metroidvania

I’ve got a pretty wide range of likes when it comes to video game genres. I’d say most have a common thread in that I like adventure which taps into RPGs, JRPGs, action games, open world games, survival horror games and metroidvania games. I also like a challenge within reason, […]

Aeterna Noctis – PS5 Review

December 23, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged 2d / aeterna noctis / bosses / difficult / metroidvania / platformer by Gareth

Night Lights is described as a 2D puzzle platformer by its devs, Montreal-based Meridian4, and that’s kind of true but we’ve seen a lot of those from Ratalaika Games, the publisher here, and this one is a bit different. Indeed with its back-and-forth, linked-up levels, this is more of a […]

Night Lights – PS4 Review

December 1, 2021 in PS4 / PS5 / Reviews tagged 2d / metroidvania / night lights / platformer / ratalaika by Richie

From fantastically named developer Kyle Thompson and publisher Top Hat Studios we have, in their own words, a quirky metroidvania platformer about a shape-shifting sheep-thing. Right, we needn’t bother extrapolating any further. OK, we kid. Along with Kyle, there’s Eric Thompson who composed the music, though unlikely anything to do […]

Sheepo – PS5 Review

October 22, 2021 in PS5 / Reviews tagged metroidvania / shapeshift / sheepo / thompson by Ian

I know the market’s full of them but I haven’t played a Metroidvania in a while. When they’re good, the deliver a flowing experience that I’ll always enjoy. Exploration always appeals to me and uncovering new secrets across an expansive map. Unspeakable Pixels released Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials last […]

Batbarian: Testament of the Primordials – PS4 Review

August 3, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d / batbarian: testament of the primordials / companions / light-hearted / luminous bat / metroidvania / Pixel art / puzzle platforming / rpg elements / secrets / unspeakable Pixels by Mike

I recently reviewed the Mass Effect Legendary Edition and pointed out that minus a couple of features it was a collection done right. Now it’s the turn of the Ninja Gaiden Master Collection, also three games from the previous generation packed together. Things aren’t as straightforward here, which I’ll get […]

Ninja Gaiden Master Collection – PS4 Review

July 3, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2 / 3 / action / character action / difficult / hack and slash / master collection / metroidvania / ninja gaiden / razor's edge / sigma by Gareth

This week’s offering from Ratalaika is Sun Wukong VS Robot, a bite-sized Metroidvania style game from the relatively unknown dev team, Bitca. Having just reviewed the brilliant Astalon, we were fully dialled in to this style of game and all the running, jumping, slashing and upgrading that it entails. So how […]

Sun Wukong VS Robot – PS4 Review

June 22, 2021 in PS4 / PS5 / Reviews tagged hack and slash / jump / metroidvania / platformer / sun wukong vs robot by Richie

Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a 2D roguelike hack and slash platformer from Canadian coders LABS Works which is run by Matt Kap, the developer of Castle in the Darkness. Set in a dying, post-apocalyptic world the game comes with its fair share of lore. Three explorers are wandering […]

Astalon: Tears of the Earth – PS4 Review

June 4, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d / astalon / metroidvania / retro / rogue legacy / roguelite / tears of the earth / the lost vikings by Richie

Outbuddies DX is an old-school Metroidvania-esque explorer/platformer/shooter from one-man developer Julian Laufer that tells the story of Nikolay Bernstein, a maritime archaeologist who unwittingly becomes trapped in Bahlam, an underwater fortress (not the South London town on the Northern Line) that was home to the Old Gods, but now harbours […]

Outbuddies DX – PS4 Review

April 8, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d / 8 bit / indie / metroidvania / outbuddies dx / platforming / retro by Richie

The indies appear to have gone into overdrive this year and I certainly feel relieved when a smaller game comes to my attention. Dreaming Sarah is one such game that feels almost like a short experience rather than a traditional game. A puzzle-platformer from Asteristic Game Studios, this fairly slim […]

Dreaming Sarah – PS4 Review

March 13, 2021 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2D Platformer / anthony septim / asteristic game studio / dreaming sarah / metroidvania / surreal by Mike

Another day, another indie title. This one comes from Ninja Rabbit studios. Micetopia is a fairly simple tale of a mouse called Rich. He’s one of the few villagers left after monsters have taken some of the other residents hostage. With a sword in hand, our little hero has two […]

Micetopia – PS4 Review

December 8, 2020 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d platforming / exploration / hack and slash / metroidvania / mice / micetopia / ninja rabbit studios by Mike

Foregone is an action game with RPG elements, as well as Metroidvania leanings and is obviously influenced by the excellent Dead Cells. If you’re going to be influenced by something it might as well be one of the best but with it comes a tough comparison. So how does it […]

Foregone – PS4 Review

October 24, 2020 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d / action / combat / dead cells / foregone / metroidvania / platforming / rpg by Gareth

This week’s Ratalaika release is Prehistoric Dude, a 2D Metroidvania-style platformer. Yes the platinum is easily obtainable and done so before you finish the game as usual from this publisher, but is it worthwhile otherwise? You play as Dude and his lunch has just been stolen by a large dinosaur […]

Prehistoric Dude – PS4 Review

August 13, 2020 in PS4 / Reviews tagged 2d / dinosaur / metroidvania / prehistoric dude / ratalaika / short by Gareth