Metroidvanias

Somber Echoes is a sci-fi Metroidvania that developer Rock Pocket Games, Lav Games, and publisher Bonus Stage call a "love letter" to the genre. It's set aboard the Greco-Roman spaceship called Atromitos, where "infested horrors from another dimension" now run rampant. It features seven visually distinct districts and is powered by Unreal Engine 5.

Looks like it's getting mixed reviews. There are some people who really like it, and one who hated it, and most who feel like it has potential that's only partially lived up to (which, I guess, is the definition of a "mixed review", so I don't know why I wrote that and am continuing to leave it in this post).

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• Steam
• Playstation
• Xbox

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• God is a Geek
• Games Creed
• Entertainment Geekly
• Game Reactor
• Duuro Plays
• Noob Feed

It was a fun demo. I'm looking forward to it…

Steam only so far, but with plans to release on Switch

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/12122783

Let's discuss: Ori

The format of these posts is simple: let's discuss a specific game or series!

Let’s discuss the Ori series. What is your favorite entry? Are there any moments or mechanics that stand out to you? What aspects of the games do you like most? What are areas that could be improved or don't work for you? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let's get the conversation going!

If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).

Previous entries: Metal Gear, Slay the Spire

I loved the demo and it's getting decent reviews…

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• Steam
• Playstation

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• Hardcore Gamer
• GamesRadar+
• God is a Geek
• Eurogamer
• Digital Chumps

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• Steam

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• Steam

Consoles planned for a later date

Here's the release date trailer

Airhead is an adventure through a sprawling interconnected world, where you must explore, evolve and overcome intricate puzzles to succeed. You play as Airhead, a small Body, and the round inflated organism it uses as a Head. While Head is slowly but surely deflating, you have a chance to save its life, by using air tanks to keep Head inflated while you explore Airhead’s Metroidvania-style world.

Can't find any reviews yet, but so far I've heard mixed results, so…

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• Steam

Join RIN, the last child of the Creator, on a journey to restore order in a mystical world. Collect aspects and runes, craft spells, and confront powerful bosses - your transformed siblings. The fate of the world rests in your hands. Can you restore harmony to this enchanted realm?

Crypt Custodian

• 🎮 Steam
• 🎬 Trailer

BioMorph

• 🎮 Steam
• 🎬 Trailer

So far, it's really good!

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• Switch
• Playstation
• Xbox

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• Kotaku
• IGN
• Polygon
• Gfinity

Dash into a stylish and thrilling action-adventure platformer set in a mythological Persian world where the boundaries of time and space are yours to manipulate. Play as Sargon and evolve from sword-wielding prodigy to extraordinary legend as you master acrobatic combat and unlock new Time Powers and unique super abilities.

UNLEASH YOUR INNER WARRIOR Use your Time Powers, combat, and platforming skills to perform deadly combos and defeat time-corrupted enemies and mythological creatures.

LOSE YOURSELF IN THE PRODIGIOUS MOUNT QAF Discover a cursed Persian-inspired world filled with larger-than-life landmarks and explore a variety of highly detailed biomes, each with their own identity, wonder, and danger.

LIVE AN EPIC ADVENTURE Immerse yourself in a Persian mythological​ fantasy through an intriguing and original story as you use your wits to solve puzzles, find hidden treasures, and complete quests to learn more about this corrupted place.

• Metroidvania Fusion Homepage & FAQ
• Discord channel

Metroidvania Fusion is a digital festival dedicated to Metroidvania video games held on Steam. The initiative of the indie label Ravenage Games is aimed at creating a platform for demonstrating and glorifying interesting and innovative Metroidvania games with a showcase, discounts, and amazing announcements!

Link to MetaCritic

Some of the reviews are calling it a game of the year candidate, but 11 days in, that seems a little much. But the reviews make it sound like a perfect metroidvania.

Take a look at Polygon's "impression".

If you don’t want to hear about the rest of Sargon’s abilities and all you need to know is that The Lost Crown is the perfect package — an excellent Metroidvania with gorgeous environments, challenging but intuitive puzzles, beautiful music and even better voice acting, plus those history-meets-myth lore entries that may capture your imagination and curiosity — then you can stop reading right now. Go ahead and buy this video game. It’s freaking great, OK? We can’t just say that in a review, we have to explain why, and I’ll do that. But if there’s ever been a time to just trust me, this is it.

Switch/Xbox/PS ports to come.

"Momodora: Moonlit Farewell" is the latest installment in the Momodora series. Join Momo, High Priestess of the village of Koho, as she embarks on a divine mission to save her people from imminent destruction at the hands of the demon hordes summoned by a malevolent bellringer.

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• Steam

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• PC Gamer
• Game8
• Noisy Pixel
• Jerry Plays

• Discover a dense, atmospheric, puzzle box world with multiple layers of secrets
• Collect items that each have multiple uses and let you manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways
• Tread carefully as you encounter creatures both beautiful and unsettling. You must assess for yourself what is safe and dangerous
• Custom engine/renderer built specifically for pixel art on modern hardware. Animal Well looks and plays like no other game
• Takes inspiration from the survival horror genre, adventure games, and Nintendo classics such as the original Zelda and Metroid

Aeterna Lucis is a Metroidvania focused on fast-paced combat, exploration, and an engaging story. The sequel to Aeterna Noctis follows the steps of its predecessor including a brand new protagonist and a large interconnected world! After the events of the first game, the Queen of Light must stop the destruction of the very existence by challenging the Supreme God Chaos while seeking the location of their old nemesis. Coming in late 2024

Fueled by love and powered by rage, join Cherry on a blood-soaked quest for revenge as she explores the massive Megastructure and eviscerates the armies of INFONET in an unforgettable over-the-top 2D platformer that breaks tropes and bones.

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• Steam
• PS5
• Xbox

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• COG Connected
• God is a Geek
• Gamespew

“Every story begins at the end of another...”

Prepare to adventure into the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera as Zau, a young shaman who bargains with the God of Death to bring his Baba back from darkness.

Embark on a poignant single-player story shaped by actor Abubakar Salim’s own experience with grief, discovering how love gives us the courage to press on after devastating loss. Wield powers from the Sun and the Moon to defeat restless spirits in rhythmic combat and become a worthy Nganga: a spiritual healer. Discover a rich universe with untold lore of chaos and order and journey through mystical 2.5D realms awash with color and depth, emboldened by multi-award-winning composer Nainita Desai’s enchanting original score.

Crafted by Surgent Studios, the entertainment studio founded by actor Abubakar Salim (Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Raised by Wolves) and published by EA Originals, Tales of Kenzera™: ZAU takes you on a thrilling emotional journey inspired by the rich myths of Bantu cultures.

Here's the Steam page and the Kickstarter placeholder

Coming for Playstation and Xbox in 2024

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• Steam
• Switch

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• Games Reviews
• Noisy Pixel
• The Beta Network
• Hardcore Gamer
• Game Scout
• Twin Finite

@Rogue_Co

We've got a merry surprise for you. #CookieCutter is coming to @Steam, @EpicGames, @PlayStation 5 and @Xbox Series X / S in time for the holidays! Deets in trailer. Your vacay just got owned by an epic #metroidvania. #PS5 #Xbox #indiegames WISHLIST us: tinyurl.com/3fp63cw7