it connects with the hungry SotN crowd, even if it's not on that level.

The post Now that it’s on consoles, don’t forget about Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth appeared first on Destructoid.

Rebuild a broken world

Islets is an upcoming fantasy adventure that caught my wandering eye this past weekend — developed by home coder Kyle Thompson of Sheepo fame, the metroidvania title has scored a publisher in Armor Games Studios and will arrive on PC in 2022.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYMdmOdiVEs

Set in a gloriously old-school fantasy kingdom, Islets is described by the publisher as a "surprisingly wholesome metroidvania," and sees a plucky young hero, Iko, on a quest to explore and reunite a series of floating isles, reigniting the magnetic core of each location in order to pull the kingdom back together. Of course, this being an adventure title, there will be plenty of dastardly enemies for Iko to defeat, hazards to be negotiated, and puzzles to be overcome en route to rebuilding the lush world in all of its finery.

As Iko picks their way through each location — transported via rickety airship — they will unlock new abilities, gather new weapons and tools, and interact with a fun cast of friendly, not-so-friendly, and decidedly 'sus characters. As the islets reconnect, jigsaw-style, new pathways will be opened to Iko, allowing him to explore deeper into the world and its secrets. With a delightful cartoon aesthetic, a jaunty musical score, and some challenging-looking boss battles, Islets looks set to be a perfect weekend-filler, and definitely worth penciling into the notepad of adventure game fans.

Islets will launch on PC at some point in 2022. I'll be sure to give y'all a heads-up when a release date is announced.

The post Islets is a spirited fantasy metroidvania journeying onto PC in 2022 appeared first on Destructoid.

Don't, don't, don't, don't stop the beat

Oh Shantae, I just can't quit you. We haven't heard from you in quite some time, and your last video game was a staggering disappointment, but you remain utterly and infectiously loveable... What's that? You would like me to purchase you AGAIN, on yet another platform? In the form of an Ultimate Edition? Well, your wish is my command, sister.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PFY8oZooxM

This is my wistful way of telling all y'all that Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is now readily available on PS5. The new "Ultimate Edition" brings the magical dancing gal's animated antics onto next-gen platforms, with a (slightly) revamped edition of her best-selling 2016 release, the third sequel in the colorful platforming franchise. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition includes the base game as well as all its DLC expansions and additional modes — from Friends to the End and Pirate Queen's Quest, to the Hard Core difficulty setting and the very important "Jammies" mode.

In terms of PS5 "upgrades," it's a little light, mostly pertaining to DualSense support and Activity functionality — which is kind of like when DVDs listed "Interactive Menu" as a special feature. Still, it's great to see this beloved adventure-ready and raring to go on a new platform. Better still, owners of the original PS4 edition of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero will bag themselves the Ultimate Edition upgrade free of charge. Delightful. While Shantae's fans wait on tenterhooks for word on a brand new escapade, a quick dash through one of our girl's best adventures isn't going to harm anyone.

The post Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition dances onto PS5 appeared first on Destructoid.

But Epic Game Store release will be a little late

TiGames' brilliant furry metroidvania F.I.S.T. is now available to purchase on PC via Steam, following its September release on PlayStation platforms. An Epic Games Store port was also scheduled, but unforeseen circumstances have since pushed it back to a later date. Yes, it's me telling you to play F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch again. Sorry not sorry.

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is an industry and anarchy-themed adventure that sees a world-weary war hero take up arms (literally) once again after his old war buddy vanishes from the miserable, grimy streets of Torch City, taken prisoner by the suffocating corporate entity known as "Legion". With the help of a rag-tag band of resistance fighters and what little reserve is left in the ol' tank, Rayton Rabbit begins a gloomy but action-packed escapade to climb Forge Tower, rescue his friend, and maybe even return the burned-out 'berg to its humble days of former glory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNZBo8rpw8

Sneaking out under-the-radar, F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is an excellent adventure, featuring a great cast of anthropomorphic characters, a doom-laden plotline, intricate and detailed visuals, and deep and very adaptive combat mechanics. It can be tough to take a chance on a new, unestablished IP, but if 2021 has taught us anything, (Death's Door, Tails of Iron), this is the year of the oddities. If you're a metroidvania fan, I urge you to take a chance on what I genuinely believe is one of the year's best releases. Oh, and you can currently bag the Steam edition with a 10% price discount.

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is available now on PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam.

The post The excellent F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is now available on PC via Steam appeared first on Destructoid.

