While the realization and art style were truly gorgeous this game was less than the sum of its parts. It is a serviceable metroidvania in all aspects but fails to really push the genre forward.
literally so close to being perfect for me, this game was so unbelievably fun
Joguei sem ter visto muito sobre o jogo e fiquei surpreso como que esse jogo é bom. Claro, tirando o fato de ser um jogo da Ubisoft e repleto de bugs ainda sim o jogo consegue ser muito bom. O combate do jogo é bem elaborado e com bastante combos, a arte é bem bonita e toda mecânica nova para cada skill funciona para navegar no mapa como também nos combos de combate. Uma excelente surpresa e só não dou uma nota maior por conta da história batida e os diversos bugs.
This game is probably the first metroidvania I've ever played, enjoyed, and finished. I loved the art style, the music was good, and the story was fine.
The gameplay though . . . The controls were tight and if I failed at something it felt like it was my fault. The pacing of exploration and power-ups was amazing. You end up with a lot of powers but I always had a handle on them because of the way they teach you and the frequency you use them in the area you get them.
There were collectibles and side quests but they're all optional and, frankly, fun to get. Solving the puzzles made me feel like a genius because I never usually engage with that aspect of games. I didn't look up a guide once. The boss battles were challenging but, AMAZINGLY, were doable. I found myself putting time into trying a boss or a jumping puzzle over and over without getting too frustrated.
The map was huge with a new area opening every time I thought I had hit the edge. The pacing was good enough that I was OK with it although I was shocked at the amount of content and play time I ended up putting in here.
I could have done with more fast travel points once the map got so big.
The gameplay though . . . The controls were tight and if I failed at something it felt like it was my fault. The pacing of exploration and power-ups was amazing. You end up with a lot of powers but I always had a handle on them because of the way they teach you and the frequency you use them in the area you get them.
There were collectibles and side quests but they're all optional and, frankly, fun to get. Solving the puzzles made me feel like a genius because I never usually engage with that aspect of games. I didn't look up a guide once. The boss battles were challenging but, AMAZINGLY, were doable. I found myself putting time into trying a boss or a jumping puzzle over and over without getting too frustrated.
The map was huge with a new area opening every time I thought I had hit the edge. The pacing was good enough that I was OK with it although I was shocked at the amount of content and play time I ended up putting in here.
I could have done with more fast travel points once the map got so big.
+Fun/challenging platforming
+Great abilities
+Boss Fights
+Music
+Story is decent enough
-One of the quests was bugged for me so I couldn't get the platinum
+Great abilities
+Boss Fights
+Music
+Story is decent enough
-One of the quests was bugged for me so I couldn't get the platinum
best metroidvania since Dread but nobody knows that because everyone got mad that a game set in Persia stars a black dude
Overall a good metroidvania with some fun platforming and mechanics but I could definitely do without the anime influence and the completely C grade voice acting and dialogue where characters completely ignore some wild stuff. I feel like there could have been a decent story in there somewhere
A completely fine metroidvania that will mostly make you hope Silksong comes out soon. But it's is ancient Persian anime, so gotta give it that
Very weird that there's so little mechanical usage of time control; there are only two time powers, and they are rarely used. The best part of the game is easily the Sacred Archives' puzzles that use multiple versions of yourself, but they're surprisingly short, with only one optional puzzle available later.
Instead it seems like the game wants to distinguish itself as the mv with deep combat, but like, it never actually does that either. Normal enemies are best handled by just button mashing and dodging, and the later bosses are basically immune to the whole combat system, including parrying.
All of this is made worse by the lack of endgame challenges. The optional tasks are: 1 mildly difficult platforming challenge and a map wide puzzle/treasure hunt. No Path of Pain style platforming dungeon, no arena, no boss rush or even optional bosses. It's crazy that they created 7 anime warriors, and you only get to fight 3.
To that point, it's clear that big chunks of planned content were cut late in dev. In the final cutscene, Sargon lists all the Immortals that died, and includes a character who is straight up not in the game after the tutorial. The extremely weird twist about Sargon being switched at birth is hidden in two optional late game quests, and is never mentioned by any character. Overall, a junk food game that fails to live up to its promises.
Also, huh-sterical that the final boss goes super saiyan, but his beard doesn't change color, so it looks like he's wearing a goku wig
edit: I didn't think this needed to be said, but I'm seeing too many people praise the unlockable abilities. What? The non-situational abilities are: ranged attack, air dash, double jump, grappling hook. That's called the platformer starter pack. No idea what you people are talking about.
Very weird that there's so little mechanical usage of time control; there are only two time powers, and they are rarely used. The best part of the game is easily the Sacred Archives' puzzles that use multiple versions of yourself, but they're surprisingly short, with only one optional puzzle available later.
Instead it seems like the game wants to distinguish itself as the mv with deep combat, but like, it never actually does that either. Normal enemies are best handled by just button mashing and dodging, and the later bosses are basically immune to the whole combat system, including parrying.
