---see where this game landed on my Metroidvania tier list beneath this review!--- This one starts off like Infernax , feeling like a better Castlevania 2 . The second half of the game is longer and takes place in a big castle which feels more akin to Pampas & Selene , Astalon: Tears of the Earth or the Castlevania metroidvanias like Symphony of the Night , Dawn of Sorrow etc. The main downsides of this game are: * The map is pretty basic and you can't use markers on it. * Any unsaved progress is lost on death (I personally like this). * There are some rooms you will enter where you get killed by things you cannot defeat, which to some will feel like a cheap trick or a "gotcha!" trap. These would be less painful if it weren't for my previous point. * Post game XP grind. This was a game that started out feeling decent enough, but then really hooked me with its second half, where I was more focused on exploring a big castle and uncovering all of its secrets. The music in this game is very good and I liked the visuals, which reminded me of Castlevania IV . The voice acting in the game is a welcome addition as well. Level design was good, though I do wish the map labelled all of the areas for you. Teleport points are a bit spaced apart (which I don't mind), so there's a bit of backtracking here and there. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this game so much! A+ I guess I'm going to have to try and find a download of Lecarde Chronicles II (the game that this dev made before this, back in 2017). ===================== My Metroidvania Tier List (PC) (excluding Metroid & Castlevania titles) ===================== -Not an objective list, purely how much I enjoyed the games- S+ Aeterna Noctis | S Tier (Truly Special) Astalon: Tears of the Earth | Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom | Hollow Knight | S- Blasphemous 2 | Cathedral | A+ Afterimage | The Last Faith | Zexion | Chronicles of the Wolf | A Tier (Amazing) Elderand | Ori and the Will of the Wisps | Doomblade^ | BioGun | Ender Magnolia | Mandragora | A- Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights | Depths of Sanity | F.I.S.T. | Pampas & Selene | B+ Blast Brigade | Haak | Turbo Kid | Nine Sols | Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus | Biomorph | B Tier (Really Enjoyed) Animal Well | Alwa’s Legacy | Steamworld Dig 2 | Islets | Blasphemous | After Death | Pronty^ | Mortal Manor* | Escape From Tethys | Outbuddies DX* | Monster Sanctuary | Elliot Quest | Rebel Transmute | Moonlight Pulse | Environmental Station Alpha | Twilight Monk | Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | B- Haiku, the Robot | The Mobius Machine | Ultros | Voidwrought | C+ (Fun) Lone Fungus | Ghost Song | Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night | Kunai | Kingdom Shell | Axiom Verge | Treasure Adventure Game | Infernax | Flipwitch# | Momodora 4 | Momodora 5 | HunterX | HunterX: code name T | Curse of the Sea Rats* | Gestalt | Alruna and the Necro-Industrialists | Super Roboy | Blade Chimera | Guns of Fury | C Tier (More or Less Enjoyed) The Throne | Plague of Yamorn* | Column on the Sea | 9 Years of Shadows | Jrago* | Laika: Aged through Blood | MF-01 Aerostrike^ | Xanthiom Zero | Carrion^ | Chasm | Wuppo | The Mummy Demastered | Catmaze | Death’s Gambit: Afterlife | Castle In The Clouds# | Omega Strike | Aggelos | Midnight Castle Succubus# | Overbowed | Rabi-Ribi | TEVI | Far Star | Sheepo | Elephantasy | Mars 2120 | Skelethrone: The CoE* | Unworthy | Hijiri in the Succubus Castle# | Undivine | Somber Echoes | Oirbo* | Ato | C- (Meh) Momibosu | Axiom Verge 2 | EldritchVania | Beholgar* | Astronite | Cookie Cutter | Rusted Moss^ | Grime | Moonscars | The Messenger | Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth | Iconoclasts | MindSeize | Ebenezer and the Invisible World | Luna’s Light* | Tales of Kenzera: Zau | Gato Roboto | Itorah* | Dystobel* | The Knight Witch | Stardust Demon | Kong: Survivor Instinct | D Tier (Liked some things but ultimately did not enjoy) DragonLoop | LoL: Convergence | Janosik 2: Prologue | Vyanka’s Memories* | Arzette | Castle In The Darkness | Alwa’s Awakening | Nitrojet* | RIN: The Last Child* | Pharaoh Rebirth | Yoku’s Island Express | Vigil: Longest Night | Guacamelee! 2 | Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse | Phoenotopia: Awakening | Insect Adventure* | Clunky Hero* | Goo Keeper* | Headlander | Strider | Minoria* | Souldiers | Bone Appetit | The Witch & the 66 Mushrooms | Transiruby | Destroy Space Aliens | La-Mulana | La-Mulana 2 | Rex Rocket | Guacamelee! | 8Doors | Timespinner | Super Panda Adventures | Omega Mouse Zero* | Ataraxie* | You are Peter Shorts | Unepic | The Ramsey | Batbarian | Imp of the Sun | Awaken: Astral Blade* | Redo! | Goodboy Galaxy | Cosmic: A Journey Among Shadows | Shadow Complex | Oblitus Mortis* | Odallus: The Dark Call | Inayah: Life after Gods | Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark | E-Tier (Really disliked) Jenny’s Adventures | Witchcrafty* | Worldless | Scarlet City of Devils | Garm Ruins^ | Venture to the Vile | Aestik* | Windmills* | Sheba: A New Dawn* | Ex Vitro | Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap | Dandara | The Weird Dream | Mystik Belle | Noreya: The Gold Project* | Vernal Edge | The Devil Within: Satgat | Ginsha | Iron Diamond* | Blaster Master Zero | Medusa* | Lost Ruins | Sundered | Salt & Sanctuary | Valdis Story | Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet | Touhou Luna Nights | Chronicles of Teddy | Chronicles of 2 Heroes | Anima Flux | Aquaria | Traps N’ Gemstones | Nyaruru Fishy Fight | Ghost 1.0 | WarriOrb | Feudal Alloy | Apotheon | Gungirl 2 | Bad Pad* | Chakana* | Lootbox Lyfe | Slavania* | Angel’s Gear* | Fearmonium | Magicians & Looters* | Tres-Bashers* | Arcane Assembly^ | Aeternum Vale* | Troupe* | Skautfold: Usurper | Silver Axe - The Honest Elf* | Song of the Deep | Unbound: Worlds Apart | Frontier Hunter: Erza’s* | Redshot* | 3000th Duel | Songbird Symphony | Faunamorph* | Joshua’s Legs | Dust: An Elysian Tale | =================== ^ = Mouse & Keyboard are STRONGLY advised. * = Very raw indie or contains some jank or lack of polish. ---------------------------------
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