Right at the start of the review, I promised more on Halberd Studios, and shortly before this review was published in November 2023, they announced their second title, Mariachi Legends. It’s currently going through a Kickstarter campaign and already has an excited following. In case I didn’t make it clear, 9 Years of Shadows is an engaging, beautiful and well-balanced metroidvania and is up there with some of the best in the genre. If Mariachi Legends is half as good, we’ll be in for a treat!
Ebenezer and the Invisible World looks great and has a difficulty level that has been perfectly balanced to stand up to some of the best metroidvanias out there without going down the overly trodden route of making it Souls-like. Sure, there’s not a whole lot original on offer here, but that feels like a harsh stick to beat the developers with in a very crowded genre. Ebenezer and the Invisible World won’t be for metroidvania purists, but if you're a fan of Christmas and anything Dickensian, you will not be disappointed!
I honestly feel that in a few years’ time, when people say, ‘They don’t make them like they used to', they’ll be reflecting on Blasphemous 1 and 2. Both games are superb examples of how to come up with original creative direction and art direction and ensure that both are interwoven into the gameplay. Blasphemous 2 is a prime example of what you need to do to be successful in a crowded genre. Penitent One; I hope it’s not another four years until we meet again!
Well, GINSHA certainly packs a punch. There’s a lot to take in but once you get your head round it all, you can only sit back and admire its ambition and character. Of course, it won’t get anywhere near as much attention as Blasphemous II, but with some polish and tidying up, it will stand alone as a game that any metroidvania fans should give a go.
It seems Disney Illusion Island was torn between aligning itself with the audience that will love its IP or the genre that it has chosen to design the game around. Ultimately, Disney Illusion Island falls in a no-man’s land between the two because it’s neither a great metroidvania nor a challenging platformer that we’re used to with Disney games of the past. All in all, Disney Illusion Island is a great game for families to play, especially parents with their kids, which will surprise no one. As a family man these days, I can appreciate this; I just wish they had provided more challenging gameplay options to cater to a wider audience.
Curse of the Sea Rats is certainly an enjoyable experience for metroidvania fans, and it’s a lovingly crafted, feel-good title. Sadly for me though, the limited combat and boss fights undermine the experience and rank it lower than many other great metroidvania titles recently. Had these elements had more care or originality invested into them, then Curse of the Sea Rats could have been an absolute hit, but unfortunately, it ends up being just another metroidvania as a result.
Overall, I had a great time exploring Royla with Pronty and Bront, and I hope we meet again. However, describing Pronty as a metroidvania is a bit of a misnomer in my opinion, but that shouldn’t take away from all of the many plus points on offer here. The graphics, story and combat are all well executed and when you nail those pillars, who cares what genre of game it is?