Alien terror won't take a bite out of your MicroSD

It's a big week for both Nintendo Switch owners and — more specifically — Metroid heads, as Friday will see the release of the highly anticipated Metroid Dread, as legendary hero Samus Aran once again dons the power armor for alien-blasting, vent-rolling, wall-bombing mayhem. To get Switch players prepped, Nintendo has announced the new adventure's modest file size

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOvefm5U250

Metroid Dread, despite its epic nature, will only take up around 4.1GB of Switch/MicroSD memory, a very impressive file size for what will no doubt be quite the labyrinthine adventure. Nintendo, of course, has already proven itself a master of data compression when it comes to its own titles and hardware, (often leaving third-party devs to gnash their teeth in frustration), and it appears that the Metroid Dread file size will be no different, fitting snugly into the console without breaking the bank.

Developed by Nintendo and MercurySteam, Metroid Dread is a direct sequel to 2002 Game Boy Advance release Metroid Fusion, and will see Samus stranded on the sinister planet ZDR in her continuing battle against the frightening "X" parasites. Metroid Dread will feature all of the upgrade-based exploratory action that has made the enduring franchise such as smash hit, dripping in claustrophobic terror as Samus delves further into ZDR's hi-tech nightmare.

Metroid Dread launches on Nintendo Switch October 8.

The post Metroid Dread compact size should fit snugly into your Nintendo Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Wabbit Season extends onto Steam and EGS

Publisher BiliBili and developer TiGames have announced that brilliant metroidvania F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch will be bringing its anthro-dystopia to PC in October, following on from its release on PlayStation earlier this month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNZBo8rpw8

Set in a miserable, repressed, anthropomorphic society, F.I.S.T. is the story of a burned-out war hero, Rayton Rabbit, forced to don what little remains of his former battle armor and lead the local resistance in a fight against the ruthless cybernetic corporation known as Legion, towering over the grimy slums and alleyways of Torch City. With his newfound allies and more than a few tricks up his furry sleeve, Rayton scales the industrial nightmare that is Forge Tower with dreams of a better, safer, liberated world, and woe betide those that would speak of less.

As noted in our review, F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is an excellent release, featuring a brilliantly realized universe, an interesting cast of characters, a deep and satisfying combat system, and a grim-but-fun, comic-book-style narrative. It is without a shadow of a doubt one of my favorite games of 2021 — perhaps my favorite of 2021 period, and this incoming PC release can only help open up this low-key gem to a wider audience. TiGames did not offer a specific release day, but we'll keep you informed.

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch hits PC on Steam and Epic Games Store in October. It is available now on PlayStation.

https://twitter.com/FISTthegame/status/1441232188209459200?s=20

The post The fantastic F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch burns a path to PC next month appeared first on Destructoid.

The Fast & The Furriest

Can they still call you a war hero, even when you lost? Who knows whether such thoughts bother the mind of Rayton Rabbit, sitting in silent seclusion, just another moving dot within the rusted nightmare of Torch City. It wasn't always like this for the furtizens, mind. The city was once bustled with activity and commerce, awash with plant life and clean skies. Then the machines came... "progress" came. Ray and his fellow resistance members fought, and fought hard. They gave it their all. Lives spent, battles won and lost, but eventually, inevitably, defeat. Six endless years of battling Legion and its battalion of mechanical marvels, and it was over. The machines had won.

And what's Torch City today? Industry. A robotic police state in which to exist, but not live. The crystal-clean skies now just a fable told to the young. And while Ray has long resigned himself to live out his advancing age in the shadows of local dives, fate has more conflict in store. His friend and comrade, Urso, is now a prisoner of Legion, held somewhere deep within the impregnable Forge Tower. Ray's tour of duty is over — long over — but as any good soldier knows... You don't leave a man behind.

After all, isn't that what war heroes are made of?

F.I.S.T: Forged in Shadow Torch (PS5 [reviewed], PS4, PC)
Developer: TiGames
Publisher: BiliBili
Released: PlayStation: September 7, 2021, PC: TBA
MSRP: $29.99

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is a new action-adventure developed by TiGames and published by Chinese video-sharing giant BiliBili. This brand new IP is set within the miserable, grimy, Dieselpunk universe of Torch City, a run-down but functioning society wherein the anthropomorphic residents — or "Furtizens" — eke out what little lives they can under the shadow of their fascistic overlords, Legion. Players step into the worn jumpsuit of Rayton Rabbit, called back into action following the sudden arrest of his best friend. Summoning the last of his guile, Ray dons what little of his former battle armor remains and sets out for Forge Tower on a rescue mission, unaware that this already impossible task is only the beginning...

