Unsighted
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Unsighted
Unsighted boasts engaging gameplay and lore, strong dungeon design, all wrapped around an effective and impactful countdown mechanic
Unsighted remixes familiar ideas with an engrossing spin on what it means to take on a time-sensitive mission to save the world.
Unsighted combines some very familiar ideas: it's a top-down, roguelite, sci-fi Metroidvania with a strong 16-bit aesthetic. Its time-is-ticking, post-apocalyptic scenario is brought to life by the enchanting palettes of its pixel art, making a world you want to explore, full of characters you want to know. Far from punishing, it leans more on the 'lite' than the 'rogue', letting fun prevail – as it will, thanks to the addictive rhythm of the controls, backed by punchy sounds. The cooperative multiplayer is icing on top of an already well-iced cake. Combining flavours of Super Nintendo classics with modern playability, Unsighted is the game 1995 desperately wanted to make but just didn't know how.
Unsighted is hard enough to be a challenge, but just fair enough to hook you in for one more go. Well worth checking out.
But that’s the thing, if all games were judged on their story, many masterpieces wouldn’t be very good, especially in the Metroidvania genre. A good story is a bonus, and Unsighted’s gameplay is fundamentally near-perfect. But I can’t help being disappointed at what this could have been with good writing. If I could have really fallen in love with the characters, it would have been so emotional when they turned mad, or if I was to be forced to choose between them and someone else I may need to beat the game.
That just scratches the surface - there’s also crafting, a chip slot equipment system, companions to help in battle, some simple item fishing a la Hades, unique weapons to divine, and many more secrets we haven’t even touched upon. For Brazilian developer Studio Pixel Punk, Unsighted is an accessible and content-rich debut with a compelling sci-fi drama at its core, and certainly in the argument for one of the best metroidvanias of the year.
Unsighted is, at the end of the day, a bearable experience that despite not standing out so much with its narrative or its world, knows how to compensate for this with its entertaining and varied gameplay,thus achieving that the only thing that is heavy during the hours it takes them to reach the end of their games, is to decide how to properly use our time. There is still much to discover, since there are surprises that I preferred not to mention in this whole text, so that you can discover everything in your own step and you can feel the satisfaction that I myself experienced in each new discovery.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Unsighted is a great adventure. At first, it may lack a distinct identity due to its many influences, and its stamina system and time limit can cause frustration and anxiety. However, players that stick with it or adjust some of its more grating aspects will find a lot to love. Give it a whirl if you are into Metroidvanias with an emphasis on planning and strategy.
