Xeodrifter Reviews
Xeodrifter's mix of old-school 2D platformer sensibilities and new-school visual effects is charming, and finding a new ability that unlocks a new area tickles the same pleasure centers that Metroid does. Even when it felt like a pale imitation because of severely deficient enemy variety, the fun of experimenting with different gun behaviors and revisiting old areas to find new secrets kept my interest buoyed beyond its short runtime.
Xeodrifiter is a fun, by-the-book way to get your fix for this niche style of gameplay
Xeodrifter condenses the core gameplay of Metroid into an experience that blends action and strategy without much filler and that doesn't waste a moment of the player's time in the process. The controls are smooth, while the animation and sound design fits the NES-to-SNES era that Renegade Kid loves to a tee.
Xeodrifter is an interesting game, in that it's both easy and difficult to recommend. The upside is that this is a finely crafted Metroidvania that oozes quality in almost every fashion, but the downside is that there just isn't a whole lot to it.
Xeodrifter is a fun little game that Nintendo fans should get a kick out of. We wish it was longer and had more visual variety, but those criticisms are mainly because we enjoyed our experience and wanted more of it. We'd love to see Renegade Kid revisit this world at some point in the future, and wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who hasn't played the 3DS version already.
Like the Metroid titles that inspired it, the music, graphics, and world/enemy design are more than worth revisiting a few times a year. This may be Renegade Kid's best game yet, despite its relatively short length. I hope this isn't the last time we'll be invited to adventure with this mysterious new space explorer. Were they secretly a girl the whole time? Hopefully we'll find out next mission.
An absolute treat for fans of Metroid
I'm of two minds when it comes to Xeodrifter. It's an homage to a game that I absolutely love, and Renegade Kid did some truly commendable things here. On the other hand, I didn't get much excitement from exploring its worlds. It's a game that will only appeal to the gamers that grew up with the games that inspired it, and even then, it might leave you wanting more.
Renegade Kid took to Xeodrifter with the retro scene in heart, and the end result reflects that. The charm of exploring each planet far outweigh that it's all over a little too quickly.
So long as the player expects nothing more from Xeodrifter than what it is very upfront about providing in terms of content, retro-aesthetic and gameplay, then it will be hard to feel disappointed after playing this game. It's not perfect, but there is a sincerity here that is likely to charm even the most sceptical of gamers.
A five month development cycle has resulted in a focussed and succinct sci-fi action adventure, which sets a fast pace to flow through its bright pixel art presentation, and waft along to its atmospheric chiptunes.
Xeodrifter is a short but sweet title. It's got some solid platforming, a well balanced difficulty, and a fun weapon system. It's a bit on the short side but is fun while it lasts, especially if you're still fiending for some Metroid-inspired action.
Xeodrfiter is a win for fans of classic gaming and the metroidvania genre.
Overall, Xeodrifter is a blast. It's a simple game that is held up by its unique upgrades, great music, and brilliantly crafted exploration-based gameplay. If you've got an extra $10 lying around, I highly recommend Atooi's latest Switch release.
Its retro aesthetics adjust perfectly to its new ideas and despite its limited lifespan and very minimal plot, Xeodrifter has all the conditions for an intense and rewarding sidescrolling experience.
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Xeodrifter is yet another solid Renegade Kid title that 3DS owners should pick up. It takes the classic Metroid formula, advances it some, but keeps it 8-bit at the same time.
While Xeodrifter could've benefitted from more levels and a bit more boss diversity (are these guys related?), it's still an enjoyable Metroid clone that fans of the genre will certainly want to venture through. Here's hoping that, if we get a sequel, it's bigger and better.
Xeodrifter is a great little game. It's too short and too lacking in boss variety to be an everlasting indie classic, but while playing, it really is stellar.
Summary: There's a scarcity of places to save your game, but it's not enough to pass on Xeodrifter. It's minimalism proves that there's still a place for simplicity, even on modern powerhouse consoles. It's like the first Metroid game only, you know, playable.