It seems almost redundant to describe F.I.S.T.'s gameplay, given its tried-and-tested metroidvania nature. As is to be expected, Ray explores a vast 2.5D map — stretching from Torch City's dizzying heights to its seedy underbelly — unlocking abilities and skills, gaining access to a furry flurry of cool abilities. But as Ray's mission takes him deeper and deeper into the city, our hero will acquire destructive new weaponry, athletic new skills, and uncover a twisted tale of redemption, betrayal, friendship, class war, and that all-important ingredient: Hope. While all of the above might seem trivial, unoriginal, or even rote to some readers, F.I.S.T has a selection of aces up its sleeve... Perhaps the most important of which being "Holy shit, it's great."

https://youtu.be/ngNZBo8rpw8

While F.I.S.T. hardly scores in the originality stakes, (at least where method is concerned), the ambitious title knocks it out of the park with almost everything that it brings to its grim party. First and foremost is TiGames' eye for detail and its fascination with design. Torch City, for all of its grunge and misery, is a stunning game environment, with scalpel-precise intricacy oozing out of each of its alleyways, sewers, prison blocks, and industrial furnaces. Every new location is an immersive wonder, given atmosphere through amazing light and shadow effects and backed with a weighty, suitably industrial score. Torch City, for all its heavy stylization, feels alive. And despite the overall dismal tone of this particular zootopia, The oppressed 'berg is packed full of surprises — such as the delectable hub world of "Jofree Avenue": a haven of '40s noir hidden between the pumping pistons and hydraulic presses of Forge Tower. Play it again, Ray.

A similar focus toward design powers F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch at every available opportunity. From Ray's own dieselpunk weaponry, gleefully inventive quick-travel posts, suit-washing save points, item shops, and unlockable paint jobs for Ray's arsenal. Every facet of F.I.S.T. has soul put into its creation and animation: A store vendor with an expandable shop; Rube Goldberg doorway designs; a metamorphosing giant drill. Torch City, from its open vistas to its smallest of hovels, is quirky, surprising, and fascinating — a testament to the lengths gone to make the smallest details of its cog-wheeled world count.

For as good as F.I.S.T. looks, it plays. Bunny by nature, Ray is an agile fellow and controls like a dream. In this particular genre, movement is paramount, due to the long hauls and backtracking often required. Our boy Ray is more than up to the task, offering the player not only a solid sense of speed and taut control but also rapidly receiving access to acrobatic abilities that keeps progress across the huge game world fast and engaging. And while the double jumps, air dashes, and wall slides might all have been ripped from The Big Book of Metroidvania, where F.I.S.T. brings the innovation is in its surprisingly deep combat mechanics.

Ray starts out his quest with just his big ol' fist, the last remaining component of his former war mech. F.I.S.T integrates a combo-based combat system not dissimilar to fighting games, encouraging the player to lay waste to The Iron Dogs with power punches, air-jabs, diving axhandles, and running haymakers, all rounded off with meaty finishing moves. As Ray upgrades his abilities, he is afforded more varied strikes, leading to the application of FGC favorites such as wall-bounces, parries, juggles, even air bursts. As new weapons and sidearms join the fray, and enemies become tougher and more numerous in number, players soon find themselves putting a hurtin' on a menagerie of menace, slickly combining the moves, weapons, and skills at Ray's disposal to clear a path, punctuated with cathartic sound and a genuine sense of impact. F.I.S.T.'s combat is familiar yet refreshing. It's one of the most satisfying efforts the genre has seen.

There is little that F.I.S.T. does wrong. It has a superb sense of pace, brilliant visuals, a compelling game world, and engaging action. The story itself is by the numbers, hitting many familiar tropes and following a fairly recognizable three-act pattern. This adherence to the obvious can be somewhat forgiven, as it is in keeping with the doom-laden, noir narrative, given further form with a number of high-quality CGI cut-scenes.

While "gangster rat" or "sexy femme fatale cat" won't win any originality awards, most players will find delight in the furtizens' solid voice-acting, neat visual designs, and wry comical tone. They're all very endearing and sympathetic. For all of its gloominess, F.I.S.T has a vibrant "Saturday Morning Show" feel to its world, characters, and narrative, reminiscent of classic anthro shows of the '90s. Bucky O'Hare by way of Alan Moore... if you'll forgive me. (You won't forgive me.)

When a mid-tier studio launches a AA title featuring an unproven IP, it's a hell of a risk, one that has (sometimes unfairly) brought an impromptu end to both studio and IP. In the case of F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch, this will not happen. TiGames has created an electrifying entry to the genre, ticking every box that makes a Bloodstained or a Castlevania fan feel warm and fuzzy, while ensuring that its own design ideas, intriguing universe, and smack-'em-up action are as notable as any of the title's more familiar tropes. F.I.S.T. is one of my favorite games of 2021. It deserves to be a success, deserves to be widely played, and deserves to rank among the year's best releases.

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is an exemplary action-adventure, packed full of heartfelt detail and design, daubed in a grimy-yet-absorbing aesthetic, and powered with punchy, satisfying combat. While some of its elements will be over-familiar to genre fans, the originalities still shine through, resulting in a brilliant-looking, great-playing metroidvania that will delight players, whether they have a fluffy tail or otherwise. Heed my words: It's most definitely wabbit season.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch appeared first on Destructoid.