One franchise that is truly beloved by fans is Konami’s Castlevania franchise, both the classic style and later Metroidvania games. Multiple developers have been inspired by the series, from spiritual sequels like Bloodstained to the game we are discussing today, Lords of Exile. Lords of Exile goes for the classic style of the franchise and replaces the traditional foes with creatures from Japanese folklore, as well as Ninja and Samurai, and combines the hard-as-nails gameplay with modern touches.
The protagonist Gabriel moves stiffly like in the games that served as inspiration and as such some care is needed when jumping and moving. Knockback is a thing here and enemies can be relentless, which means you must constantly be aware of the environment. You will need to react fast, and one wrong move can mean death.
Do not be intimidated though, as the game has plenty of modern quality-of-life elements that remove much of the frustration there was before. You have unlimited lives and the game gives you plenty of opportunity to continue and keep going, and the game eases you into things with its first stages. Think of a tough retro game, but without the unfair elements that caused frustration before.
There are other elements as well that have been added, such as new ways of traversing by climbing early on, which gives Lords of Exile a different feel of agileness. This is for the better, as some developers feel the need to stay as true to the classic games as possible without bringing modern elements, but that often holds a game back. Lords of Exile wisely uses modern elements to enhance the classic gameplay and not be stuck in the shadow of the past.
Though this is a classicvania-style game, there are elements of the Metroidvania-style games that are adapted in interesting ways. For instance, you will gain new abilities after defeating bosses and you will be able to do things such as use a double jump or grapple to reach faraway spots. These are not just for exploration though, as the abilities can be used for combat in a variety of ways, but you will need to have shadow power in order to use them.
Lords of Exile has an excellent art style that calls to mind the best of the classics and at times can really fool you into thinking it is a lost classic. But then there are the times when the modern touches come in and you see things you wouldn’t in an older game, instead giving you the appearance of how you remembered these games looking. The music is also great with some excellent chiptune synths that stand as among the best in the classicvania genre, making this a complete audiovisual treat for the senses.
Lords of Exile is a game that understands how to pay tribute to what came before while not getting lost in imitation. With a challenging nature that still feels fair, and amazing music and visuals, this is a game all can enjoy even if they are not familiar with the games Lords of Exile is paying tribute to. This is an easy game to recommend and one that you will find much enjoyment in.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.