All of this is made worse by the lack of endgame challenges. The optional tasks are: 1 mildly difficult platforming challenge and a map wide puzzle/treasure hunt. No Path of Pain style platforming dungeon, no arena, no boss rush or even optional bosses. It's crazy that they created 7 anime warriors, and you only get to fight 3.
To that point, it's clear that big chunks of planned content were cut late in dev. In the final cutscene, Sargon lists all the Immortals that died, and includes a character who is straight up not in the game after the tutorial. The extremely weird twist about Sargon being switched at birth is hidden in two optional late game quests, and is never mentioned by any character. Overall, a junk food game that fails to live up to its promises.
Also, huh-sterical that the final boss goes super saiyan, but his beard doesn't change color, so it looks like he's wearing a goku wig
edit: I didn't think this needed to be said, but I'm seeing too many people praise the unlockable abilities. What? The non-situational abilities are: ranged attack, air dash, double jump, grappling hook. That's called the platformer starter pack. No idea what you people are talking about.
I love the Prince of Persia series. Traps, platforming, sunny colour combos, flared trousers, fun combat... Top stuff. Sands of Time is an all timer for me and I've played most of the games either side of it.
So after the positive reviews, I was keen to try this. However I'd say that 15 hours into this game, I was slightly willing it to end. It felt too big, padded, happy to borrow ideas from other games and with a story that's frankly not overly interesting.
Fast forward another 20, and I'm completing the game at 92% completion, waxing lyrical about it to others, seeking out almost every last treasure and putting it in my top 3 Metroidvanias ever.
It's up there with Metroid Dread and Hollow Knight for me. It has the slick movement and levelling up of the former and the challenging combat and exploration of the latter.
The only thing that arguably stops it knocking those off that pedestal is a very slight lack of it's own identity. It handles the series' core conceit of manipulating time really smartly in ways I've not seen before, but shall keep quiet for spoiler reasons; there are several abilities here I've not seen in 2D games before, and they're executed brilliantly.
But there were a lot of moments that broke the immersion and reminded me of other games. A lot of character interactions and treatment felt ripped off of Hades. The combat is pure Dead Cells. The platforming at its toughest reminds me of Celeste and Guacamelee.
But when it's good, man it's good. The abilities you unlock are really great. They forced me to tackle bosses and navigate sections in ways no other games of this type has ever asked me before. The combat got more and more layered, the bosses as tricky as you'd find in a Souls game, the secrets as devious as you'd find in any decent side scroller and I found myself wanting to see every last bit of the map.
I gave up on a few of the stupidly hard trap platforming bits, but on the whole I loved almost every section. The rush I felt for clearing the harder parts was immense.
And the game does have some of its own ideas, from placing screenshots on the map (to recall previously visited areas) to levels frozen in time via capabilities that will become staples in lesser platforms for years to come. By the end of the game, I had mastered the moveset and felt invincible.
It's one of the best reimaginings of a game series I can think of in years, and I hope it gets the success it deserves. All in all, this is exactly how you bring back a long lost series and find a new audience.
So after the positive reviews, I was keen to try this. However I'd say that 15 hours into this game, I was slightly willing it to end. It felt too big, padded, happy to borrow ideas from other games and with a story that's frankly not overly interesting.
Fast forward another 20, and I'm completing the game at 92% completion, waxing lyrical about it to others, seeking out almost every last treasure and putting it in my top 3 Metroidvanias ever.
It's up there with Metroid Dread and Hollow Knight for me. It has the slick movement and levelling up of the former and the challenging combat and exploration of the latter.
The only thing that arguably stops it knocking those off that pedestal is a very slight lack of it's own identity. It handles the series' core conceit of manipulating time really smartly in ways I've not seen before, but shall keep quiet for spoiler reasons; there are several abilities here I've not seen in 2D games before, and they're executed brilliantly.
But there were a lot of moments that broke the immersion and reminded me of other games. A lot of character interactions and treatment felt ripped off of Hades. The combat is pure Dead Cells. The platforming at its toughest reminds me of Celeste and Guacamelee.
But when it's good, man it's good. The abilities you unlock are really great. They forced me to tackle bosses and navigate sections in ways no other games of this type has ever asked me before. The combat got more and more layered, the bosses as tricky as you'd find in a Souls game, the secrets as devious as you'd find in any decent side scroller and I found myself wanting to see every last bit of the map.
I gave up on a few of the stupidly hard trap platforming bits, but on the whole I loved almost every section. The rush I felt for clearing the harder parts was immense.
And the game does have some of its own ideas, from placing screenshots on the map (to recall previously visited areas) to levels frozen in time via capabilities that will become staples in lesser platforms for years to come. By the end of the game, I had mastered the moveset and felt invincible.
It's one of the best reimaginings of a game series I can think of in years, and I hope it gets the success it deserves. All in all, this is exactly how you bring back a long lost series and find a new audience.