When a game like Disney Illusion Island put??s "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 coul??d eff??ortlessly 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 accompli??shes t??his 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 c?an 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 Disne??y 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 g??ame it is.

//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 simpl????y 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 exp?erience, 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 r?untime.

To be clear, I didn't think the backtracking was necessarily egregious. But I did wish the game would have gone with a sim??ple 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 disc?uss the enemy design, which became more and more of a st??icking 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. B?ut 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 ha??ve 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 fu??n 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 par??tner 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 i??n the game just kind of blur together, with somewhat differentiated but ultimately unremarkable visuals separating them. Outside of a water zone, the whole thing jus??t 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 it??s 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 s?ee 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 sho??w 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 hav??e 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 rea??ch 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?? mo?st 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 retri??eve 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 showd?own 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.

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

"We’ve put a piece of our Mex?ican culture, and therefore our v?ery souls, within Mariachi Legends," said Miguel Hasson, Creative Director of Halberd Studios. "Infusing our love of video games with our beautiful history, cult??ure, and ethnology is a drea?m 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 loca?les and general atmosphere to the art design and use of Mariachi itself �is incredibly compelling. Halberd Studios is promising deep and precise combat, diver??se 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 L?egends 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 consol??e since the game??s' 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 w?ith its time-tested methodology, experimenting with ideas for future updates and new ways for fans to enjoy one of their favorite roguelikes."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBBwIHYm8Mw&ab_chan?nel=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 bo??sses 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 beg?inning to open up its fa??scinatingly 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 c??ontent 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."

//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.

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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 an??d 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.

//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 fi??nd 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 hit?s on April 12.

The post Gr??apple-swinging shooter Rusted Mo??ss 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, n?o 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 advanta??ge of�being a werewolf.

[embed]//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 c??rawled 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 is?sue 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 Metroidvan?ia 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 lo?ws. 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 r?eally 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.

T??he 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 look?ing 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 Metroid?vania. 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 Mar??ch 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]//youtu.be/-iJkv94HlBA[/embed]

Gameplay is a clever combination of gated exploration and choice-driven dialogue. You’re given th??e 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 th??e 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.

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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 Xbo??x One, Xbo?x 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 investigat??ion and?? mystery are in store for Benedict alongside the action.

//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.

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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.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngNZBo8r?pw8&;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.

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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 pe?rspective 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 s??ince.

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 nic?e 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 dialogu??e 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 la?cks 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 locke?d 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 t?o 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 othe?rs 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 a??nd 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 ex?tra 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 tex?tures while Dracula himself i??s 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 stil??l 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 ord?er 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 certa??inly 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.

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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 PlayStatio?n 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.

//twitter.com/PlayStation/status/157079728006362??7264

The Game Pass reveal, along with this, is also the latest news we've had on Hollow Knight: Silksong. The lon??g-awaited title is still in deve?lopment, 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.

//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 so?metime in the future.

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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. Mos??tly. I could immediately picture this game's gloomy bioluminescent vibe, as well as its protagonist, but other details were long forgotten.

//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 machiner?y, 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 ite?ms 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 mys??teries, 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 en??ter the home stretch.

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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 metro?idvania 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 "stealthvani?a" concept), they've set their sights on a 2023 release on PC.

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

If you're curious about the game's name, h?ere'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. Bet?rayed 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 cav??es, to name a few �but i??t'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.

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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.

//twitter.com/FISTthegame/status/1537430040031334401?s=20&t=apmaU3Y5J0BO?YN4M5wJuAA

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 hect??ic, 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 d?ocked, 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. Microid??s will release a physical edition on PlayStation and Switch in 2023.

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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?

//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) fro??m time to time, the whole internal?? demonic struggle angle appeals to me.

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

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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 Jap?an July 14, suggesting that a western release will not be far behin?d.]

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?? la?te-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 C??ity’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.

//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 que?stions 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.

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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 game?s, and everything in between, there are de??als 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 differe?nces 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, esp?ecially lately.

//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' attent??ion 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 w??ide 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 an?d it's fantastic. And better yet, it's 20 percent off right now.

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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 an??nounced the PC date with a new trailer.

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

The colo??r 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 you?r 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.

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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 ann??ouncements.

//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 viole?nt 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 (vi??a Steam and EGS).

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