Metroidvania

27Aug

By Tony CNo Comments

Crypt Custodian – PS5 Review

From Ori, Hollow Knight and Dead Cells, to the games that gave the genre its name, Metroid and Castlevania, Metroidvania's are some of the most beloved games across the decades of videogame lineage. Crypt Custodian is a charming new addition to the fold. 9 Lives Exhausted - Crypt Custodian Brought to life by the sibling team of Kyle and Eric Thompson and published by Top Hat Studios, the game is out now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. Gameplay Players take on the role of a cat, Pluto, who has just died and has passed into the afterlife. The mischievous feline is banished to spend eternity cleaning the world of the afterlife. You grab your trusty boom and head off on an adventure of exploration. Enemies are well designed not onl...

20Aug

By Tyler DenyerNo Comments

PC Reviews

Ario – PC Review

Ario, developed by Vata Games and published by Artax Games, plunges players into a vivid yet troubled world. Ario tells the story of a young warrior named Ario, who embarks on a perilous journey to rescue his mother from the clutches of dark forces. What begins as a quest to reunite with his missing parent soon becomes an epic battle against nightmares, curses, and a host of demonic enemies. With its combination of action, platforming, and tower defence elements, Ario attempts to carve out a niche in the crowded 2.5D action-adventure genre. But does it succeed? Ario, this game needed some more air yo. What really stands out in Ario is the vibrant art style and dark atmosphere. It does a great job of creating a world filled with tension and mystery, making exploration genuinely exciting...

6Jun

By DidiNo Comments

PC Reviews

Pine Hearts – PC Review

Explore the great outdoors and discover all the secrets in this small caravan park in Pine Hearts, developed by Hyper Luminal Games and published by Little Nook. This wholesome exploration and Metroidvania-lite title was released on May 24th, 2024, and is available on Steam and Nintendo Switch for £15.99. Pine Hearts and Heart Strings At first glance, Pine Hearts is a cozy, hiking game where you meet various characters and explore different locations to achieve a personal goal. It is also a tale about grief and honouring the memory of loved ones through you. If you are going through a period of grief, this may bring out strong feelings. Gameplay The story of Pine Hearts begins on a cloudy day in a train carriage. You meet Tyke, the main character who is flipping through a journal o...

18Dec

By Ruddy CelestialNo Comments

PC Reviews

Tevi – PC Review

Through the adventure going through Tevi, I've experienced some great storytelling and amazing world building. But something got caught in the cogwheel during my playthrough. And it was the time around me that would disappear playing. No regrets. Tevi is an Action, Adventure Metroidvania with some Bullet Hell splashing on there by a bucket. Developed by CreSpirit who also made a similar game format called Rabi-Rabi that I've had the pleasure of experiencing before. The game first appeared on people's radars at the OTK Games Expo 2023 on June 13th. They've even hosted a demo event from 7/21 - 8/18 to let people try it before people can wishlist it. As of writing this, they now allow people to demo the game before purchasing. I wish more developers follow CreSpirit's lead and do more...

6Jun

By VinnoNo Comments

Gaming, PC Reviews

Magenta Horizon – PC Review

Today we'll be looking at Magenta Horizon, a Metroidvania from one-man developer Hellfire Railway Interactive and published by YouTuber turned indie game micro-publisher 2 Left Thumbs. Magenta Horizon is available now for PC via Steam and will cost £8.29/$10.99. Don't Fear The Reaper Magenta Horizon is a Hollow Knight-esque Metroidvania, where you play as Gretel, a Reaper looking to make her way back to the Nest Sanctuary after her exile. Along the way you'll rescue lost souls, find new upgrades and of course, fight hordes of monsters, demons and bosses. It's a fast-paced action game that'll keep you on your... thumbs? Yeah, we'll go with that. Gameplay After choosing the difficulty, you start the game with the coffin of Gretel being stumbled upon by an old Scottish fella called...

Metroid Prime Remastered – Switch Review

10Mar

By Oliver RevoltaNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Metroid Prime Remastered – Switch Review

If you’ve never played a game in the Metroid Prime series, it’s likely that your preconceived ideas are wrong. Screenshots suggest a trio of pretty-standard first person shooters, but these games are—true to the design of the wider Metroid series as a whole—metroidvanias through and through, though rendered in a first-person 3D style. They feature the same emphasis on map-reading and exploration and almost identical platforming and action, down to the pacing of the encounters with enemies and the giant bosses. On its original release back in 2003, Metroid Prime was hailed as a masterpiece. And the game was impressive—I remember it vividly—there was something powerful in its all-encompassing atmosphere, and how via a hundred artful details and design choices it made you feel part of ...

5Jan

By Tony CNo Comments

PlayStation Reviews

The Knight Witch – PS5 Review

The Knight Witch is a single player bullet hell metroidvania adventure game. Created by Spanish developer Super Awesome Hyper Dimensional Mega Team, this is their second console release after their maiden console title Rise & Shine. Spell Cast Bullet Hell Blast Played here on PS5 the game is also available on PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Gameplay In The Knight Witch you play as a Rayne, a young witch who is on a quest to save her world from destruction by an invading force. You wield a customisable deck of cards which allow you to modify weapons and cast spells for attack and defense. Make your way through the world using a dual thumbstick control scheme with one stick for character movement and the other for aiming weapons in a 360 degree rotation. Fi...

12Apr

By Gareth TruemanNo Comments

PC Reviews

B.I.O.T.A Review

Developed by Small Bros and published by Retrovibe. B.I.O.T.A is a 2d Metroidvania action platformer that was released on the 12th of April 2022 for the PC. Let's bring back some good old nostalgia shall we with this B.I.O.T.A review. B.I.O.T.A - These Aliens Won't Even See It Coming When you say 8bit to gamers the first thing that will pop into their mind is Mario, Castlevania, Metroid, Sonic. Every now and then a game will surface that uses the old school 8bit graphics and give that game a modern twist. B.I.O.T.A is one of those titles so strap into for some gaming goodness. If you enjoy this review then why not check out my latest one here. You can also catch up with what the rest of the Thumb Culture team is up to on our social media. Gameplay Straight away off the bat, you'...

Chains of Fury – A Retro Style FPS to Launch Kickstarter Soon!

20Aug

By BrianNo Comments

News & Updates

Chains of Fury – A Retro Style FPS to Launch Kickstarter Soon!

Metroidvania “boomer shooter” Chains of Fury will launch its Kickstarter campaign later this year. Comic book visual style looks absolutely epic, like if Comix Zone and Duke Nukem had a really violent love child. Of course, it is filled with dark humour and those dodgy one-liners that we all used to. There are going to be loads of guns and split-screen multiplayer. Check out the action in the trailer below. Also, judging by the trailer it's going to have a killer soundtrack as well! If you’re looking for another “save the world and become a hero,” copy-paste story, move along, as there’s nothing to see for you here. Because here, you’ll get the chance to become the meanest b*stard this world has ever seen, whose testosterone can only be measured by the number of bullets you fire at th...

Dex Nintendo – Metroidvania Meets Blade Runner

23Jul

By Mike DifferNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Dex Nintendo – Metroidvania Meets Blade Runner

Coming from Dreadlocks ltd, a Czech based developer with their first PC/console release is Dex, a 2D side-scrolling action RPG. Previously released on PC, Xbox and PS4 & PS Vita in 2016, comes the Nintendo Switch version. The game takes place in a bleak city setting some time in future, along the lines of the Deus Ex series or Blade Runner. Gameplay You play as Dex; a young woman suddenly being pursued by The Complex, a group of mega-corporations who in this dystopian future are essentially in charge of the fictional city of Harbour Prime. Alone and desperate, you find help from a group of hacktivists and their allies who oppose these corporations and seek to break their hold on the city. Dex delivers an intriguing story that keeps you interested as you are dropped right into the...